Senior Survey Specialist

Job Description

As a member of the M&E team, the Senior Survey Specialist will provide technical assistance to FFP contractors and partners on the population based survey (PBS) design and implementation as well as beneficiary based survey (BBS) designed by FFP partners. The specific tasks include reviewing survey scopes of works, review the PBS design submitted by the baseline contractor and partners, review BBS design, guide contractors on additional analyses; and periodically analyze quantitative survey data to look for plausible relationships between different variables, undertake longitudinal analysis of programs, respond to taskers and prepare and present reports and studies related to USAID’S Office of Food for Peace (FFP) emergency and development programs. The selected candidate will be a member of the multicultural FFP global M&E team working with a variety of clients including FFP global, technical, policy, knowledge management, and program design, teams; contractors, technical and implementation partners, USAID Missions, and Regional Offices. Therefore, it is extremely important for the candidate to be a strong team player, have strong client base service orientation, and be sensitive to timely delivery of outputs. The selected candidate is expected to travel approximately 50% of time to developing countries to participate in baseline workshops, survey trainings, oversee survey implementation, and data utilization workshops.

Essential Functions:

• Provide technical assistance to the FFP contractors and partners in survey design and implementation;
• Review survey designed by contractors, and partners including sampling strategy and sample size estimation, analysis plan, various survey implementation (enumerator, supervisor, question-by-question) guides;
• Conduct advanced econometric analysis to improve evidence-based decision making for the Office and partners;
• Review M&E plans for FFP projects, including indicator selection, data collection, data management, quality assurance, and reporting.
• Analyze and evaluate FFP project results and performance.
• Collaborate with field staff in the mission/region to improve coordination and cooperation for effective monitoring and reporting of FFP investments.
• Provide technical support to FFP officers in country Missions as they develop and implement country monitoring plans and analyze and report findings.
• Keep abreast of trends in M&E and apply knowledge to improve the M&E of FFP’s food assistance, food security and the underlying causes of hunger.
• Design and co-facilitate Baseline and M&E workshops

Skills and Abilities:

• Survey design and implementation including sampling design, sample size estimation, and weighting;
• Developing data analysis plan, and field implementation guides
• Advanced econometric analytical skills
• Experience in implementing surveys in developing countries (preference will be given to the candidates with an understanding of food security and poverty indicators)
• Although it is not a requirement, demonstrated experience in impact evaluation design and implementation will be considered as a strength
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, demonstrated ability to draft reports and review reports drafted by contractors and PVO and UN partners
• Ability to prepare ad hoc reports, project documentation, and briefing papers
• Demonstrated experience in working in multi-cultural teams with strong work ethic
• Demonstrated skills in analytical applications like STATA, and/or SPSS, and CSPro.
• Ability to work in high-pressure environments and manage multiple priorities and projects under tight deadlines

Education/Experience:

• Master’s degree with minimum 12 years’ demonstrated experience or PhD with eight years demonstrated experience in survey design and implementation. The applicant must possess advanced degree in a quantitative field including Economics, Development or Applied Economics, Agricultural Economics, Biostatistics, Statistics, and Mathematics.
• Demonstrated capacity and professional experience in PBS design and implementation including sampling strategy, estimating sample size, data analysis plan, survey data weighting, advanced econometrical analysis, training enumerators, and oversee survey implementation in developing countries.

U.S. Citizenship is required; selected candidate must be able to qualify for a government sponsored security clearance.

Physical Requirements
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision. The employee must occasionally lift or move up to 25 pounds.

About the Organization

Macfadden is an employee-owned, international professional services corporation that applies integrated information technology solutions and program/project management expertise to help solve critical issues impacting the health, safety and security of the world around us. Since 1986, federal agencies have relied on Macfadden for mission critical support in the areas of international disaster response, development and humanitarian assistance, compliance and monitoring support, information management, and systems engineering and integration.

Today, Macfadden provides innovative solutions that enable our customers to protect America's food supply more efficiently and bring medical breakthroughs to market sooner; rapidly respond to complex international disaster relief efforts; develop and maintain critical government IT financial systems and safeguard key government information systems. We support our customer's mission to help emerging democracies in Eastern Europe and Eurasia develop their economic infrastructures; help meet compliance requirements and improve transparency through effective records and information management programs; and help preserve many of our nation's most treasured historical documents through our data capture and digital conversion services.

With more than 225 employees, Macfadden is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland with multiple client site operations worldwide.