Senior Field Officer - UG job at Busara Center

About Busara

Since 2014, Busara has evolved from a small behavioral science lab in Nairobi into a boutique research and advisory organization. Our diverse team of over 130 staff from 15+ countries has engaged in diverse projects across more than 50 countries in sectors like Agriculture, Health, Governance, and Inclusive Finance. While headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, we have expanded our footprint with offices now in India, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, and Latin America.

Role Purpose Statement

The Senior Field Officer leads and supervises field teams to ensure high-quality and ethical data collection. The role includes supporting field staff, monitoring adherence to protocols, resolving challenges in the field, and ensuring that data collected is accurate, complete, and delivered on time.

Key Accountabilities / Responsibilities

The Senior Field Officer will work closely with Busara offices and directly with academic researchers and advisory clients to perform a variety of tasks, including, but not limited to:

• Supervise and coordinate multiple Field Officers to ensure smooth, efficient, and accurate data collection.
• Ensure that all field activities comply with research protocols, ethical standards, and project timelines.
• Provide guidance, mentoring, and on-the-job training to Field Officers to strengthen field skills and adherence to procedures.
• Monitor fieldwork progress, identify operational or logistical challenges, and implement corrective measures.
• Review field-collected data for quality, consistency, and completeness before submission to data teams.
• Act as the primary liaison between the field team and Project Lead, Busara offices, and/or advisory clients.
• Maintain detailed records of field activities, including daily updates, challenges, and resolutions.
• Support translations, back-translations, and clarification of survey instruments when required.
• Ensure confidentiality, ethical conduct, and respectful treatment of all participants in the field.
• Participate in high-priority or complex interviews or field visits as required.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the Project Lead.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

Minimum Requirements

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in Swahili and English.
• Proven ability to supervise, coordinate, and mentor field teams.
• Strong organizational, planning, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience conducting quantitative interviews and field data collection.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and resolve field-level challenges efficiently.

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or college diploma in Social Sciences, Economics, Development Studies, or related field.
• Previous experience as a Field Officer, SFO, or team lead in field data collection projects.
• Familiarity with Android tablets or digital data collection tools.
• Experience coordinating field teams across multiple locations or complex field operations.

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

• Supervise and coordinate multiple Field Officers to ensure smooth, efficient, and accurate data collection.
• Ensure that all field activities comply with research protocols, ethical standards, and project timelines.
• Provide guidance, mentoring, and on-the-job training to Field Officers to strengthen field skills and adherence to procedures.
• Monitor fieldwork progress, identify operational or logistical challenges, and implement corrective measures.
• Review field-collected data for quality, consistency, and completeness before submission to data teams.
• Act as the primary liaison between the field team and Project Lead, Busara offices, and/or advisory clients.
• Maintain detailed records of field activities, including daily updates, challenges, and resolutions.
• Support translations, back-translations, and clarification of survey instruments when required.
• Ensure confidentiality, ethical conduct, and respectful treatment of all participants in the field.
• Participate in high-priority or complex interviews or field visits as required.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the Project Lead.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in Swahili and English.
• Proven ability to supervise, coordinate, and mentor field teams.
• Strong organizational, planning, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience conducting quantitative interviews and field data collection.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and resolve field-level challenges efficiently.
• Familiarity with Android tablets or digital data collection tools.
• Experience coordinating field teams across multiple locations or complex field operations.

• Bachelor’s degree or college diploma in Social Sciences, Economics, Development Studies, or related field.
• Previous experience as a Field Officer, SFO, or team lead in field data collection projects.