Research Manager, GxD hub

Contract Type: Full-time

Location: New Delhi

Reports to: Associate Director – Research & MLE

Salary: Commensurate with qualifications and experience

About LEAD at Krea University:

LEAD is an action-oriented research centre of IFMR Society (a not-for-profit society registered under the Societies Act), leverages the power of research, innovation and co-creation to solve complex and pressing challenges in development. LEAD specialises in developing in-depth granular understanding of socio-economic contexts and harnessing actionable insights that have a wide range of applications in industry, policy, and academia. LEAD is a collaborative hub that brings experts from diverse disciplines and sectors together to develop innovative solutions by harnessing innovation, technology and analytics.

About GxD hub:
The GxD (Gender x Digital) hub is an initiative of LEAD at Krea University (IFMR), focused on addressing the critical intersections between gender and digital systems in India. Through rigorous research, strategic partnerships, and ecosystem engagement, the hub works to inform gender-intentional and inclusive digital platform design and implementation.

About the Position:

GxD hub is seeking a motivated, organised, and self-driven Research Manager who will assist in leading, designing, and implementing GxD hub’s research and evaluation agenda of gender-equitable digital development. 

We are seeking a professional with a strong background in mixed-methods research in the social sciences, as well as proven experience and expertise in designing and conducting impact evaluations and assessments. The successful candidate will be familiar with developing a theory of change and a results framework, designing mixed-method evaluations to generate robust evidence on what works, and writing rigorous, evidence-backed reports. In terms of thematic expertise, the successful candidate will ideally have demonstrated experience in sectors such as gender equality, digital inclusion, women’s economic empowerment, livelihoods and skilling. The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker who can connect the dots across themes and issues, and will also be able to manage and execute research projects on time, within budget, and to the highest standards of work.

Key Responsibilities:

Evaluation, Research, and Learning 

• Lead the development and implementation of impact evaluations; formulate and test research hypotheses through rigorous quantitative methods; and design mixed-method evaluation studies;
• Develop indicator frameworks and metrics, and develop and review survey tools and guides;
• Lead data analysis, triangulation, and visualisation as per project requirements; 
• Ensure that sampling frameworks, survey instruments, and the collected data are complete, accurate and comprehensive;
• Write comprehensive reports, prepare decks, papers and other knowledge outputs as per project requirements;
• Work with Vertical Heads to execute the team’s research agenda and develop new research projects. 

Project Management 

• Take ownership of end-to-end research and evaluation management, which would include developing and updating the project plan, assigning tasks to complete the same, and ensuring compliance with project requirements.;
• Conduct regular field visits as required to assess project progress and gather firsthand insights and feedback; 
• Contribute to the hiring process of project-related positions;
• Contribute to reviewing sub-grantees and partner deliverables.

Report Writing and Documentation

• Produce and edit high-quality documentation across formats, including briefs, decks, research papers, and reports;
• Contribute to landscape and secondary reviews, strategy documents, and other knowledge outputs tailored for diverse audiences, including government stakeholders;
• Support the dissemination of knowledge products to key stakeholders, ensuring materials are tailored, accessible, and actionable.

Stakeholder Management

• Develop and maintain a good working relationship with implementation partner(s) and donor organisations;
• Present research/project findings to partner organisations and larger audiences through workshops/conferences. 

Adaptive & Entrepreneurial Contribution

• Take ownership of emerging areas of work; proactively identify process or insight gaps and help plug them;
• Stay responsive to evolving priorities and work collaboratively across a small and high-performing team.

Skills, Experience and Knowledge:

Essential Qualifications 

• Master’s with five years of experience (with increasing responsibility) or Ph.D. in Economics, Development Economics, Development Studies or related disciplines with at least three years of applied research or evaluation experience;
• Evaluation expert with in-depth knowledge and experience implementing social science research methods, including experimental research;
• Demonstrated ability to develop research and evaluation plans, sampling frameworks, and to implement them;
• Good knowledge of current developments in development economics in India and South Asia, including gender and digital inclusion. Strong interest in AI and digital inclusion is preferred;
• Demonstrated experience in leading and managing primary data collection; 
• Experience in conducting in-depth systematic review and synthesis of research;
• Independent and takes initiative to lead and manage multiple tasks and propose solutions;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills. Good writing skills and adaptability to work on academic as well as non-academic literature; 
• Capacity to keep an organised and structured work style in a fast-paced environment;
• Good track record of academic and non-academic publications.
  

Key Attributes 

• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to cultural differences and gender issues, as well as commitment to equal opportunities;
• Ability to demonstrate an openness and willingness to learn;
• Ability to adapt quickly to changing environments and work with multiple stakeholders;
• Strong interpersonal skills and willingness to interact with a wide range of individuals from Research Associates, Research Managers, etc., to academics, donors, research institutions, etc. 

Screening checks: Successful candidates will be asked to undergo background/reference checks.

Application Instructions:

Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. To apply, please collate your resume, a cover letter and writing sample and apply in the form here. 

Note: Due to the large volume of applications we receive, we are unable to contact each candidate individually regarding the status of their application. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview purposes.