Senior Researcher at DAI

• The Senior Researcher role will work closely with Evidence Project Leads within multidisciplinary teams of Centre staff, external consultants and partner organisations, to support the delivery of high quality, rigorous, and impartial evidence in support of the Centre’s strategy and work plan, on time and on budget.
• The Senior Researcher role may also require supporting linked technical communities of practice convened by the Centre and supporting or leading communications and engagement around evidence products.

Role responsibilities

• Contribute to the design of new research projects, developing research methodologies, implementation plans, drafting and managing project budgets.
• Support the management of multi-disciplinary teams to deliver research projects.
• Support the commissioning and procurement of external expertise including drafting Terms of Reference, tenders and conducting interviews and bid analysis.
• Conduct rigorous literature reviews and produce high quality synthesis of findings.
• Lead or contribute to qualitative data collection through key informant interviews and expert convenings.
• Conduct data-led research and analysis including development of novel methodologies ensuring rigorous treatment of data, meticulous data hygiene and documentation of sources and methodologies.
• Draft and contribute to publications including research reports, working papers, guidance and blogs.
• Support the publications process, including peer review, editing and promotion of evidence products.
• Represent the Centre’s evidence work externally in working groups, meetings and events.
• Support routine monitoring and reporting.
• In addition to role-specific responsibilities, the Senior Researcher will be required to:
• Uphold the Centre’s values and contribute to a positive organisational culture.
• Build the Centre’s external reputation through managing relations with clients and partners
• across the development, humanitarian, financial and academic sectors.
• Collaborate effectively with teams of Centre staff and consultants.

Skills and experience

• Successful candidates will be able to demonstrate a range of the following skills and experience:
• At least five years’ demonstrated experience of qualitative and quantitative research in a related field such as disaster risk financing, development economics, public financial management, social protection.
• Experience of producing or contributing to research and evidence products to exceptional standards of rigour, quality and impact including leading peer review processes.
• Experience of producing high quality data-led research and analysis.
• Ability to communicate complex information in creative, precise and engaging written and visual formats.
• A strong understanding of the key actors and policy environment of the international development architecture.
• Experience co-delivering research with partner organisations including universities, NGOs and research institutes in low- and middle-income countries.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English. Other languages, particularly French given our expanding portfolio in Francophone countries, should be highlighted.

Person specification

Successful candidates should:

• Demonstrate willingness to learn key principles, features and functions of disaster risk financing to a level where you can critically engage and challenge.
• Show an understanding of and commitment to the Centre’s values and mission.
• An ability to take initiative and work proactively and effectively as part of a dynamic, multidisciplinary team in a hybrid working environment.
• Whilst a significant amount of travel is not anticipated, applicants should be willing, if required, to travel to Africa, Asia, and other international locations as needed including lower income and fragile, conflict-affected contexts.
• Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing learning, including technical and non-technical skills.