Head of Research, Evidence & Data at Teaching at the Right Level Africa

Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversee design and implementation of new and existing research studies from conceptualisation to results write-up in order to rigorously understand, strengthen, and test the impact of TaRL (40%)
• Design new studies using cutting-edge, cost-effective, rigorous approaches to education research and impact  evaluations such as implementation science methods and A/B testing
• Conduct power calculations, design sampling frames and learning questions, lead IRB submission, oversee   research data quality, generate analysis, and document results including translation of research for wide use and dissemination.
• Scope research opportunities with partners / external researchers and liaise with the external researchers to co-design new studies.
• Manage TaRL Africa  technical research team (associates, coordinators)
• Ensure adequate coordination and oversight is taken for research conducted by others such as Research Fellows and learning partners
• Guide TaRL Africa country teams in crafting learning plans, including plans for testing innovations at scale  and evaluating program impact
• Work with the Director of MLE to translate the TaRL Africa learning agenda into studies in focus countries
• When necessary, seek support or generate collaborative research teams with relevant external researchers, including helping to draft research proposals and manage commissioned research
• Collate and communicate research results for program and policy impact both internally and externally (20%)
• Write up research results for studies conducted internally
•  Inform and advance programmatic improvements to boost impact through evidence
• Write policy summaries for the TaRL website of research results
• Creatively communicate research lessons and results with the TaRL Africa program teams, the wider sub Saharan Africa TaRL community, and more global education stakeholders broadly (e.g.,. through podcasts, newsletters, research results and policy briefs.)
• Present the TaRL learning results at conferences and events
• Support communication with partner organizations about the goals of the learning agenda, consulting on their learning plans and helping to communicate results across the continent to generate cross-learning
• Ensure TaRL Africa research and data systems are robust and implemented (20%)
•  TaRL Africa policies related to: research compliance, data security, research / data partnerships, and publication
• Ensure TaRL Africa systems support research and data policies and best practices, including IRB compliance, data storage, management of partner agreements (e.g., data sharing, research partnerships, etc)
• Provide training and capacity building for TaRL Africa staff related to data / research ethics and best practices
• Conduct quality assurance and continuous quality improvement exercises
•  Implement and innovate TaRL Africa’s research strategy and methodologies to expand our scope and impact through evidence-based learning (10%)
• Identify and advise MLE Director on cutting-edge research and new opportunities for TaRL Africa to contribute to the global body of education knowledge 
• Participate in supporting research and learning activities that focus on scaling and cross-country TaRL implementation as we grow.
• - This includes active interfacing with programs within TaRL to remain abreast of program implementation learning needs and opportunities;
• - and supporting knowledge management and transfer across TaRL Africa
• Implement capacity building, training, mentoring, and other support for research design and data analysis activities
• Support communication with partner organizations about the goals of the TaRL Africa learning agenda, consulting on their learning plans and helping to communicate results across the continent
• Oversee research program management activities (10%)
•  Significantly contribute to new research grant writing including engagement with potential research donors
• Lead compliance and quality of grant-funded research grants including: tracking status and meeting deliverables, ensuring timely submission of donor reports, cultivating positive relationships and engagement with donors and researchers
• Significantly contribute to budget creation, tracking and analysis for research and learning program work
• Oversee procurement processes for research and learning external contracts including quality and cost- effectiveness
•  Any other tasks assigned by the MLE Director

Requirements

• Master’s degree with a focus on public policy, economics, statistics, education or related field. Must have graduate courses in applied economics, statistics, and policy writing and/or closely related coursework.
• At least 7-10 years of relevant work experience, with at least two years in Africa.
• Demonstrated ability to brainstorm and conduct policy-relevant implementation research studies using rigorous methods such as A/B testing, and experimental/quasi-experimental designs
• Exceptional data analysis skills including experience working in Stata and/or R
• Prior experience as a principal investigator with peer-reviewed publications, with a preference of experience as lead author
• Strong project management skills with demonstrated ability to work on multiple projects at once and deliver to tight deadlines
• Strong interpersonal skills with cross-cultural teams
• Excellent communication skills in English, including writing, conversing, and presenting for both technical and non-technical audiences
• Desire to help improve learning outcomes for students at scale
• Willingness to travel frequently and flexibly

Advantageous

• PhD in relevant degree program such as education economics is highly preferred
• French language ability is an asset
• African nationality
• Significant experience in data visualization techniques
• Experience with data management and analysis using PowerBI or a similar program
• Experience with foundational literacy and numerac