Senior Research Manager, GxD hub

Location: New Delhi / Chennai 

Organisation: GxD hub, LEAD at Krea University

Reports to: Executive Director 

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 the GxD (Gender x Digital) hub:

GxD hub is an emerging interdisciplinary centre at LEAD. Our mission is to address critical intersections between gender and digital technology through rigorous research, impactful engagement with stakeholders, and ecosystem development. The hub operates across multiple workstreams, including government engagement, partnerships with research institutions, and initiatives aimed at creating a robust ecosystem to support gender and digital initiatives. Our work is rooted in a deep commitment to develop gender intentional and overall inclusive digital platforms in the country.

About the Role:

To expand the hub’s mandate, we are looking for a Senior Research Manager to build on our research mandate. The ideal candidate will come with a strong research background with the ability to manage/oversee multiple projects which will be executed in collaboration with internal teams and external partners. Further, with the expansion of the hub’s mandate as an evaluator for interventions in the gender and digital space, the candidate will also design and execute the MLE component for the project. Throughout this portfolio, the candidate will be responsible for ensuring clear alignment with the GEDC (gender equality and digital connectivity) learning questions, maintaining consistent messaging and insights across all learning outputs. 

Roles and Responsibilities: 

Research Activities 

• Conceptualisation & Design: Lead the end-to-end design of qualitative and quantitative research studies—selecting appropriate methodologies (e.g., RCTs, quasi-experimental designs) and ensuring relevance to strategic objectives;
• Project Oversight: Directly manage multiple research projects from planning through execution, including budgeting, timelines, and team coordination. Ensure robust quality control measures at every stage; 
• Data Integrity: Ensure data integrity, employ statistical techniques, and maintain high analytical standards. Conduct and guide advanced data analysis (quantitative and qualitative) to derive meaningful insights; 
• Final Output Development: Translate research findings into concise, impactful outputs (reports, talking points, policy briefs, blog posts, peer-reviewed papers) tailored to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation 

• Framework Design and Implementation: Design, implement and refine M&E frameworks (e.g., logic models, theories of change, impact assessment methodologies) that align with organisational priorities; 
• Evidence Base: Develop well-structured baseline, midline, and endline evaluation systems that inform real-time decisions and guide project interventions strategically; 
• Actionable Recommendations: Generate high-quality, policy-relevant insights that align with GEDC learning questions, enabling targeted solutions for program improvement;
• Adaptive Project Management: Establish iterative learning loops to enable rapid adjustments, ensuring programs remain responsive to on-the-ground realities; 
• Insights Generation: Analyse and interpret both internal and external research and evaluation data to produce insights for program adaptation, reporting, and decision-making. 

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education

• Master’s degree or higher in Economics, Gender, Development Studies, Public Policy, Business Administration, or a related field. 

Experience

• 10–12 years of experience leading research projects, including managing teams and multiple concurrent initiatives;
• Demonstrated expertise in designing and executing both qualitative and quantitative research, including experimental or quasi-experimental impact evaluations;
• Experience supervising staff, managing budgets, and ensuring high-quality project delivery; 
• Prior work at the intersection of gender and digital is highly desirable. Candidates with experience in gender, development economics, technology-driven gender initiatives and related fields will also be considered. 

Skills

• Technical skills: Proficiency in quantitative data analysis tools (Stata, R, Python) and qualitative research methods;
• MLE: Strong understanding of M&E tools and frameworks, with a track record of operationalising them in complex development settings. 
• Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage complex timelines and deliverables;
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate research into practical insights.

Application Instructions:

Deadline: Applications will be open till the position is filled. To apply, please collate your resume, a cover letter and writing sample in a single PDF 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.