Field Researcher and Coordinator, Indonesia (Contractor)

ABOUT PURPOSE

We are Purpose, the global social impact agency. 

We use creative storytelling and campaigns to shift narratives, spark movements and drive change. Partnering with philanthropies, brands and NGOs to inspire people to reimagine the world, and to harness their power to make it happen. 

Our movement-building, culture-changing, participatory projects have delivered real impact with our world leading partners since 2009. And as we’ve grown, our connections around the world have grown too. Yet we’ve never lost sight of what matters, collaborating with underrepresented audiences, impacted communities and unexpected allies, to tackle tomorrow’s biggest problems today. With Purpose.

Purpose specializes in; strategy, creative, campaigns, and impact measurement and learning - across the social impact space. 

We focus on six issue areas we believe are key to our collective future: environment and climate, equity, childhood and youth, democracy and human rights, mis- and disinformation, public health. Join the team that made all this work.

About the Role

We are seeking a Field Researcher and Coordinator who is based in Papua with experience in climate issues (particularly on forest, indigenous communities, and climate) for a contractor position to support a Purpose strategy and research projects. Purpose is leading a six-month landscape mapping and co-design phase to build a locally owned blueprint for a Papua-driven communications hub focused on forests, people, and climate. The project centers Papuan journalists, storytellers, communities, CSOs, and trusted local leaders in shaping a shared narrative infrastructure — one designed to redistribute narrative power to the communities most affected by deforestation and climate change. The mapping phase will investigate the existing media ecosystem, trusted messenger networks, narrative gaps, structural constraints, and connections to national/international policy processes (including FOLU Net Sink 2030 and the Indigenous Peoples Bill).

The Field Researcher and Coordinator will serve as Purpose’s on-the-ground lead in Papua for the mapping phase. They will carry out primary research with Papuan journalists, community leaders, CSOs, and trusted local voices, and coordinate local logistics, partner relationships, and workshops. They report to the Project Lead and work with the Project Strategist and the wider Purpose team to ensure that findings, and the blueprint for the communications hub, reflect Papuan priorities and realities rather than external assumptions.

• Report to: Associate Director of Strategy (Project Lead)
• Engagement type: Fixed Term Contract
• Working hours: 24 hours per week 
• Duration: 6 months [November 2026 - April 2027]
• Preferred location: Papua, Indonesia
• Working conditions: Remote, with flexibility for time zones
• Desired Start Date: November 2026

Key responsibilities

Research

• Conduct desk research and contribute to mapping the Papua media and information ecosystem, including formal outlets, community radio, digital platforms, and informal channels such as WhatsApp groups and oral networks.
• Conduct in-depth interviews and consultations with local communities, indigenous leaders, women’s groups, local journalists, and CSO partners to identify trusted information sources and credible messengers, across digital and non-digital channels.
• Support social listening and audience research by providing local context on languages, platforms, and information habits, and by validating findings against community realities.
• Document structural constraints on a media hub (access restrictions, political volatility, connectivity, geographic dispersal) based on firsthand and partner experience.
• Contribute to the trusted messenger taxonomy and the risk assessment with field-based evidence, including community sensitivities and risks of co-optation or backlash.
• Produce clear, accurate field notes and interview summaries, and flag where information is unverified, contested, or based on a single source.

Coordination

• Collaborate with the Project Strategist to transform on-ground insights into an actionable blueprint for a Papua communications hub.
• Identify, build, and maintain relationships with local CSOs, media organizations, community radio stations, indigenous networks, and independent producers, in coordination with Purpose’s existing partners.
• Plan and coordinate field logistics for consultations and participatory action research workshops, including participant outreach, venues, interpretation, and travel.
• Co-facilitate or support workshops with Papuan stakeholders, ensuring participation of women, youth, and traditionally under-represented voices.
• Serve as the primary day-to-day link between Papua-based stakeholders and the Purpose team, translating context in both directions.
• Track fieldwork progress, budgets, and deliverables against the project timeline, and report regularly to the Project Lead.

Safeguarding and ethics

• Apply do-no-harm, informed consent, and data protection practices in all engagements, and promptly flag safety, security, or sensitivity concerns to the Project Lead.

Required qualifications

• Based in Papua, with an existing network among local communities, CSOs, and/or media
• Minimum 3 years of experience in research, program coordination, or field engagement on forests, indigenous peoples’ rights, land rights, or climate issues
• Demonstrated experience conducting qualitative research (interviews, focus groups, participatory methods) with community members and leaders
• Strong understanding of Papua’s political, cultural, and media context, including the sensitivities of working in this environment
• Fluency in Bahasa Indonesia and English (working-level, written and spoken); proficiency in one or more local Papuan languages is a strong asset
• Excellent written skills and attention to accuracy, with the ability to document findings in a structured, evidence-based way
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple stakeholders and logistics independently
• Reliable internet access and ability to work remotely, with flexibility to coordinate across time zones
• Willingness to travel within Papua for fieldwork

Preferred qualifications

• Experience in journalism, community media, or media/communications research in Papua
• Existing relationships with organizations such as AMAN, EcoNusa Foundation, Jubi, Suara Papua, or Papua-based community networks
• Familiarity with policy frameworks relevant to the project (e.g., FOLU Net Sink 2030, the Indigenous Peoples Bill, FPIC)
• Experience with participatory action research, social listening, or audience research
• Experience working with international organizations, philanthropic-funded projects, or consultancies
• Experience facilitating workshops with diverse stakeholder groups

Purpose takes on some of the biggest challenges in the world, which affect people of different identities and backgrounds in different ways. We are stronger and most effective with a diverse team leading the charge and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome the unique contributions that individuals bring in terms of their education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, colour, religion, disability, orientation, and beliefs