Institutional Ethnographer – Georgetown University Institute for Reproductive Health

About US:
The Georgetown University Institute for Reproductive Health (IRH) is dedicated to improving the sexual and reproductive health of women, men and youth through a research-to-practice agenda. Our emphasis is on increasing access to and use of family planning, increasing fertility awareness through life-stage appropriate interventions, expanding access to fertility awareness-based family planning methods in an informed choice context, and developing scalable interventions to transform gender norms and catalyze the diffusion of social norms that support family planning. Cross-cutting themes in the Institute’s work include the diffusion of social norms that support sexual and reproductive health, scale up of innovations, and incorporating gender perspectives in reproductive health. In partnership with a wide range of international and local organizations, IRH conducts research, builds capacity, and provides technical assistance to public and private-sector organizations in lower and middle-income countries and the U.S. The Institute is supported by grants from U.S. foundations and government agencies, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

About IRH REAL Project:
REAL: The Responsible, Engaged and Loving (REAL) Fathers Initiative is a two-part initiative. The first part of this initiative is a two-year project funded by private foundations and implemented by IRH and local implementing partners. This project aims to build positive partnerships and parenting practices among young fathers (aged 16-25) in post-conflict Northern Uganda to reduce the incidence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and physical punishment of children. The second part of this initiative aims to develop and pilot three intervention models [from the first part of this initiative] to integrate into youth groups, early child development programs and livelihoods groups in order to lay the groundwork for wide-spread IPV prevention throughout Uganda.

The intervention was designed with scale in mind i.e. to be scaled up with the resources likely to be available outside of a pilot setting. The results of the project endline evaluation (November 2014) show that the REAL intervention is effective in changing attitudes and certain practices related to parenting and couple conflict. As such, an expansion phase is now underway in Gulu, Nwoya, Amuru districts in Northern Uganda and in Nakapiripirit district in Karamoja. Project staff have laid the groundwork for expansion by having initial meetings with potential user organizations to establish district-level cross-sector program integration strategies, developed and implemented baseline data collection with the first cohort of fathers and are now organizing the new training teams in preparation for implementation.

Job Summary: The Institutional Ethnographer will collect data to document scale-up and provide insights on the critical questions further outlined in the objectives section.

About Project Study:
The implementation ethnographers will document the REAL Fathers Initiative scale-up process, aiming to provide insights to the following questions:
1. Scalability & Sustainability:
What is the pace of scale-up and coverage/reach?
To what extent have the mentoring and poster components of REAL Fathers been scaled up?
To what extent has sustainability1 of REAL Fathers been fostered in Amuru, Gulu, and Nakapiripirit districts? What has been the role of the District Community Development Officers?
Are training teams competent/committed to continue REAL Fathers implementation/expansion by the end of the project?
2. Fidelity/Quality: To what extent was scale-up implemented with fidelity to the implementation guidelines?
3. What have we learned about scaling up REAL Fathers?
What was adapted and why? What is the adapted model?
How does implementation work with different organizations and district coordination?
What is difficult to implement with fidelity? What is easy? Why?
How much TA was needed?
Which components are ¡¥sticky¡¦? Why?
What factors (internal/external) influence successful REAL scale up?
Has the REAL been spontaneously scaled up or have there been other spontaneous activities sparked by REAL Fathers?
4. Scale-up practice/leadership: What have we learned about scale-up practice?
What are ways to engage government (CDOs/DHOs) (what works/doesn¡¦t)?
Use of implementation guides ¡V how were they used, were they helpful?
1 Sustainability is defined by degree of stakeholder/implementing organization ownership, training team competency to implement REAL independently, integration into work plans, budgets, district action plans, funding, requests, etc.
What works to adapt an innovation during scale-up? How much adaptation is needed?
What are incentives for developing a learning culture among implementation partners?
How do you develop a scale-up team and a culture of learning and data utilization (including learning from failure)? Which strategies work best/least?
How does the intervention diffuse beyond planned scale-up initiative?

Methods: S/he will conduct participant observation, structured observations and informal and structured interviews. S/he will participate in/observe REAL Fathers activities and take detailed, comprehensive notes using a field journal and structured tools developed in collaboration with IRH. The ethnographer will develop a field work plan, including purposive sampling of REAL Fathers events/activities such as:
ECCD and YIELD group orientation meetings
Mentor trainings and meetings, including training team
Stakeholder meetings and visits (CDO/DHO, District Action Plan meetings, technical working groups)
Supervision/mentoring/coaching visits by Save the Children
Implementing partner meetings
The ethnographer will also conduct structured interviews with stakeholders, using tools developed in collaboration with IRH to collect information about the scale up process and implementation guidelines from:
ECCD and YIELD executive management
Community Stakeholders (Community Development Officers, REAL Adaptation Technical Team members)

Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Data Collection: The consultant will document REAL scale-up using the methods described in the previous section.
Data Analysis: With guidance of IRH, the ethnographer will process and analyze the collected qualitative data. S/he will develop a coding and analysis plan with IRH. Analysis processes may include coding, matrices, diagrams and affinity charts.
Reporting: The consultant will write monthly reports and share interim results with partners. S/he will draft a report which summarizes key findings and provides insights to questions listed in this objectives section.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
The ideal candidate should hold a master’s or doctoral degree in one of the following or related fields: anthropology, public health, health communications or behavioral science.
Additional training in anthropology strongly desired.
Previous research and public health experience with adolescent sexual and reproductive health and community-based programs preferred.
Previous experience in youth programing, especially in the areas of gender and sexual and reproductive health, including gender-based violence
Broad knowledge and understanding of programmatic and management issues related to program sustainability and expansion
Previous exposure and experience conducting field research, preferable including participant and structured observation
Strong writing skills
Detail-oriented observer with strong note-taking and documentation skills
Flexible, team player with exceptional organizational skills
Computer literacy i.e. Proficient in Microsoft Office
Willingness to work on-site in Gulu or Amuru, or Nakapiripirit, Uganda
Fluent English and Luo (Acholi, Lango) or Karimogong

How to Apply:
All suitably qualified and interested candidates are encouraged to email their updated resumes and cover letter describing relevant skills and experience to Simpson Nuwamanya (simpnuwamanya.irh@gmail.com).
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Deadline: 29th February, 2016