Research & Analytics Head

Head of Research & Analytics

Key Responsibilities

• Research & Knowledge Generation:

• Design and lead labor market and sectoral research to inform project design, advocacy efforts, and strategic partnerships.
• Collaborate with global and local think tanks, academic institutions, and industry bodies to co-create impactful research outputs.
• Produce high-quality knowledge products, including research briefs, policy notes, and white papers for public dissemination.

• Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL):

• Oversee the design and execution of baseline, midline, and endline evaluations across multiple projects and geographies.
• Develop

  Theory of Change (ToC), logframes, and indicator matrices

  aligned with donor reporting requirements (e.g., USAID, GIZ, DFID).
• Ensure that lessons learned are effectively integrated back into program design and strategic decisions.

• Data Systems & Analytics:

• Build robust, scalable data systems for capturing and analyzing program performance, from enrollment through job placement.
• Utilize tools like

  Power BI, Tableau, R, or STATA

  for real-time analytics, dashboards, and donor presentations.
• Ensure data quality, integrity, and ethical handling across all data touchpoints.

• Stakeholder Reporting & Advocacy:

• Support program teams with research-backed inputs for grant proposals, donor reports, and strategic documents.
• Represent the organization in donor meetings, consortiums, and policy-level dialogues, articulating impact and insights effectively.
• Coordinate with field teams to ensure meaningful data collection that prioritizes the learner and community voice.

• Team Management & Capacity Building:

• Lead and mentor a team of M&E specialists, field researchers, and analysts.
• Foster a learning culture through regular capacity-building sessions on data literacy, qualitative methods, and participatory research.
• Promote cross-team collaboration to ensure research insights drive actionable outcomes and accountability.

Qualifications

• Education:

  A

  Master's or PhD degree

  in Development Studies, Public Policy, Statistics, Economics, Education, or a related field.

• Experience:

  Extensive experience in research, MEL, or analytics roles within NGOs, multilateral agencies, or development consulting firms.

• Donor Exposure:

  Prior experience working with international donors (e.g., World Bank, UNDP, USAID, BMGF, ADB, DFID) is highly desirable.

Skills & Expertise

• Research & Evaluation Methodologies:

  Proficient in

  mixed-method research, Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs), cohort tracking, and various evaluation frameworks.

• Data Tools:

  Hands-on proficiency with tools like

  R, STATA, KoboToolbox, Survey CTO, and data visualization software

  (e.g., Power BI, Tableau).

• Analytical Thinking:

  Strong analytical and critical thinking skills to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights.

• Leadership & Communication:

  Collaborative leadership abilities, exceptional cross-cultural communication, and compelling storytelling skills to articulate impact and insights to diverse audiences.

• Data Governance:

  Understanding of best practices in data quality, integrity, and ethical data handling.