Staff reporting to this post: Research Managers

Indirect reports (staff with dotted lines to the position): REALM Managers

Budget Responsibilities: TBD

Primary Technical area: Research

Secondary Technical area: Evaluation and Learning

Role Dimensions: Role holder will work closely with Senior Leadership Team, Country and Regional Technical and Operations teams. The position is expected to be CO facing in approach, Movement facing in outlook, and to work collaboratively with Technical Experts, Programme Operations, Advocacy/ Campaigns, Business Development, Awards and HR. The Country Office has a diverse portfolio of humanitarian and development programs covering seven sectors: Health, Nutrition, WASH, FSL, Livelihoods, Education, Child Protection, and Child Rights Governance and with annual expenditure of more than USD$80 Million.

·         Take ownership; provide technical leadership and guidance in rolling out the Country Office Research, Evidence and Learning (REL) Agenda.

·         Operationalise, manage and adapt the country research strategy, ensuring timely generation of relevant and high quality evidence on what works for children for internal and external consumption.

·         Provide guidance on tracking research deliverables, ensuring that timelines and deliverables are aligned with Country Strategic Plan milestones.

·         Maintain a comprehensive research capacity-building plan for REALM, Operations and Technical teams for SCI, Partners and line ministries on strategic research topics.

·         Represent the Country Office internally and externally in TWGs at country, regional and global level on Research and Evidence generation.

·         Promote and provide guidance on child participation in research from planning, protocol development, throughout data collection, report writing and dissemination.

Research Rollout

• Contribute during proposal writing and ensure that planned research is adequately budgeted and included in designed projects.
• Have technical oversight on the development of research protocols/ ToRs, data analysis and report writing and ensuring that the processes are aligned with the country office’s Research SoPs.

·         Ensure that comprehensive quality assurance strategies rolled out during research initiatives from design, throughout implementation and until dissemination.

·         Undertake meta-analysis and systemic reviews to generate trends, identify opportunities and identify risks for deeper thematic learning etc.

·         Provide leadership and technical guidance during preparation of publication manuscripts and academic papers for peer-reviewed journals, blogs, op-eds, policy briefs etc.

• Contribute in creating diverse written products related to research projects for a diverse audience

·         Communicate research findings at academic conferences and especially high-impact international venues.

Partnerships, Coordination and Networking

·         Establish and maintain working relationships with government line ministries and departments, research and academic institutions, partners, stakeholders and donors to foster active collaboration in research on what works for children.

·         Manage a team of inter-disciplinary researchers while overseeing multiple projects carried out within the team.

• Actively participate, contribute and represent the Country Office at SCI Evidence TWG and external working groups

·         Lead capacity building in research design and ethics, data collection, data analysis and communication of results for SCI, government and partner staff.

Others

• Ensure that all relevant Save the Children policies and procedures with respect to child safeguarding policy, ethical participation, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies are followed and respected to the letter.
• Contribute to ensuring that programme’s delivery happens in strict adherence to security policy and procedures.

·         Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values

·         Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

·         Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same

·         Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others

·         Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

·         Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters

·         Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength

·         Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

·         Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions

·         Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

·         Honest, encourages openness and transparency

·         Strong understanding of quantitative research methods and their corresponding statistical analysis methods

·         Experience in designing and managing abstract research such as randomised community trials

·         Proven ability to analyse complex datasets such as panel survey data.

·         High level of proficiency in statistical packages such as SAS, R, Stata

·         Familiar with difference in difference analysis, survival analysis and regular regression analysis

·         Demonstrated success in raising funds to implement a research agenda

·         Lead researcher or led publications in any one of the following sectors; Education, Nutrition, Health, Child Protection, WASH, Food Security or Livelihoods in humanitarian or academic settings.

·         Strong people management skills (experience in managing a technical team)

·         Strong interpersonal skills demonstrated by the ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; professionalism, flexibility and ability to work to realistic deadlines, creative thinking, results driven, foreseeing risks.

·         Strong inter-organisational skill such as networking including donors and academia, negotiation and communication.

·         Strong communication and presentation skills, along with excellent report writing skills,

·         Verbal and written fluency in English and Somali