Job Announcement
Senior Research/Program Officer
Based in Ghana
(to begin as soon as possible)
- About Aquaya
The Aquaya Institute (Aquaya) is an independent, non-profit research and consulting organization dedicated to safe, equitable, and sustainable water and sanitation in low-resource settings. Our mission is to improve public health by reducing the burden of waterborne diseases. Aquaya was established in 2005 to provide development agencies, governments, and implementing organizations with a trustworthy and agile resource for conducting rigorous research, experimentation, and evaluation.
Aquaya has completed projects spanning public health, economics, technology development, and social entrepreneurship in over 20 countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. We have published or contributed to over 40 peer-reviewed research articles and produced numerous other report and publications.
Aquaya maintains an office in Accra, Ghana and Nairobi, Kenya. Staff members are also located in the US, France, Uganda, and Ethiopia. Many of our projects are carried-out in collaboration with academic research groups and expert consultants.
- About the position
We are recruiting a Senior Research/Program Officer as a full-time position. This position will be based in Ghana and will require extensive domestic travel within the country. The Senior Officer will be responsible for executing project activities, including, but not limited to:
- Coordinate program implementation and data collection activities
- Lead fieldwork logistics with minimal oversight
- Develop training materials and manage training activities
- Oversee ethical approval process and ensure that ethical principles are respected
- Develop data collection tools
- Ensure the implementation of data QAQC procedures
- Clean and manage quantitative and qualitative datasets
- Contribute to research protocols and data analysis
- Engage with key stakeholders, including national and local government
- Contribute to partner meetings, communication, and reporting
- Maintain timelines for completing project milestones
- Contribute to project presentations, reports, briefs, and publications
- Disseminate findings to local stakeholders
- Criteria for the position
The following qualifications are necessary for this position:
- Master’s degree – preferably in engineering, science, environmental science, or related field.
- 2+ years of relevant work experience OR PhD in related field.
- Demonstrated relevant experience, preferably in water supply / quality and research.
- Ability to manage the logistics of field data collection.
- Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Fluency in English.
- Commitment to living full-time in Ghana
- Ability to travel to field sites approximately 25% of the time (this estimate is an average that may fluctuate).
- Previous international work experience in Africa, preferably Ghana.
We are also looking for the following skills and attributes:
- Good problem-solving and time management skills.
- Strong work ethic and a commitment to delivery.
- Outstanding organization with an attention to detail and an ability to deliver on deadlines.
- Proven ability to successfully manage multiple and changing priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, while maintaining a positive and productive attitude and a good sense of humor!
- Compensation and Benefits
This is a full-time position, with an initial 3-month probationary period. Aquaya offers competitive salaries that are commensurate with experience. Benefits include medical insurance and enrolment in a pension plan.
- To apply
Please submit your resume via e-mail to jobs@aquaya.org along with a thoughtful cover letter. There will be an additional screening survey and activity once your resume is received. This position will be open until filled.
In your cover letter, please explain why you are interested in Aquaya’s mission and activities. Please also tell us why your skills, background, and accomplishments make you the ideal candidate for this position, specifically highlighting your experience.
Please note that we will not consider applications without a cover letter. In your e-mail subject line, please specify “Ghana Senior Officer 2024”. No phone calls please.
- Details of Program
The Senior Officer is anticipated to initially contribute to one or both of the following projects:
- URBAN WASH Buy-In, Improving Water Quality Management, Water Equity, and Non-Revenue Water in Ghana
- EnWASH- Enhancing Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Economics
URBAN WASH Ghana Buy-In
The primary purpose of the Ghana Field Support Buy-in is to design and conduct an implementation research program, and pilot interventions to improve water supply quality, equity, and non-revenue water as well as overall reliability of domestic water services in target cities. This activity will culminate in a report evaluating the intervention implementation and effectiveness for USAID/Ghana and Ghana Water Limited (GWL), to support evidence-based decision-making and scale up of learnings. In partnership with Tetra Tech and SEGURA Consulting, Aquaya will focus on strategic interventions to address water supply quality (monitoring, water safety plans, data use), water equity (water connection subsidy targeting), and unauthorized water use.
EnWASH Economics
Aquaya is researching the economics of rural water supply, with the objective of documenting cost-effectiveness and cost-recovery of small piped water suppliers in rural towns in northern Ghana. Aquaya recently completed baseline financial and service level data collection at select piped water suppliers. Over the next 1-2 years, this research will implement and evaluate a benchmarking intervention, focusing on quantitative performance metrics such as revenue collection efficiency, operating cost recovery, and service delivery reliability. The study aims to assess the drivers of financial and operational performance across public (i.e., community and government-managed) and private (i.e., safe water enterprises) water service delivery models. This intervention will explore how performance monitoring, peer learning, and non-monetary rewards can incentivize improved outcomes in rural water supply systems. The research will also provide insights for scaling performance-based funding approaches to strengthen rural water services across Ghana.
