Project Background

The Poverty Alleviation and Inclusive Development across Rural Sindh (PAIDAR) project, funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by UNIDO. The project aims to support the Government of Sindh (GoS) in implementing its Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS). One of the focused areas of PAIDAR is infrastructure improvements in five districts: Sujawal, Thatta, Badin, Tharparkar and Larkana.

Sindh Peoples Housing for Flood Affectees (SPHF), the government entity established to reconstruct the 2.1 million houses in Sindh, has collaborated with the PAIDAR programme to support the targeted improvements of basic infrastructure in pre-identified villages within selected districts of Sindh province, for five districts Sujawal, Thatta, Badin, Tharparkar and Larkana.  SPHF (with technical assistance of CRS) is developing Climate Resilient Settlement Development Plan (CRSDP) for PAIDAR programme in five districts, providing technical assistance for data collection, assessment, and analysis. SPHF (with technical assistance of CRS) will engage and hire the required human resources, arrange the administrations, logistics and consultancy services and conduct orientations and trainings for accurate data collection, assessment, and analysis.

Objectives and Responsibilities

The Data Quality Assurance Officer/ Field Supervisor will play a central role in ensuring the accuracy and integrity of data collected during field activities. This consultancy will involve collaborating closely with field teams to compile, clean, and validate data to meet project requirements and quality standards. This position will also aims to perform the tasks outlined below to ensure efficient team supervision, streamlined project coordination, effective field operations management, and robust quality assurance in achieving the project objectives:

The position will be responsible for below mentioned tasks:

• Supervise and provide guidance to the data collection team and field engineers to ensure adherence to project timelines and quality standards.
• Work closely with field teams to gather and compile data collected during field activities.
• Organize and catalog data in a structured manner for further analysis and processing.
• Ensure completeness and accuracy of collected data sets before proceeding to the cleaning phase.
• Develop and implement data cleaning protocols and procedures to identify and rectify errors, inconsistencies, and missing values in the collected data.
• Utilize data cleaning tools and software to streamline the process and ensure efficiency.
• Collaborate with field teams to address any data collection issues and discrepancies promptly.
• Conduct thorough quality assurance checks on cleaned data sets to ensure accuracy, consistency, and adherence to predefined standards.
• Verify data integrity through validation techniques and cross-referencing with original sources or reference data.
• Generate reports highlighting findings, discrepancies, and corrective actions taken to maintain data quality.
• Provide orientation and support to field staff on data collection best practices and quality assurance protocols.
• Conduct regular team meetings to discuss project progress, address challenges, and provide necessary support and resources.
• Assign tasks and responsibilities to team members based on their skills and expertise.
• Monitor team performance and provide constructive feedback for improvement.
• Ensure compliance with safety protocols and procedures during field activities.
• Liaise with project managers to understand project objectives, requirements, and timelines.
• Collaborate with other stakeholders, including government agencies, community leaders, and partner organizations, as required.
• Maintain effective communication channels between the field team and project stakeholders.
• Address any operational challenges or issues that may arise during field activities promptly.

Deliverables

a)    Attend the orientation session prior to the field work.

b)    Compile and submission regular progress reports detailing project activities, achievements, and challenges encountered (on daily basis).

c)     Maintain and submission of accurate records of field observations, data collected, and any incidents or issues encountered during fieldwork.

d)    Shared daily progress report via synchronizing mobile data as well as questionnaires filled in hard.

e)    Cleaned data sets free of errors, inconsistencies, and missing values.

f)      Quality assurance reports highlighting data accuracy and integrity.

g)    Orientation materials and support provided to field teams on data quality assurance processes.

h)    Report on any challenges encountered during data collection & compilation, cleaning and validation process.

Reporting relationships

The Data Quality Assurance Officer/Field Supervisor will be in contact with the Project Manager closely who will lead and supervise the activity. They will also have working relationships with the Technical Advisor / MEAL Officer or any other responsible field staff. During the assignment, organization will provide transport to/from field.

Duration of contract

The contract duration for the assignment will be 2 to 3 months approximately, duration may increase or decrease depending upon task completion.

Required Competencies, Experience and Qualification

Personal Qualities

• Must be reliable and committed to fulfilling assignments with a high level of professionalism.
• Must be able to work independently as well as within a team environment.
• Ability and willingness to work long hours and sometimes in adverse field conditions.
• Must be proactive and able to “think on your feet”.
• Highly punctual, organized, and flexible.
• Able to follow the guidance provided by supervisors/managers.
• Must always show sober behavior they are required to perform duties.
• Must be able to assure confidentiality of respondents’ personal information/data collected from field areas.
• Understandable knowledge of English

Education

• University graduates from any recognized University in any related discipline with 1-2 years experience, with diploma/short course in computer science.

Payment

The Data Quality Assurance Officer/ Field Supervisor will be given a lump sum daily allowance of PKR: 8000/- (Eight thousand rupees, inclusive of communication allowance) per day including the day of training.

Experience

• Previous experience in data compilation, cleaning and validation.
• Have working knowledge of Apps like Kobo/Comcare etc.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office.
• Must have data analysis skills using Microsoft excel.
• Must be able to follow and carry out instructions given by supervisors and willing to learn from others’ guidance.