Overview

Inequalities are widespread and complex and affect many areas of people’s lives. Africa Health Organisation (AHO) is an international health agency which plans to establish a research institute to confront these inequalities. We work across Africa and the Diaspora in the UK and internationally to create insight and social innovations which put people at the heart of social change.

We are seeking a Volunteer Research Officer to conduct a range of research which supports AHO in its mission. This role may involve working across a variety of projects, possibly including:

Main Responsibilities

• Carrying out quantitative data analysis of existing secondary data sets and primary quantitative data
• Organising, designing and carrying out qualitative fieldwork, often with marginalised or vulnerable people, in different locations and contexts across the UK and Africa.
• Conducting qualitative analysis of data conducted through interviews, focus groups, workshops or other methods such as surveys using online forms such as Google online forms or Survey Monkey.
• Carrying out desktop research, using a range of methods and sources of data, related to determinants of health, socioeconomic, health inequality and social innovation practice globally.
• Producing high quality and varied research outputs for a range of audiences including analysis, report writing and presentations where necessary.
• Making sure our work is participatory, including working with peer researchers and valuing the importance of communicating with different audiences.
• Taking responsibility for data and project management and administration as it relates to delivering work.
• Delivery of particular work strands relating to our research. This will include taking personal responsibility for key elements of work as well as supporting others in the team.
• Any other duties as required by the line manager in line with the role.

Person specification

Prior experience - essential

• Postgraduate degree in a social science subject such as international development, criminology, geography, political science, politics, psychology, social policy, social sciences, social statistics, sociology and sciences AND 1+ year of professional experience conducting social research in a university, think tank, charity or consultancy
• Experience of designing quantitative research tools
• Experience of quantitative and statistical data analysis, including of large existing data sets, using Excel and/or SPSS
• Experience of designing qualitative research tools
• Experience of conducting and organising qualitative fieldwork
• Experience of conducting qualitative analysis using Excel, Word and/or NVivo
• Experience of having conducted robust desktop research and knowledge of a range of methodologies for doing this
• Evidence of ability to grasp complex concepts and debates quickly and to engage with these effectively through research
• Ability to communicate effectively - in writing and in person - about research findings to a range of audiences
• Evidence of having delivered or contributed to the delivery of high-quality social research outputs

Prior experience - desirable

• Able to lead work packages and deliver work in different areas on time
• Experience of having designed and conducted participatory research
• Experience of research with people from a range of backgrounds, including from vulnerable or disadvantaged backgrounds such as disabled, homelessness and from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities
• Experience or understanding of ethnographic methods
• Published social research outputs