Research Project Assistant WoMena

Position title: Research Project Assistant
Reports to: Research Project Manager (First Line), Research Project Officers (Second line)
Location: Kampala (WoMena Uganda Office, Ntinda)
Status: 6 months with a 3-month probation
Hours: 40 hours per week (Monday –Friday)

Salary Scale (W5): 1,000,000 – 1,250,000 UGX per month plus benefits, dependent on experience

About WoMena: WoMena promotes the use of evidence-based, effective reproductive health technologies and solutions such as menstrual cups through research, advocacy and project implementation in Uganda. We are a Ugandan non-governmental organization in Kampala, Uganda. Our team consists of 60+ men and women from 15+ nationalities based all over the world.

Project summary: The MENISCUS III trial is a menstrual health intervention that took place in 60 secondary schools located in the Wakiso and Kalungu Districts. The schools were randomly selected for the trial, and the intervention was carried out in two phases. In 2022, thirty schools received the intervention, which included a range of activities such as training in puberty and menstruation, the distribution of menstrual kits, improvements in WASH facilities, the creation of a drama skit, the formation of a menstrual health action group, and support with pain management for students who were menstruating. The remaining thirty schools will be offered the intervention in 2023. The research aspects of the trial are led by the Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute (MRC/UVRI) Unit, in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). WoMena Uganda led the implementation of the activities.

The Research Project Assistant (RPA) will support all the administrative aspects of the WoMena Uganda’s implementation of MENISCUS III and will support Research Project Manager (RPM) and Research Project Officers (RPO) on the coordination and logistics of implementation.

Tasks
The Research Project Assistant will conduct the following tasks:

Project Administration and Support (60%)
Project administration of the MENISCUS III project will be the primary responsibility of the RPA; supporting the RPO, RPM, and WoMena trainers in delivering the activities. This includes:
• Assist in conducting project activities in line with the MENISCUS III trial protocol and support with all administrative aspects of delivery, including coordination and communication with project team and stakeholders, logistics of project activities, supporting administration at training and project activities, and supporting with project planning.
• Prepare training materials, including, WoMena demonstration bags, flipchart, Training programs, printing of evaluation tests, attendance lists among others.
• Completion, collection, ensuring timeliness and quality, filing and storage of all project documentation.
• Support RPM in maintaining and tracking the work plan for the field activities.
• Conducting logistics and preparations for implementation and fieldwork, including arranging: training materials and documents, print/handouts, transport and/or other tasks.
• Support in sourcing out service providers and ensure collection of relevant documents (e.g. quotations) while in the field.

Financial and Project Reporting (40%)
• Support in the financial documentation and administration, coordinating the submissions and management of financial documents.
• Assists in preparation of regular scheduled reports and ensures timely submission to the supervisor.
• Support data collection, management, organization, and storage of project data.

Qualifications and skills
• Education: Certificate in Social Work and Social Administration, Public Administration, and Management, Business Studies or any other related field
• A minimum of one year’s relevant work experience in administration or a project support function
• Excellent skills in project administration, with experience coordinating logistics and administration to support project implementation
• Experience with financial administration with skills in completing accountabilities and working in procurement or with suppliers
• A highly organized person with great attention to detail
• Experience of working with project documents and data with experience in the storage, filing, and organization both offline and online
• Excellent communication skills, with experience in correspondence and liaison with team members and partners
• Proficient in computer skills with experience in using Microsoft programmes in particular: Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Shows skills in problem solving, teamwork, patience and flexibility.

Desirable:
• Experience with administration for trainings or education programmes would be an added advantage.
• Experience in menstrual health, sexual reproductive health, education, development work, or research trials would be an advantage.
• Knowledge of project planning for project implementation in an NGO or research function would be an added advantage.

Respects and sets an example regarding WoMena Core Competencies:
1. Problem solving & decision-making: Proactive, strong problem solver and good at taking initiative to get the job done.
2. Planning, organizing & coordination: Independent planning and prioritization of tasks.
3. Teamwork: Supportive, positive team player, respectful of others work and good at recognizing others achievements.
4. Focus on impact & long-term vision: Plans and conducts their work to achieve the desired impact, understands the mission of the organization and how it relates to each task.

Working conditions
• Interaction between international and national WoMena colleagues happens via regular office meetings, Skype, our internal Facebook page, mails, WhatsApp, phone calls and other meetings. Research Project Assistant is expected to communicate with WoMena colleagues, partners, and the training team through these media as well as proactively coordinate meetings and report to team members.
• Other conditions as stipulated in the contract.