Job Opportunity as a Focus Group Facilitator at IREX in Syria 2021

IREX is offering a job opportunity as a Focus Group Moderator/Facilitator to join the team remotely in Northwest Syria for 2021. The facilitator will plan, organize, and run remote focus groups around media content inside Northwest Syria for IREX’s Stabilization Through Media Partnerships (STMP) program. In cooperation with IREX, the moderator/facilitator(s) will create discussion guides and develop a participatory methodology to ensure that discussions run smoothly, stay on track, and deliver the needed information. The focus groups will take place remotely on-line, but participants will be located in cities/towns in Northwest Syria.

Responsibilities:

1. In cooperation with the IREX team, plan, organize, and run remote focus groups inside Northwest Syria.
2. In cooperation with the IREX team, create discussion guides and develop a participatory methodology intended to ensure the discussion runs smoothly, stays on track, and delivers the type of information needed.
3. Lead focus group participants discussions.
4. Guide discussions, encouraging group participants to share their thoughts and opinions about the topics at hand without influencing their opinions or giving the facilitator/moderator’s opinion.
5. Process and structure focus group findings and conclusions.
6. Provide regular debriefings to the IREX team on an as-needed basis.
7. Prepare and deliver a report summarizing the findings after each focus group.
8. Perform other responsibilities as requested.

Skills and experience:

1. University graduate with a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in quantitative and qualitative research (preferably in or on Syria).
2. Strong facilitation, coordination, and communication skills.
3. Strong writing and quantitative/qualitative analytical skills.
4. Experience in online and offline facilitation (focus group facilitation preferred).
5. Experience structuring and facilitating focus groups and/or workshops.
6. Advanced or native fluency in written and spoken Arabic required.
7. Very good command of written and spoken English required.
8. Experience working in the MENA (Middle East/North Africa) geographic region is preferred.

Competencies:

1. Put participants at ease.
2. Keep focus group discussions on track.
3. Encourage discussion while being careful not to influence opinions.
4. Be an excellent active listener.
5. Observe verbal and non-verbal behavior.
6. Ensure the participation of all participants in discussion.
7. Manage group dynamics (preventing an individual from dominating the discussion).
8. Incorporate a mix of exercises to gather unbiased responses.
9. Facilitate, not participate.
10. Create an environment where participants share comfortably.
11. Work successfully and quickly under pressure.
12. A strong commitment to IREX partners’ success.
13. Excellent communication skills and sensitivity toward those affected by conflict/displacement, needed to foster effective working relationships with IREX partner staff.
14. Willingness to work in a flexible manner in terms of number of working hours, days of work.
15. High ethical standards.

About IREX:

IREX is an international, nonprofit organization that specializes in global education and development. They focus on people, not on vaccines, roads, or wells. They support individuals and institutions to create change in their own communities—and to create person-to-person bridges between nations. IREX works in more than 100 countries on issues such as education, leadership, information, and youth.

See more available opportunities in Germany on For9a

See more available exchange programs on For9a