National Consultant- Research Specialist

Who We Are

International Justice Mission (IJM) is a global leader in protecting vulnerable people from violence around the world. Our team of over 1,200 professionals are at work worldwide in over 30 offices. Together we are on a mission to rescue millions, protect half a billion, and make justice unstoppable.

We are a global community that cares for one another. We believe that the way we work is as important as the results we achieve. We provide professional excellence with joy and celebration to all those we serve.

The Need

For over 25 years, IJM has pioneered the work to protect vulnerable people from violence. 9 out of 9 times in the last decade, IJM's Justice System Strengthening Projects have reduced slavery and violence between 50 and 85% for very large populations of people in poverty. As we grow to expand our impact to protect 500 million people from violence, we are seeking a Consultant- Research Specialist to facilitate and support the development, rollout and completion of research projects by external researchers, provide timely and critical information on all aspects of the research to relevant stakeholders (internal & external) and generate evidence-based insights for program development & improvement. This position will also help to design and implement monitoring, learning and evaluation frameworks to track program progress and outcomes, and to facilitate cross-learning and knowledge sharing sessions throughout the program life cycle, both in the country program and across the region.

The role is based in Dhaka, but will provide support nationally, including travelling to each of IJM's future program locations (Khulna, Barisal and Mymensingh).

Responsibilities:

Leadership and Management:

• Foster a culture of learning and knowledge sharing by documenting and disseminating lessons learned and best practices from research and evaluation efforts.
• Design and integrate MERL activities, tools and rhythms into program planning, implementation, and reporting processes.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of MERL activities, making adjustments as needed to improve outcomes.

Strategy & Knowledge Development & Implementation:

• Lead the design and implementation of research studies (quantitative & qualitative), including developing research questions, designing data collection tools, and selecting appropriate sampling methodologies.
• Work closely with IJM Global MERL team to establish and lead research steering committees for Bangladesh protection measurement baseline studies.
• Facilitate maintenance and use of internal & external data and research to inform program goals.

Networking & Partnership:

• Effectively liaise between the data collection team, the Research Steering Committee(s) and the Bangladesh program team to ensure alignment on research priorities, objectives, and methodologies.
• Liaise with relevant Government of Bangladesh entities at country, division and district level and with regulatory bodies for project approval, budgeting and reporting.
• Participate and share at global forums such as quarterly MERL Unite meetings, conferences, etc.
• Represent Bangladesh protection measurement baseline studies through meetings, engagements and professional emails with relevant stakeholders (both internal & external).

Documentation, Reporting & Data Management:

• Oversee data collection processes, ensuring high-quality data collection and adherence to ethical standards.
• Manage data collection.
• Establish timely reporting routines and ensure consistent input of program data into the IJM case management system.
• Develop and deliver high-quality program analysis in collaboration with program staff.
• Consolidate, organize and update Bangladesh data as needed.
• Assist the Head, Programs & Partnership, Bangladesh by providing periodic program updates, program progress reports and analysis internally & externally as needed.

Research, Program Management and M&E:

• Synthesize findings from research studies and evaluations into actionable insights and recommendations.
• Communicate research findings effectively through written reports, presentations, and other mediums to stakeholders.

Training and Development:

• Develop and deliver training sessions and conduct workshops on research methodologies, data collection tools, ethical considerations, data analysis techniques, and MERL best practices for stakeholders as and when required.

Qualifications

Education & Experience:

• At minimum, a Master's Degree in International Development, Human Rights, Public Policy, Public Administration, Social Science, Project Management, or other related field.
• Research publications thought papers and presentations experience are an added advantage.
• At least 5-7 years in research-related positions. Preference to persons with prior experience in government research and those who have led research studies.
• Experienced in monitoring, evaluation, and learning.
• Experience working in international development, humanitarian aid, or related sectors preferred.
• Proven experience of effective cross-cultural work, and across multiple time zones.
• Excellent research management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks, manage timelines, and coordinate across teams to achieve goals.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex research findings to technical and non-technical stakeholders through written reports, presentations, and other mediums.

Technical Competencies:

• Strategic thinking and problem-solving.
• Well-developed analytical, data visualization and critical thinking skills.
• Planning, organizing and multi-tasking.
• Ability to use tools for monitoring, evaluation, and data analysis.
• Knowledge of a statistical software package (Stata, SPSS, SAS) a plus
• Experience with hiring and managing research and data collection vendors in complex research projects.
• Experience on the requirements and functioning of the Institutional Review Board (IRB).
• Knowledge and ability to create Requests for Proposals, Terms of Reference and Scope of Work documents for research projects
• Knowledge of sample frames and understanding of hidden populations preferred.
• Demonstrated commitment towards ensuring integrity of data and ethical principles of data confidentiality.
• Organized and able to work in a dynamic environment.
• Ability and experience of communicating technical research and evaluation methodologies and findings to lay audience.

Critical Qualities

• Excellent written and verbal communication in both English and Bengali
• Persuasiveness
• Decision making
• Attention to detail
• Collaboration
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Flexibility and agility
• Strong self-management skills with high levels of energy
• Partnership Management

Application Process:

Upload Resume & Cover Letter in
one PDF document
via 'Apply' in LinkedIn job advertisement.

IJM holds strict safeguarding principles and a zero tolerance to violations of the Safeguarding Policy, Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Policy, and Code of Ethics. Candidate selection is based on technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring criteria subject to assessing the candidate's value congruence and thorough background, police clearance, and reference check processes.