Participatory Action Researcher (PAR)

Community Based Sociotherapy Rwanda is seeking a full-time Participatory Action Researcher (PAR) in Kigali, Rwanda. The role involves monitoring and evaluating community-based sociotherapy programs, conducting research, facilitating discussions, and contributing to reports and publications. The researcher will work closely with local partners to enhance psychosocial well-being and promote social cohesion among communities affected by political violence.
JOB DETAILS:
Introduction
• The organization Center for Community Based Sociotherapy Rwanda (CBS Rwanda) was established to contribute to the psychosocial well-being of people affected by the Genocide against the Tutsi and to strengthen interpersonal reconciliation and social cohesion at the grass-roots level.
• The community-based sociotherapy approach uses the group as a therapeutic medium in the establishment of trust, the creation of an open environment for discussion and the formation of peer-support structures. The socio-groups facilitate community members to identify, acknowledge, share, and manage together their everyday psychosocial problems related to the recent history of political violence and its aftermath.
• Under the support of the Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Rwanda and in collaboration with Institute for Community Based Sociotherapy (ICBS), CBS Rwanda will be implementing a three-year project “CONNECT”: Connecting for Peace: A scale-up of Community-Based Sociotherapy as an Integrated MHPSS and Peacebuilding Approach in the Great Lakes Region. CBS is implementing the project in Rwanda.
• CBS Rwanda is looking for a full-time Participatory Action Researcher (PAR) who will form an integral part of the intervention and will ensure intensive monitoring and evaluation system in the area of intervention of CBS in Rwanda. As the researcher functions as an active observer, the researcher can immediately act when difficulties emerge and give suggestions to the entire team about how the intervention can be enhanced. The research findings are shared with the Senior Researcher who is heading the department of research under CBS Rwanda.

Basic responsibilities
• Be actively involved in the monitoring and evaluation of the program at grassroots level and review the progress, successes, and challenges from an internal angle;
• Conduct focus group discussions, interviews and develop a survey that will be conducted among (ex-)participants and future participants of the program;
• Keep oversight of the project’s community engagement efforts across the districts of intervention of CBS and sustainability of the program results;
• Write regular reports on the research findings which can be presented and discussed in the
team of PA Researchers under the guidance of the Senior Researcher;
• Facilitate regular meetings with the field team to discuss the challenges they encounter and possible solutions;
• Be actively involved in the writing of annual reports and final evaluation;
• Contribute to co-authored (academic) articles, working papers, book chapters, significant change story booklets and other publications;
• Contribute to the preparation of project’s public communication strategies, like the website, news articles and leaflets;
• Assist in the design and implementation of the (inter)national ‘linking-and-learning’ angle of the program;
• Work with local partners and communities to foster practices and a culture of knowledge sharing and learning among the staff and partners of the program;
• Doing any other task requested by line managers in relation to a success of the project.

Profile candidate
Essential skills and qualification
• A bachelor’s degree in social sciences, Anthropology, Public Health, Psychology, or other related field preferably with master’s degree in the same field;
• At least 5 years of research experience, using both qualitative and quantitative methods;
• Proven analytical and technical skills and strong knowledge in research design and facilitation;
• Experience with using research for achieving development outcomes in complex projects;
• Proven ability to excel as results-oriented, independent team player.
• Fully familiar with state of art computer programs and other software like SPSS, Nvivo for data capture, storage, retrieval, and data-analyses.
• Experience in doing action research, analysis of research-data and/or practical experience in knowledge management within a nonprofit organization.
• Both strong Kinyarwanda and English language proficiency
• Excellent report writing, writing academic papers including case studies, book chapters, articles, presentation skills, etc;
• Experience with qualitative research methods like focus group discussions, in-depth semi-structured interviews, and life histories;
• Experience with developing valid quantitative questionnaires and regression analyses to measure output of a complex social intervention;
• Commitment to the goals and principles of the community-based sociotherapy program and an ability to ensure the mandate underpins our support to participants in the program;
• Ability to manage heavy workloads, to multitask and to meet deadlines;
• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills;
• A very resourceful person and a real problem-solver;
• Ability to remain constantly aware of the balance between objectivity and subjectivity;
• A very sociable person, with strong communication skills and a non-discriminatory attitude.

Terms of employment
• This is a full-time position. The Participatory Action Researcher is based in Kigali but the position involves regular field-visits. A PAR to be recruited should be qualified, dynamic, and highly motivated, having high moral character and professional integrity to fill the position of PAR. The PAR will be responsible for daily research activities in cooperation with the senior researcher at CBS level.

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 60

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree