Sr. Research & Evaluation Officer

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communication Programs (CCP) is a world-renowned organization that uses social and behavior change communication (SBCC), knowledge management, research and evaluation, and capacity building to develop and sustain healthy behaviors worldwide. We are seeking a Sr Research & Evaluation Officer (SREO) who is a seasoned and internationally recognized member of CCP who leads complex and rigorous research and evaluation activities for social and behavior change and health communication programs. He/She works collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams in Baltimore and staff in CCP field offices worldwide to refine existing theories and develop and test new theories of communication and behavior change to advance SBCC program effectiveness, promote normative change and achieve improvements in public health. The SREO designs new technical approaches and research tools to collect quality research data and promotes their use in SBCC research. He/She advises on, supervises and conducts complex qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research and uses advanced and new methodologies.

The SREO is a recognized expert on theories of communication and behavior has applied them successfully to the improvement of health behaviors in countries in Africa and Asia and has published findings in peer-reviewed professional journals. He/She advises on and supervises the technical work of Baltimore, local research staff and in-country partners, and develops and conducts formal instructional activities for internal and external audiences to build capacity in SBCC research, evaluation, data use and learning. He/She has solid knowledge about new approaches and techniques in SBCC research and mentors and instructs staff for their professional growth and advancement. The SREO represents CCP at national and international forums and technical expert panels and working groups, and informs on and promotes CCP research, products and programs globally. He/She contributes to the development of health communication science and evidence of SBCC impact through peer-reviewed publications, professional meetings and technical reports. The SREO also leads the conceptualization and development of innovative research, monitoring and evaluation sections of CCP grant proposals, both at the country level and at the global level.

Performance is measured by five criteria (Quantity of Work, Quality of Work, Initiative, Problem Solving & Innovation, Interaction with Others, Communication) for each of the seven competency areas below.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• The Senior Research and Evaluation Officer is expected to perform the following activities with high-level competency.

Theory, Frameworks & Models

• Innovates and/or develops theories and/or models, frameworks using multidisciplinary paradigms to advance the field of SBCC and contributes to theories of Social and Behavior Change worldwide.
• Able to coalesce theoretical models from different regions of the world to local contexts resulting in more powerful and impactful interventions.
• Applies theoretical principles to design research and programs intended to change health behaviors.
• Keeps abreast of developments in the social and behavioral sciences as well as communication theory to enhance SBCC Research & Evaluation (R&E) activities and is able to use these theoretical principles to design research and programs intended to change health behaviors, particularly in South Asian countries.
• Understands the principles of Confucianism to improve interpersonal relationships and communication patterns among individuals, households and communities.
• Explicates and uses the elements of particularism, reciprocity, in-group/out-group distinction, the role of intermediaries and the overlap of personal and public relationships in behavior science research.
• Grasps the nuances of the cultural belief system around ritual purity-pollution in India and other South Asian countries as well as the construct of compassion from the Indian theory of Sadharanikaran.
• Able to coalesce theoretical models from different regions of the world to local contexts resulting in more powerful and impactful interventions.

Research & Evaluation

• Research Design
• Conceptualizes and leads implementation of complex R&E study designs and the development of study protocols for review by Internal Review Boards (IRB) of the Johns Hopkins University and at the country level.
• Advises, teaches and mentors on R&E SBCC designs.
• Tests new theoretical approaches from a global perspective representing African, Latin American, Asian, Middle Eastern and Western theories of communication and behavior change through the use of solid and innovative research methodologies.
• Develops research designs to understand the household and community dynamics that may contribute to rarely unexplored health issues, from a preventive perspective, such as preterm births in Asian and African countries.

Tools Development

• Has a solid command of research methodologies to create unique research tools that contribute to higher data quality and real-time data processing for use by low skilled health workers in developing countries.
• Has demonstrated expertise (a record of using these tools) that add to the evolving body of knowledge related to research, monitoring and evaluation of health communication programs.
• Uses South Asian theories of behavior and communication to develop new measures and culturally appropriate and innovative tools to increase understanding of household dynamics that can help develop interventions to counter gender inequitable norms and gender-based violence, particularly in the Indian context.
• Has been able to develop and test new measurements to assess the household micro environment as part of the Socio-Ecological Model that can render a construct of a flexible versus a stringent household environment to better explicate health behaviors.
• Guides the development of Requests For Proposals (RFPs) at national and international levels as well as vendor selection.
• Guides the development of fieldwork training and complex fieldwork operations in overseas countries assigned.
• Guides and supervises the implementation of R&E studies and data quality assurance.

Dissemination

• Leads and guides the conceptualization of R&E professional reporting and peer-reviewed manuscripts.
• Advises on data visualization using state-of-the art dashboards and geographic information systems and applications for the preparation of research reports and presentations at professional conferences.
• Coordinates/organizes international panels and high-level think-tank groups on relevant SBCC issues and scientific data. The SREO is considered a seasoned expert in the field at the international level with decades of demonstrated expertise.
• Has proven expertise in data synthesis and interpretation for program and policy use and has a record of peer reviewed publications at the international level.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)

• MEL Design
  
• Identifies needs and suggests innovations for MEL activities that fit the larger R&E program agenda at the country level and CCP-wide international level.
• Innovates on measurement and data collection approaches taking advantage of digital and web-based tools, as well as SMS-based approaches.
• Has solid expertise using the theory of Bounded Normative Influence to develop mobile applications that can be used using cluster-level boundaries for outcome monitoring such as the Mohalla outcome monitoring digital application that provides real time information to fieldworkers and their health.
• supervisors about health behaviors, morbidity levels and health status indicators.
• Has developed innovative methods to reach communities that are the last mile of the digital chain, such as the offline digital relay, which uses wireless technologies like Bluetooth which are not internet dependent.

