Qualitative and Mixed Method Researcher

Volunteering Communications & PR

Overview

Support research on women's roles in agriculture for Egypt's green economy.

You have:

• Design and implement ethnographic research tools including interviews, journey mapping, focus groups, and field visits.
• Recruit participants from women, relevant authorities, and organizations.
• Experience in climate issues, gender issues, or green economy-related areas.
• Ability to facilitate focus groups and workshops.
• Knowledge of ethical frameworks for conducting research with vulnerable communities.

Contract

This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist contracts.

Despite Egypt’s relatively negligible contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions, it is disproportionately burdened with the need to cope with climate change risks. Extreme weather events, scarce water resources, land degradation, and sea level rise have put critical stressors to Egypt’s economy and natural resources. These changes have also exacerbated the existing inequalities faced by women and vulnerable communities. Women in Egypt are concentrated in low-productivity jobs with little if any social protection, and career progression opportunities. They tend to work in smallholder farms, run micro- or small businesses and are overrepresented in the informal sector.

As countries focus on the concept of “building forward better” from COVID-19 crisis, the need for greening the economy has been underlined as part of recovery measures. At the UNDP Egypt Accelerator Lab, we are working to rethink pre-existing methods and respond innovatively through an integrated approach to address impacts and interlinkages across climate change, gender inequality and sustainable recovery. In the past years, Egypt has made great strides in implementing and investing in strategies and projects that is leading the country to green economies. However, if green economy initiatives do not account for both environmental and social factors like income equity, job quality, and gender equality they may maintain or even aggravate the negative social and distributive trends of the traditional economy including existing inequalities and gender gaps.

The purpose of this assignment is to support the development and implementation of qualitative and mixed method research, including the application of ethnography, user research and other social innovation tools to better understand women’s experiences, behaviors, barriers, and opportunities in agriculture sector towards participating in Egypt’s green economy. The aim is to surface potential ideas, solutions, and knowledge that can inform the lab’s experiment portfolio.

About the UNDP Accelerator Lab:

UNDP Egypt Accelerator Lab is part of a global learning network asking three big questions: how do we better tackle complex and fast-moving challenges? how do we find the most relevant solutions that work locally? how do we learn more quickly about what works and what doesn’t? A network of 91 Accelerator Labs serving 114 countries that work together with global and national partners and local innovators to develop new approaches to address the complexity of current development challenges and be the fastest learning on sustainable development challenges.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Head of solutions mapping or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UNV Qualitative and mixed method researcher will:

1. Design and Implementation of the Ethnographic Research:- 1.1. Support in designing the ethnographic research tools, including but not limited to interviews, journey mapping, focus groups, and field visits to gain a deeper understanding of women’s perspective and experience in agriculture sector towards participating in the green economy. 1.2. Recruit participants, women from different backgrounds, relevant authorities, organizations, and stakeholders to participate in the research. 1.3. Coordinate and arrange logistics to conduct field visits, focus groups, and interviews. 1.4. Co-facilitate and support in running focus groups and workshops together with Lab team.

2. Analysis and synthesis:- 2.1. Support in developing user personas, key insights, and recommendations from research findings. 2.2. Document findings and local solutions identified during the research. 2.3. Validate insights and personas with relevant stakeholders. 2.4. Support on the design of lab’s experiment portfolio to ensure experiments are based on people’s knowledge and behavioral insights from the research.

3. Learning & Submission of a Final Report:- 3.1. The UNV shall support in the production of a final report that will: 3.1.1. Follow a standard mixed methods research design (e.g. IMRaD or other similar structure); 3.1.2. Review, analyses, and index related literature, including local policies, academic research, data, and other materials relevant to the ethnographic research. 3.1.3. Consolidate and present the user personas, key insights, and recommendations; and, 3.2. Co-develop with the UNDP Egypt Accelerator Lab team at least one (1) knowledge product (e.g. local policy briefs, research articles, blogs, vlogs, and other communication materials) on advancing women’s participation in Egypt’s green growth.

• Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.

Results/expected outputs:

• As an active UNDP Egypt Accelerator Lab team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNDP Egypt Accelerator Lab and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including: • Inception Report including work plan and other details agreed during preparatory meetings • Coordinate, recruit, and implement Focus groups, interviews, and field visits • Final Report of research findings, including user personas, key insights, and recommendations. • Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNDP Egypt Accelerator Lab technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNDP Egypt Accelerator Lab procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented; • Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNDP Egypt Accelerator Lab in daily activities and behaviors while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behavior; does not abuse power or authority; • Commitment to Continuous Learning; • Communication; • Integrity; • Planning and Organizing; • Technological Awareness; • Teamwork and respect for diversity.

• Qualitative and mixed methods research design, including the application of ethnography, user research and other social innovation tools (e.g. design thinking / human-centered design, participatory methods, etc.) • Demonstrated ability to undertake field research in remote communities and document ethnographic evidence and honor expertise in unusual places. • Proven ability to design ethical frameworks for conducting research with vulnerable communities. • Experience in climate issues, gender issues, or green economy. (or any related area) • Demonstrable networks with women and local organizations working in agriculture is a definitive added advantage.

Job Knowledge & Expertise: • Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need • Excellent organizational skills and ability to handle effectively multiple tasks without compromising quality, team spirit and positive working relationships with all partners. • Plans, prioritizes, and delivers tasks on time. • Responds flexibly & positively to change through active involvement.

Teamwork & People Skills: • Ability to engage and build rapport with vulnerable communities and get consent, facilitate participatory processes, and navigate intricate power relations and cultural dynamics. • Participates effectively in a team-based, information-sharing environment, collaborating and cooperating with others. • Develop and sustain positive relationships with a range of local community and citizen groups. • Serves and promotes the vision, mission, values, and strategic goals of UN.

Innovation: • Design and implement innovative methods and tools for sensing and building on local knowledge and local solutions. • Passionate about understanding people's perceptions, motivations, feelings and mental models and craft narrative to build an emotive argument for change accordingly.
• Minimum proficiency with teleconferencing and online collaboration tools is a plus.

The duty station will be Cairo, which is a family duty station with a wide range of services (health, education and leisure) and good living conditions. Cairo (and Egypt) has long been a centre of the region’s political and cultural life, with high levels of tourism. Like other similar cities, Cairo offers good quality of life in terms of access to shopping centres, banks, medical services, educational facilities, cultural events, etc. The Arab Republic of Egypt has a unique geographical position in Northeast Africa, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, on the Mediterranean and Red Sea, and its connection to Sub Saharan Africa through the Nile Valley. The country is defined by desert and the Nile, the longest river on Earth. Egypt is bordered by the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Gulf of Aqaba to the east, the Red Sea to the east and south, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west. With over 90 million inhabitants, two-thirds of which are below 30 years, Egypt is Africa's third most populous country after Nigeria and Ethiopia and has the highest population in the Arab world's most densely populated areas, especially in greater Cairo, Alexandria and other major cities in the Nile Delta. The country has witnessed significant political and economic changes since 2011. Through this transition, which includes periods of political unrest, the main income sources of the economy have been negatively impacted, particularly in the tourism sector, as well as revenues from the Suez Canal, oil and remittances from Egyptians working abroad, affected by the global economy. However, with the current political stability, tourism is getting improved, and touristic activities are going back to normal. UN staffs are not directly targeted in Egypt and for the most are vulnerable to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is recommended to keep dwell time in the immediate vicinity of military, police and other prominent official installations to the minimum.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials.

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Potential interview questions

Added 4 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unv.org