Senior Research Manager at Farsight Africa Group

Position Overview

• The Senior Research Manager will lead Farsight Africa Group’s research portfolio, taking responsibility for the design, delivery and quality of a wide range of research projects across our key areas. The role holder will work across Nairobi (Kenya), Somalia and Uganda, managing multi-country projects in East Africa, including fragile and conflict-affected settings.
• The successful candidate will bring strong research, analytical, design and reporting expertise, drawing on a solid combination of qualitative and quantitative experience. They will manage client relationships, lead and develop the research team, and work with senior management to grow Farsight’s research business. The position reports to senior management and supervises Research Executives, Research Assistants, field teams and subcontractors.

Scope of Work:

Research Leadership and Delivery:

• Lead the management and delivery of research projects from scoping, design and methodology through fieldwork, analysis and report writing.
• Design and deliver a wide range of social research techniques, including in-person and in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, surveys, literature reviews and data analysis.
• Oversee qualitative and quantitative data collection, ensuring data quality, research ethics, safeguarding and data protection standards are upheld.
• Adapt research tools and approaches to the cultural, linguistic and security context of each country of operation.
• Produce insightful research reports, policy briefs and presentations with sophisticated, actionable advice that supports client decision-making.

Multi-Country Project and Resource Management:

• Plan and manage project resources, workplans, timelines and financial budgets across multiple countries.
• Recruit, manage and coordinate in-country field teams and subcontractors, including market research fieldwork partners, seeking best value at all times.
• Supervise, mentor and develop junior research staff to achieve project objectives and build team capacity.
• Anticipate operational risks such as access, security and logistics, and put proactive mitigation measures in place.
• Travel regularly to project countries to oversee fieldwork and engage clients and stakeholders.

Business Development and Client Management:

• Work with senior managers and directors to win new work from new and existing clients.
• Lead the preparation of written proposals and bids, including technical approaches, methodologies, workplans and budgets.
• Proactively identify new business opportunities in research services and policy markets, in line with the company’s strategic ambitions.
• Manage and develop relationships with clients, donors, government counterparts and partners.
• Raise the profile of Farsight’s research expertise with clients and key influencers through presentations, publications and events.

Knowledge and Quality Management:

• Ensure the company stays up to date with developments in specified policy areas and research markets.
• Set and maintain quality standards for research tools, data and deliverables across all projects.
• Contribute to internal research guidelines, tools and learning sessions.
• Perform any other duties assigned by management.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Master’s degree in Social Sciences or a related field, with a focus on research or project management.
• A minimum of 5–7 years of working experience in research and project management in the East Africa region, including multi-country projects.
• Demonstrated professional leadership and the ability to coordinate a team of professionals, including remote field teams.
• Experience designing qualitative fieldwork (such as in-depth interviews and focus groups) and quantitative fieldwork (such as survey questionnaires, data analysis and data visualisation).
• Proven track record of writing successful proposals and managing project budgets.
• Experience working in fragile or conflict-affected contexts; previous work in Somalia and Uganda will be an added advantage.
• Proficiency in analysis software such as SPSS, Stata, R or NVivo, and experience supporting presentation design and delivery.
• Excellent client-facing and internal verbal and written communication skills; familiarity with the Somali language will be an added advantage.
• Excellent analytical and reporting skills.
• Solid organisational skills, including attention to detail and multi-tasking.
• Ability to anticipate challenges and proactively head off obstacles.
• Excellent problem-solving skills; innovative and solutions-oriented.
• Willingness to work across and travel frequently between Nairobi, Somalia and Uganda.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Farsight Africa Group is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, disability, religion, ethnicity, or any other protected characteristic. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.

Why Join Farsight

• Work with a fast-growing, innovative African consulting firm.
• Lead meaningful multi-country research across governance, development and strategic communications.
• Be part of a dynamic, multicultural team operating across East Africa and the Horn of Africa.
• Access opportunities for professional growth, leadership and regional exposure.