Job Description
Devex Talent Solutions is assisting Tanager, an international nonprofit that connects smallholder producers and private businesses to co-create new ways of realizing life-changing economic and social opportunity in looking for a Research Manager based in their office in Nairobi, Kenya.
POSITION SUMMARY
Tanager is seeking an exceptional individual for the position of Research Manager with experience in leading and coordinating the design and implementation of research projects in the context of Agriculture, Gender, and Nutrition. This position will be based in the Tanager office in Nairobi, Kenya, and will report to the Team Leader. This position will manage the design and delivery of IGNITE research through our two learning partners and in close coordination with the IGNITE technical experts.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Lead in the ideation, design, implementation and dissemination of IGNITE’s client research projects (60%).
- Provide technical guidance in brainstorming gender and nutrition research activities with the IGNITE technical experts.
- Lead the development of technically sound research questions as input into the design of research proposals by IGNITE learning partners.
- Work with the deputy Team Leader to coordinate the technical experts input into the research processes and proposals. These will include but not limited to internal IGNITE ideation processes and client facing ideas processes, among others.
- Lead the review and approval of research proposals to ensure they are technically sound from a gender and nutrition perspective, fit for purpose for IGNITE overall objectives as well as aligned with client priorities.
- Working closely with the MEL manager and the technical experts to coordinate the development, review and feedback on research protocols and instruments.
- Lead the review of research deliverables and ensure quality content and writing to meet the objectives of the research activity.
- Provide technical support alongside the technical team to move the research findings into technical implementation support of the findings to actions by IGNITE clients.
Lead the implementation of the IGNITE learning agenda (30%).
- Coordinate all research processes under IGNITE by the learning partners to ensure complementarity towards achieving the learning objectives outlined in the learning agenda.
- Work with the MEL manager to coordinate internal learning across IGNITE partners.
- Support the Team Leader in managing learning and reflection sessions with research partners as well as regular learning sessions with the Gates Foundation.
Provide support to the Team Leader in subawards management (10%)
- Ensure that the IGNITE subawards submit regular and timely reports and workplans as per the subaward contracts.
- Be part of the review process of subaward narrative reports.
- Work with the Team Leader, to keep track of subaward contracts to ensure timely renewal or development of contracts, timely submission of deliverables and adherence to planned payment schedules to ensure the projects on budget, on time and on target.
Other duties as assigned by your supervisor.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Doctorate degree in development economics, agricultural economics, gender studies, nutrition or any other relevant field required.
- Minimum of 8 years of experience designing, implementing, and managing research programs in the Agriculture, Gender, Nutrition, Food security sectors in Sub Saharan Africa. 5 years of this experience should be in designing qualitative and quantitative research plans, including designing research questions, designing sampling plans (both qualitative and quantitative), developing appropriate research tools and instruments, and guiding data collection processes.
- Demonstrated experience managing a research portfolio, including managing multiple research processes at a time. Experience managing portfolios with multiple stakeholders is strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated experience identifying key research priorities for gender and/or nutrition technical programming. Examples of such experience might include leading the learning agenda, identifying research questions for major gender and/or nutrition-related studies (such as gender analyses, formative research, and/or impact evaluations and assessments), and/or conducting research for an institution that provides research on gender and/or nutrition programming, models, and approaches.
- Demonstrated experience making critical decisions about the strategic direction of a research portfolio as it pertains to broader technical questions about gender and nutrition within the agricultural development sector.
- Excellent understanding of knowledge gaps for gender and nutrition in agriculture to guide strategic research priorities for IGNITE.
- Experience working in research issues related not only to gender and/or nutrition, but also the agricultural sector. Understanding of basic agricultural development, extension, market systems approach as an underlying framework for gender and nutrition research within the agricultural sector.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills required. Ability to build relationships and rapport with teams, staff, and clients and navigate challenging or unexpected circumstances with creativity, calm, and positivity. Ability to communicate effectively with persons on all levels both inside and outside the company on issues that could be complex or sensitive in nature.
- Experience coordination with different research partners within one project.
- Adaptable and innovative. Collaborative and open to feedback. Able to work independently and in a team setting.
- Strong written communication skills, including demonstrated ability to write required documents in a clear, concise, well-organized manner.
- Advanced computer skills in a Windows-based environment including Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel and other relevant research and analytical programs
- Fluency in English written and oral, required, French is an added advantage.
- Applicants from African countries strongly encouraged to apply.
