Viva Voice Question of Interview for the post of "Upazila Facilitating Associate of UNDP

 Q-1: Describe a past scenario when you invested significant effort to ensure a task was completed to a high standard within a short deadline. 

 During my time as a Senior MEAL Officer at Save the Children, I was once tasked with leading a rapid assessment of child health services in remote areas of Barishal and Bhola, following a sudden funding opportunity that required immediate data and analysis. The challenge was immense—we had only seven days to plan, conduct fieldwork, analyze the data, and submit a comprehensive report.

To meet this tight deadline without compromising on quality, I immediately mobilized a small but experienced data collection team and arranged for digital tools (like KoboToolbox) to speed up data entry and minimize errors. I also developed a simplified yet effective monitoring checklist to ensure all essential indicators were covered without overburdening the field staff.

While data was being collected, I started drafting sections of the report using preliminary findings and previous baseline data for context. I coordinated daily debriefs with field teams to capture any critical insights early and made sure data was cleaned and coded in real time.

As a result, we not only submitted the report within the deadline but also received appreciation from the country office for the quality of analysis and its practical recommendations. This experience highlighted how careful planning, teamwork, and use of digital tools can uphold high standards even under pressure."

Q-2: Describe an example of a time which demonstrates your ability to multi-task, working on different projects or tasks simultaneously.

 Multi-tasking Example

"During my time with the Tackling Pneumonia Project at Save the Children, I was managing data collection for the midline study while simultaneously preparing quarterly MEAL reports and supporting an external evaluation mission. Each task had a different set of deliverables and deadlines.

To stay on top of everything, I used a detailed task-tracking system and scheduled my time carefully—allocating mornings for field coordination and data validation, and afternoons for reporting and documentation. I also delegated appropriately, assigning quality assurance checks to experienced field officers while I focused on analysis and stakeholder communication.

This approach helped me successfully deliver all components on time, maintaining a high standard of quality across all tasks. The quarterly report was used in donor communications, and the external evaluators acknowledged the readiness and reliability of our data systems."

Q-3: Give an example of when you have worked collaboratively with someone outside of your current team (stakeholder/partners) to achieve a common goal. 

Collaboration with External Stakeholders Example

"While working on the Improved Cook Stove (Unnoto Chula) intervention in Barishal and Bhola, I collaborated closely with engineers from KUET (Khulna University of Engineering & Technology) and technical staff from IDCOL. Our goal was to jointly assess how clean cook stoves could reduce household air pollution and improve child respiratory health outcomes.

Despite different institutional backgrounds and working styles, we established regular coordination meetings, developed a shared implementation plan, and jointly conducted training for local data collectors.

This collaborative effort led to a smooth roll-out of the intervention, with clearly defined roles and responsibilities, and helped ensure the scientific integrity of the study. The successful pilot phase also laid the groundwork for future scale-up.

Q-4: Describe a time when you ensured others were included and treated fairly.

 During a community consultation session in Bhola district for a child health assessment project, I noticed that women from minority groups were hesitant to speak up while the men dominated the discussion. I realized their voices were being overlooked, even though their insights were crucial for understanding household health practices and barriers to care. To ensure inclusion and fairness, I paused the group session and proposed conducting separate small group discussions with women, facilitated by female staff in a more comfortable setting. I also engaged community leaders beforehand to support this approach and help create a safe environment. As a result, the women shared valuable perspectives—especially on challenges they faced regarding child nutrition, vaccination, and access to health services. These insights significantly improved the quality and relevance of our program recommendations. It was a reminder that equitable participation doesn’t just happen—it requires intentional effort and culturally sensitive strategies."

Q-5: What was the situation? What was driving you to ensure they were included and treated fairly? What was the outcome? 

Ensuring Inclusion and Fair Treatment Example

Situation:
"During a community-based assessment in a remote Upazila of Bhola, I noticed that adolescent girls were often left out of health-related discussions due to prevailing gender norms.

What was driving me:
I was driven by the principle that equitable participation is critical for effective and inclusive programming, especially when the issues—like early marriage and menstrual hygiene—directly affect this group.

What I did:
I advocated for and organized separate focus group discussions tailored for adolescent girls, facilitated by female staff trained in adolescent engagement. I also worked with local community leaders to gain their support for this initiative.

Outcome:
The feedback from these girls provided powerful insights that shaped our intervention design—ensuring that hygiene kits, safe spaces, and health messages were appropriately tailored. Moreover, it encouraged ongoing community acceptance of adolescent participation in health dialogues."