Wanted: IIED is seeking a Research Consultant to Work as Data Lead- Urban Refugee Wellbeing in East Africa and the Middle East (Apply by 21 April 2025)

Data Lead Consultant – Urban Refugee Wellbeing Project
Organisation: International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
Location: Hybrid (UK-based with travel to Nairobi, Amman, Kampala, and Istanbul)
Deadline for Application: 21 April 2025 (6pm BST)

About IIED:

The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) is a leading global research organization focused on creating positive environmental and social change, particularly in communities that are most vulnerable to the climate crisis, nature loss, and growing inequality. IIED works closely with grassroots organizations and local communities across the globe, seeking to drive impact through evidence-based research and partnerships. IIED’s migration, mobility, and displacement team is committed to advancing understanding and solutions for people affected by displacement, and this new project is an exciting continuation of that work.

Project Background:

Building on a major project completed in 2024, IIED is continuing its work to refine a framework that assesses the wellbeing of displaced populations, particularly refugees. In the previous phase, IIED and its partners developed a framework by reviewing existing literature and conducting focus groups with refugees and host communities in East Africa and the Middle East. The framework was designed to understand displaced people’s wellbeing across various dimensions, with a focus on issues such as health, economic stability, social integration, and education.

With new funding secured in 2024, IIED will further refine this framework and validate it through community engagement. The ultimate goal is to develop the framework into a user-friendly online tool that can be used by practitioners, policymakers, and organizations working with displaced populations. The consultant will play a pivotal role in this phase of the project, particularly in designing and implementing a large-scale survey to measure refugee wellbeing and analyze the results.

Key Responsibilities:

As the Data Lead Consultant, you will be responsible for guiding the data aspects of the project and working closely with the IIED team, a senior external adviser, and in-country partners to ensure the successful execution of the survey and the subsequent analysis of the data. Key responsibilities include:

• Survey Design: Collaborate with the team to design a comprehensive survey on refugee wellbeing, ensuring it aligns with the established framework and can capture relevant data across diverse populations in East Africa and the Middle East.
• Training and Capacity Building: Lead the training of local enumerators in Nairobi, Amman, Kampala, and Istanbul, ensuring they understand the survey methodology, data collection procedures, and ethical considerations in working with vulnerable populations.
• Survey Implementation: Oversee and coordinate the delivery of the survey in multiple fieldwork locations. Ensure that data collection is carried out in a timely and accurate manner, while addressing any challenges that may arise during field operations.
• Data Analysis: Statistically analyze the survey data, ensuring the results are robust, actionable, and aligned with the objectives of the project. The analysis will inform a range of outputs, including peer-reviewed publications and practitioner-focused resources.
• Contributions to Reporting: Contribute to the writing and development of reports and publications based on the survey findings, ensuring that the outputs are accessible to both academic audiences and practitioners in the field of international development and humanitarian assistance.
• Collaboration with Local Partners: Work closely with in-country partners and local stakeholders to ensure the survey is culturally appropriate, the methodology is sound, and the data collected is of high quality.
• Travel Requirements: Travel to fieldwork locations (Nairobi, Amman, Kampala, and Istanbul) will be required. You will work alongside local enumerators and partners to facilitate data collection and provide direct oversight.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Educational Background: A postgraduate degree in quantitative social sciences, data science, or a related field.
• Experience: Proven experience in survey design, data collection, and statistical analysis, particularly in the context of international development or humanitarian assistance. Familiarity with refugee and displaced populations, or migration and mobility issues, will be an asset.
• Technical Skills: Strong proficiency in statistical analysis software (such as SPSS, Stata, R, or Python) and the ability to analyze micro-level datasets and textual data. Experience with mixed-methods research will be a plus.
• Cultural Competence: The ability to work effectively in diverse cultural contexts, particularly with vulnerable populations such as refugees and displaced individuals.
• Languages: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French, Arabic, or other relevant languages will be an asset.

Consultancy Terms:

• Duration: Up to 100 days, with the project running from May 2025 to July 2026. There is the potential for extension should additional funding be secured.
• Location: This is a hybrid role. While based in the UK, the consultant will be required to travel to East Africa and the Middle East for fieldwork, with visits to Nairobi, Amman, Kampala, and Istanbul.
• Meetings and Travel: Consultants will be expected to attend in-person meetings in the UK, with the first scheduled for late May 2025. Travel to the field locations will be necessary for survey implementation and data collection oversight.

How to Apply:

Interested applicants should read the full terms of reference (available as a PDF) and submit their CV and a covering letter by 21 April 2025 at 6pm BST. Applications should be sent to Maren Thompson at [email protected]. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews in late April or early May 2025, with the role expected to start by 12 May 2025.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a consultant with expertise in data science or social science research to contribute to a critical project that aims to enhance the wellbeing of displaced populations. If you are passionate about making a tangible difference and have the necessary skills and experience, IIED encourages you to apply for this exciting opportunity.

Read the full job description (PDF)

For more opportunities such as these please follow us on Facebook, Instagram , WhatsApp, Twitter, LinkedIn and Telegram

Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the hiring company. For any inquiries, please contact the hiring organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding