Survey Collaborator for Dietary Assessment

Job Posting Organization:
Better Diets for Nutrition (BDN) is an initiative focused on improving dietary patterns and nutrition globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The organization aims to address malnutrition and promote healthier diets by increasing the intake of fruits and vegetables, which are essential for health and have a lower environmental footprint compared to other food sources. BDN collaborates with various partners, including CGIAR centers, the Asian Development Bank, and the World Food Program, to implement innovative solutions that enhance diet quality and nutrition while also improving livelihoods and mitigating environmental impacts. The organization is committed to conducting thorough research and surveys to understand dietary habits and the effectiveness of programs designed to improve nutrition.

Job Overview:
The Survey Collaborator will play a crucial role in coordinating a dietary assessment survey in the Philippines, aimed at understanding the impacts of a national e-voucher program on dietary intakes. This position involves working closely with a survey firm to collect and analyze dietary intake data from households across five locations in the Philippines. The survey will be conducted between February and March 2026, with the collaborator responsible for overseeing all aspects of the survey, including preparation, data collection, and data processing. The role requires a comprehensive understanding of dietary assessment methodologies and the ability to manage a team of enumerators and supervisors effectively. The collaborator will also be responsible for ensuring data quality and compliance with ethical standards throughout the survey process.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The primary duties and responsibilities of the Survey Collaborator include:

• Survey Preparation: Organizing the selection, hiring, and payment of experienced enumerators and supervisors. Participating in the design and preparation of the survey, including developing standard operating procedures (SOPs), protocols, and manuals for training and data collection. Obtaining local IRB approval and necessary clearance documents for fieldwork. Providing translation services for questionnaires and pre-testing them. Facilitating enumerator training in collaboration with IFPRI staff. Developing a field schedule for the data collection team.
• Data Collection and Data Entry: Coordinating with the survey firm to identify eligible households for dietary assessments. Conducting 24-hour recall dietary data collection for household members. Documenting field activities and maintaining records of interviews. Ensuring data quality through regular field visits and quality checks. Sharing weekly progress updates on data collection and data entry with IFPRI.
• Data Cleaning: Ensuring data completeness and validity. Preparing datasets with appropriate variable labels and value labels in English. Responding to queries from IFPRI regarding data processing or cleaning. Providing a baseline data collection report detailing the data collection and management process.

Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate must represent a company, NGO, or organization with proven professional experience in leading large-scale household dietary assessment data collection in the Philippines. A strong track record of submitting deliverables on time is essential. The candidate should have experience working with both international and national researchers or research organizations, as well as the ability to build trusting relationships with local authorities, community leaders, and respondents. Excellent communication skills in English are required, along with experience conducting fieldwork while adhering to preventive measures to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Educational Background:
While specific educational qualifications are not explicitly stated, a background in public health, nutrition, social sciences, or a related field is likely preferred for this position, given the nature of the work involved in dietary assessments and research.

Experience:
Candidates should have substantial experience in conducting dietary assessments, particularly in the context of household surveys. Experience in managing teams and coordinating large-scale data collection efforts is crucial. Familiarity with the local context in the Philippines and previous work with community engagement and local authorities will be beneficial.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory, as the role requires excellent communication skills for training enumerators and interacting with stakeholders. Knowledge of local languages or dialects in the Philippines would be advantageous for effective communication during the survey process.

Additional Notes:
The position involves a contract duration that spans from November 2025 to July 2026, covering the entire survey preparation and data collection phases. The role is expected to be full-time during the survey period, with the collaborator responsible for managing the logistics and operations of the dietary assessment survey. Compensation details and benefits are not specified in the job ad, but candidates should prepare a budget breakdown as part of their application.