Project Background:

PlayMatters (2020-2025) is an education initiative funded through a $100 million grant from the LEGO Foundation. The program reimagines childhood for 800,000+ refugee and host-community children across Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda – children whose education and social development has been affected by displacement and trauma. Building on children’s amazing resilience and a growing evidence base supporting Learning through Play methodologies, PlayMatters cultivates holistic learning for children ages 3-12+. PlayMatters is led by the International Rescue Committee and includes Plan International, War Child Holland, Innovations for Poverty Action, the Behavioral Insights Team in partnership with the LEGO Foundation. 

The PlayMatters consortium has committed to building the evidence base through rigorous research across the program cycle. The Research Agenda is structured around a single overarching research question focuses on children’s holistic learning outcomes and resilience and under this question are four LtP topics that mirror the four thematic pillars of the Play Matters project: Educators, Parents and other Caregivers, Communities, and Education Systems. In addition, the cross-cutting themes of gender, inclusion and protection will be integrated into the majority of studies. The four topics will be studied in different refugee and host community settings in the three countries in which the PlayMatters project is being implemented: Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Not all studies will take place in every country, although some studies will be cross-national.

Scope of work

The Senior research Manager forms the backbone of the PlayMatters country-based research team. She/he will be responsible for coordinating the implementation of multiple IRC-led research projects in Ethiopia within the PlayMatters consortium and collaborating with other PlayMatters research staff from Consortium Partners (War Child Holland, IPA, and Behavioral Insights Team). With technical guidance from the PlayMatters Deputy Project Director of Research (based in Kampala) and the Principal Investigators for each study, the Senior research Manager will coordinate in-country activities related to research design, IRB clearance, stakeholder engagement, enumerator training, data collection, and data analysis processes. He/she will be responsible for assuring the quality and ethical implementation of in-country PlayMatters research studies and will also serve as the main point of contact in-country on matters relating to PlayMatters research, including liaising with the Program Management Committee, Content Development Committee, MEAL and policy/advocacy teams as needed. 

The Senior research Manager is part of the PlayMatters project team in Ethiopia. He/she will report to the Project Coordinator for PlayMatters.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

• With the close collaboration and supervision of the Principal Investigators (for IRC-led studies), coordinate all aspects of the implementation of designated research project/s, including: 
• Country-level development and submission of research applications, ethics submissions, and protocols for research projects. 
• Conduct or supervise country and community-level participatory consultation with stakeholders and participants at all stages of research planning, preparation, implementation, and dissemination.
• Coordinate with colleagues from the PlayMatters MEAL team and, as appropriate, align research and MEAL data collection and analysis activities; 
• Country level work-planning, budgeting, and reporting on PlayMatters research projects
• Selecting and hiring local research assistants and enumerators. 
• Undertake travel to field locations where required and if possible to consult with colleagues and stakeholders, provide training and technical support, and oversee quality assurance
• Managing and reporting on adverse events and serious adverse events related to implementing the research project according to data management protocols
• Competency and capacity-building of local research team in research methods, research ethics, the research protocol, data management, and child safeguarding with PlayMatters regional team. 
• Supervision and coordination of the tasks of the local research team including:
• Regular supervision meetings and performance appraisals
• Scheduling and coordination of data collection including managing logistics such as transport, work schedules, resources required
• Support and coordination for data management
• Monitoring of quality of data collection, adherence to participatory and ethical practices, and intervention fidelity
• Overseeing data entry and data set cleaning if needed.
• Participating in regular research supervision and coordination meetings with PlayMatters regional research team and IRC’s Research & Innovation department.
• Supporting or leading write-up and submission of academic manuscripts, book chapters, conference presentations, or other publications related to designated research projects.
• Communicating key information from the research in a simple, clear, effective way to stakeholders that are non-researchers including community members and participants.
• Serving as the main point of contact in-country on matters relating to PlayMatters research, including liaising with the Program Management Committee, Content Development Committee, MEAL and policy/advocacy teams as needed. 

Please note that the above mentioned list is not exhaustive.

Job Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

• A Masters degree in Education, Psychology, Social Sciences, International Development, or Social Sciences-Related discipline;
• At least Three year’s experience leading and coordinating field-based/community-based research with human subjects in a relevant field (i.e. psychosocial support, education, and/or child protection). 
• Excellent communication skills in English (oral and written).
• Proven track record in implementing research activities for human subjects research projects.
• Proven track record in qualitative and quantitative data management for human subjects research projects.
• Proven track record in implementing mixed methods research design.
• Experience in capacity building and supervising research assistants.
• Ability to communicate the principles of research to others in a simple, clear, effective way.
• Ability to critically reflect on research implementation progress and collaborate with stakeholders to keep research on track and of high quality.
• Proactivity and ability to operate independently.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and analyze data using SPSS or similar data analysis software
• Demonstrated ability to conduct presentations and facilitate workshops.

SKILLS

• Strong (creative/interactive) training skills.
• Strong supervision, coaching and communication skills.
• Strong planning skills
• Able to quickly and with attention to detail identify needs / gaps and work towards solutions.
• Cultural sensitivity.

How to Apply 

Candidates who meet the above qualifications; please send your CV and application letter through IRC career site.

External link 

Internal link

Your application letter/cover letter must include the following information.

• Name of the position you have applied for
• Date of application
• Summary of your qualifications and experience
• Motivation/objective of why you have applied for the job
• Please include at least 2 references from current and former supervisors.

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply!

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.

Standards of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances

Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.