What you bring

• 9-10 years research experience; 5+ years in senior research or leadership roles managing teams and complex portfolios
  
• Master's degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Statistics, Social Sciences, or related field
  
• Deep technical expertise in quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research; proficiency in Stata, R, SPSS, SAS, NVivo, or similar
  
• Strong understanding of product-focused research (UX/UI, human-centered design) and product development lifecycles
  
• Track record publishing research outputs and presenting at global forums; experience leading donor, government, and academic partnerships
  
• Strong management and accountability
  

Drive Research Excellence & Strategic Alignment

• Translate organizational priorities into research plans; set and enforce quality standards for all outputs
  
• Integrate product research (UX/UI, HCD) into product development lifecycles; ensure insights translate directly into product decisions
  
• Design and execute more traditional research methodologies, such as RCTs and implementation research, applying them to tech innovations that are operating at scale
  
• Maintain high speed of learning by optimizing research processes; balance methodological rigor with rapid innovation
  

Lead Knowledge Generation & Influence

• Oversee production of strategic knowledge products that position Jacaranda as a research leader
  
• Represent Jacaranda at national and international forums; influence policy and practice through evidence
  
• Build strategic partnerships with academic institutions, donors and government stakeholders
  

Build Team Capability & Drive Performance

• Coach Research Managers and other team members to deliver consistently high-quality technical outputs and strategic thinking
  
• Set clear performance expectations; hold team accountable; address performance gaps decisively
  
• Foster a performance-driven culture that values rigor, innovation, speed, and accountability
  

Manage Research Operations & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Manage departmental budgets, timelines, and resource allocation; ensure projects delivered on time, within budget, to scope
  
• Collaborate with Programs, Product, Data & Analytics teams to integrate research into organizational planning cycles
  
• Implement structured planning tools that enable cross-departmental coordination