MEL Data Analysis

• Oversees final MEL plans, and data analysis and interpretation for country programs in Asia and in Africa working closely with country level counterparts and mentoring them in high quality data analysis.

Statistics & Analysis

• Quantitative Analysis
• Provides high-level advice, conducts and/or supervises R&E data preparation and analysis, specifically for complex data sets including longitudinal designs, network analysis, and randomized control trials.
• Has a proven record of conducting and supervising quantitative analysis using sophisticated methods such as propensity score matching, structural equations models, path analysis and other experimental and observational methods.
• Has a proven record of analyzing complex survey data on integrated health behaviors, identifying common determinants across behaviors as well as gateway behaviors to improve program efficiency and effectiveness.
• Expertise analyzing.
• Keeps abreast of new statistical methods and leads their application to SBCC R&E.

Qualitative Analysis

• Provides high-level advice on development of innovative R&E analysis such as content and semiotic analyses, axial coding, conceptual mapping and others).
• Provides high-level advice, conducts and/or supervises R&E data preparation and codebook development for analysis.
• Develops innovative qualitative methods and analyses that provide detailed insights into the lived health experiences of communities such as behavior chains to obtain insightful data on specific barriers and facilitators to behaviors in a given community context.

Business Development

• Leads program and research sections of proposal development (includes original ideas for theory, MEL, program models and strategies, research and performance monitoring), working on coordination with colleagues in Asia, Africa and CCP Baltimore's headquarters office.
• Contributes innovative theoretical perspectives and research methods that render successful project proposals in a competitive environment and is proficient at writing research proposals.

Leadership & Professional Development

• Conceptualizes high level sessions for international conferences such as the convening of experts to put forward a global ensemble of communication/behavioral theories that include all the regions of the world.
• Contributes own design of innovative mobile applications to program and research teams for use by CCP programs worldwide.
• Contributes communication and SBCC expertise to the organization of technical working groups and panels at international level working with multiple international organizations such as UNICEF, Save the Children, Population Services International (PSI) and others.
• Mentors and supervises staff independently in local country offices worldwide and at CCP Baltimore's headquarters office.
• Contributes high-level critical thinking on SBCC models and theory to enhance the professional and competitive standing of CCP worldwide.
• Has been recognized, through international awards, such as the Gates Foundation Thought Leadership award as a leader in the field of health behavior and health communication.

Collaboration & Communication

• Facilitates collaboration across units in the organization and with other external and related entities, such as other academic departments within the Johns Hopkins University and with other US-based as well as international level universities.
• Facilitates constructive working relationships within the organization, specially bringing together program and research teams working at headquarters and offices worldwide.

• Doctoral Degree (PhD, DrPH, ScD) in behavioral science and health education.
  
• Related Bachelors degree in mass communication, with at least ten (10) years of research experience using Asian theories of communication and behavior.
• At least eight (8) years in relevant international experience working in Asian and African countries.

Special Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Knowledge of, adaptation, and application of communication and/or behavior change theory, conceptual frameworks development, innovative designs, quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods approaches and design of protocols.
• Knowledge of health technical areas including maternal and child health, nutrition, reproductive health, and other, program monitoring skills.
• Advanced statistical methods, qualitative and quantitative analysis and use of analysis software.
• Development of own mobile applications for use in local contexts, and data visualization using innovative dashboards.
• Demonstrated mentoring in Asian and African contexts and performance management.
• Demonstrated technical leadership in the field of behavioral and communication sciences. Human subjects research and ethics.

Classified Title: Sr. Research & Evaluation Officer  
Role/Level/Range: ACRP/04/MI  
Starting Salary Range: $114,500-$157-370-$200,230 Annually (Commensurate with experience) 
Employee group: Full Time 
Schedule: M-F; 8:30-5 
Exempt Status: Exempt 
Location: ​​​​​​​JH at 111 Market Place 
Department name: ​​​​​​​Ctr for Communication Programs CCP  
Personnel area: School of Public Health 

Total Rewards
The referenced salary range is based on Johns Hopkins University’s good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level. Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/

Please refer to the job description above to see which forms of equivalency are permitted for this position. If permitted, equivalencies will follow these guidelines:

JHU Equivalency Formula: 30 undergraduate degree credits (semester hours) or 18 graduate degree credits may substitute for one year of experience. Additional related experience may substitute for required education on the same basis. For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education/experience required for the respective job.

**Applicants who do not meet the posted requirements but are completing their final academic semester/quarter will be considered eligible for employment and may be asked to provide additional information confirming their academic completion date.

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check. Johns Hopkins is committed to hiring individuals with a justice-involved background, consistent with applicable policies and current practice. A prior criminal history does not automatically preclude candidates from employment at Johns Hopkins University. In accordance with applicable law, the university will review, on an individual basis, the date of a candidate’s conviction, the nature of the conviction and how the conviction relates to an essential job-related qualification or function.

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All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

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