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Research Manager - Baghdad OR Erbil

Iraq

  • Organization: IRC - International Rescue Committee
  • Location: Iraq
  • Grade: Mid level - Mid level
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Children's rights (health and protection)
    • Scientist and Researcher
    • Managerial positions
  • Closing Date: Closed

Requisition ID: req2903

Job Title: Research Manager - Baghdad OR Erbil

Sector: Child Protection

Employment Category: Regular

Employment Type: Full-Time

Location: Iraq

Job Description

Background

The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.

The IRC Iraq program was established in 2003 and is currently operating programs in 14 governorates in the Kurdistan Region and south central Iraq with an annual budget of over $30 million. Working in coordination with the humanitarian community, the IRC's assistance programs for Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Iraq, includes both camp-based and urban-based refugee and IDP assistance. The IRC Iraq supports IDPs, returnees, host communities and Syrian refugees across 14 governorates in Iraq with activities focused on education, protection and rule of law, women’s protection and empowerment, child protection and livelihoods activities. The IRC Iraq’s country office is based in Erbil, with field offices in Mosul, Kirkuk, Ramadi, Duhok and Baghdad and program offices in Sulaymaniyah, Salah al-Din and Karbala governorates. 

In Iraq, high-quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs have the potential to provide the foundation for children future academic success, health, prosperity, and wellbeing. A large body of scientific evidence emphasizes the need for increased investment in early childhood, particularly for children experiencing conflict, crisis and displacement; these children are extremely vulnerable to the long-lasting effects that prolonged stress has on the developing brain.

In December 2017, Sesame Workshop and the IRC were awarded the MacArthur Foundation’s inaugural 100&Change grant to make real progress toward solving a critical problem of our time. With the extraordinary investment of $100 million, our partnership will transform the language, early reading, math, and social-emotional skills of a generation of children ages 0-8 affected by the Syrian war. Focusing on children in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria over the next five years, the plan combines the depth of in-person services, reaching 1.5 million children, with the breadth of mass media, reaching 9.4 million children. For more information, please visit: http://refugee.sesameinternational.org/.

Job Overview/Summary:

Reporting to the ECD Coordinator, the Research Manager will lead ECD Iraq research activities as well as mange the research officer. The Research Manager will sit on the “Sesame/ECD Iraq Management Team”, work closely with the region/HQ research team to design all research, monitoring, and learning activities, as well as be responsibility for their quality implementation. The Research Manager will focus on three goals:

(1)Monitor the Sesame/ECD activities in Iraq, tracking progress against targets, identifying where course correction is needed;

(2)Measure the impact of the work on children and their caregivers, using rigorous study designs; and

(3)Refine program models and research methods so that they are more scalable and cost-efficient via implementation research and prototyping.

Major Responsibilities:

·Work closely with the regional research lead in designing and contextualizing the research tools and methods

·Oversee successful field implementation of research in line with approved work plans and budgets, and in line with high-quality technical standards;

·Ensure data are routinely communicated in a relevant and timely manner so that data can be used for subsequent program design and scale up, including with the region research lead and HQ.

·Maintain strong relationships with external evaluators at New York University (NYU) as well as researchers at the region, HQ, and Sesame Workshop.

·Managing the research budget and spending planning

·Working closely with partners to ensure study protocols are followed

·Ensure the proper collection, filing and archiving of all project monitoring data in all project field sites

·Contribute towards review and analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data

·Work with the technical Program team to assure that data from research and monitoring activities are used to adjust and adapt programming over time.

·Leverage existing IRC staff and partner expertise or build capacity as needed to assure front-line staff participation in the interpretation and application of results, as well as design of research, monitoring, and learning agendas and plans.

·Report to ECD Coordinator about progress against approved workplans and budgets through formal and informal debriefings, annual and semi-annual reports;

·Maintain open communication with program teams at the country level in order to assure coherence and reasonable sequencing of work;

·Support in creation of new or use of existing client feedback mechanisms to ensure client feedback is accounted for throughout the project lifecycle.

·Establish and maintain solid cooperation with partner organizations and government officials as we design and refine the research, monitoring, and learning agenda, particularly government officials who have oversight of research or human subjects projections;

·Work with partners, governments, and other humanitarian actors to design monitoring systems for Early Childhood Development that are feasible and useful in humanitarian settings;

Human Resources and Staff Management and Development

·Coach, train, and mentor staff with the aim of strengthening their technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing professional development guidance

·Supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, providing regular and timely performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.

·Provide constructive feedback and counsel on appropriate career paths and professional development.

·Promote and monitor staff care and well-being; approve and manage all leave requests to ensure adequate coverage.

·Offer leadership support for successful adherence by staff to IRC’s Global HR Operating Policies and Procedures.

·In collaboration with the HR, support recruitment of program staff as needed;

·Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions;

·Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures;

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: ECD Coordinator
Position directly supervises:
Research Officer
Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: Iraq M&E teams, ECD M&E Officer,Regional Research Lead, Technical Lead ECD (Sesame Seeds), other IRC programs and support departments

External:Partner INGOs, NGOs and relevant Ministries


Qualifications

Job Requirements:

·Bachelor degree in social sciences, international development, research or other relevant related field;

·3-6 years experiences managing social science field research; experience managing rigorous research preferred including supervising data collection, teams of surveyors/assessors;

·Experience with data management and statistical analysis packages, including SPSS and STATA;

·Ability to handle multiple tasks; proven self-initiative, problem solving abilities, and strong organizational and communication skills;

·Proven experience in supervision and training in M&E and/or applied research, specific experience training for local teams and local partners an asset;

·Strong written and oral communication skills;

·Strong representation and liaison with external parties;

·Must be capable of applying skills and knowledge in a range of capacities, including direct implementation, advisory functions, training, and transfer of technical knowledge and management skills to others;

·Demonstrated track record in working with teams, showing high performance in a multi-cultural environment, demonstrating flexibility, and ability to handle pressure;

·Excellent Computer skills: MS Word, Excel; data base management programs; and

·Fluency in Arabic and English written and spoken.

Preferred:

·Spoken Kurdish;

·Master Degree in social sciences, research studies or ECD; and

·Prior Iraq experience working in emergency settings or insecure environments.

Working Environment:

The position will be based in Erbil, Iraq, and covers all operating areas in Iraq.  The security situation in Erbil remains broadly permissive with continued attention paid to the potential for growing instability due to the continual influx of displacement and proximity to insecure areas in other governorates within Iraq.  

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 enforces 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 maternity leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances. Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Attention Returning National Candidates:

IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs. We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a national of the country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, IRC has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply.

This vacancy is now closed.
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