Research Manager – Real Choices, Real Lives

The Organisation

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.

We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 85 years, and are now active in more than 75 countries.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Head of Research, this role is situated in the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Department.  ‘Real Choices, Real Lives’ is a unique research project. It follows a cohort of girls living in nine countries around the world from their birth, in 2006, until they turn 18, in 2024. The study provides rich qualitative perspectives and nuanced understanding across a significant period of time and taking account of different social, cultural, economic and institutional contexts. The evidence is important not only for informing how Plan supports girls but also to develop wider recommendations for targeting gender inequality at policy and programme level – and it is the ambition of the study to strengthen evidence uptake.

Taking forward the study will require a proactive and fresh perspective, sector-wide knowledge of current debates, as well as experience navigating organisational priorities and supporting research uptake. Part of this will involve balancing research rigour and requirements with the ability to make evidence digestible/accessible to different audiences/in different formats, as well as being both opportunistic as well as strategic about outputs. As the Research Manager you will lead and deliver high quality research outputs on Plan’s focus areas set in terms of the Global Strategy – All Girls Standing Strong.

You will also work with the Head of M&E and other MERL team members in implementing the Research Policy and Standards, particular around ethics and will sit on Plan International’s Ethics Review Committee.

The Individual

With a masters level or equivalent, preferably in research methods, development studies or a related subject. With experience of strategic direction-setting for long-term projects as well as of developing and delivering research uptake plans in a multi-country context, including identifying research uptake opportunities (communications, policy/advocacy, and programmatic), to support evidence dissemination/impact. You will need to have experience of managing and inputting on qualitative research, preferably with a technical focus on gender/gender dynamics/social norms.

Experienced in the use and application of qualitative data analysis software i.e., NVivo and reporting tools to develop standard and ad hoc reports.

Ability to work within a multi-cultural environment and find creative solutions for successful regional and national knowledge management initiatives to promote learning and information sharing across the organisation.

 Please click here for full role profile.

Please respond to the requirements of the role in your cover letter.

Only CVs and cover letters in English will be accepted.  

Location: The location of this role can be flexible where Plan International has an office* that can employ on behalf of the Global Hub and you have the pre-existing right to work and live.

Type of Role: Fixed-term contract until December 2024

Reports to: Head of Research

Salary: We will be happy to disclose the salary and applicable benefits to applicants as part of this process, however, please kindly note that the salary and employment benefits will be set according to your location and therefore it is not possible to include full details here. As an indication if this role was based in the UK the salary would be circa £45,000.

Closing date: Friday 23rd Decemeber 2022

*Applicable locations include: Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Uganda, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.