Senior Manager – Research
Child Protection, Education and Skilling (CPES)
About us
Sambodhi Research and Communications helps create high-impact knowledge and catalyze accountability in the public domain through its project management and monitoring and evaluation solutions. At Sambodhi, we offer objective, evidence-based support to implementers, government, donors, and corporates. Over the past decade, we have emerged as a pioneer for developing cutting-
edge methodologies for evaluation of large-scale development interventions. With a close- knit team of 100 professionals, we work across South Asia, South East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Headquartered at Noida (Delhi National Capital Region), India, we have full service regional offices in Phnom Penh (Cambodia) and Dar-e-Salam (Tanzania). Sambodhi provides services to federal agencies, donors, foundations and corporates, in areas of public health, HIV/AIDS, nutrition, water and sanitation, environment, and renewable energy. We have made valuable contribution in monitoring, learning and evaluation programs and have influenced development policies and improved implementation efficiency.
Why Sambodhi
Sambodhi offers an exciting and challenging opportunity to contribute to high quality multi-input development programs and to work closely with government, and with key development actors like the World Bank, UN and Bilateral agencies, philanthropies like Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation etc. Being one of the leading and largest M&E service- provider in South Asia, Sambodhi offers an extraordinary platform to learn, mentor and innovate in a perceptive environment. Driven by deep rooted wisdom of “Equity in Knowledge”, learning is integral to our work; be it investing in peer driven intensive professional development within Sambodhi or field building on M&E globally. In line with it, it offers an enabled environment for professionals to write, publish and network; to locate themselves in the contemporary discourse on M&E and be a part of the global think-tank.
Job description
Job Title : Senior Manager – Research
Job Location : Noida
Job Summary : We are seeking a dynamic and experienced professional to lead our research initiatives and drive revenue growth for the SBU. In this role, you will develop proposals and presentations to secure new contracts and achieve revenue targets, while managing high-value projects through effective project management. You will supervise and ensure data quality, optimize resource planning, and enhance project performance. As a Senior manager, you will provide work with peers and provide guidance to junior members to develop and provide timely feedback on proposals, data collection instruments, engage team members in project activities, and encourage continuous learning through knowledge-sharing sessions. Additionally, you will enhance our organization's credibility by publishing industry-focused content, participating in key events, and tracking engagement and lead generations to acquire new clients and partnerships.
Job description
Essential Functions
These are the following roles and responsibilities:
Business Development:
•Develop and write research proposals including creating proposal decks and presenting them to clients to secure new contracts and achieve revenue targets.
•Identify new business opportunities while ensuring adherence to project deadlines and maintaining a pipeline of prospective projects.
•Liaise with partner organizations, consultants, vendors, and other relevant agencies to build and maintain strategic partnerships that enhance project outcomes and organizational reach.
Project Management:
•Lead projects, ensuring client satisfaction through clear communication, setting expectations, and proactive conflict resolution. Lead the execution of projects, ensuring client satisfaction.
management, while maintaining data quality assurance through proper data
collection, analysis, and reporting.
•Oversee time, cost, and quality aspects of projects to execute effective project management, while maintaining data quality assurance through proper data collection, analysis and reporting.
•Develop and implement resource planning strategies to optimize project performance.
•Deliver high-quality reports, presentations, and other communication materials to clients.
Research Design and Execution:
•Conceptualize and propose innovative and realistic designs for research, monitoring, and evaluation projects.
•Create methodologies and work plans for project execution using mixed- method approaches.
•Develop quantitative and qualitative research tools, including child/student assessments for data collection and perform qualitative and quantitative analysis.
Team Leadership and Development:
•Provide timely feedback to team members and engage them in both project and non-project activities to promote motivation and job satisfaction.
•Create and implement self-learning goals and career development plans.
•Facilitate annual knowledge-sharing sessions to promote cross-functional learning.
•Monitor employee utilization and track competency improvements for self and team members, while working towards improving employee satisfaction within the team.
• Supervise team members in various tasks and other necessary organizational processes.
Thought Leadership and Branding:
•Annually publish industry-focused white papers, case studies, and thought leadership articles to establish credibility.
•Organize or participate in key industry events such as webinars, conferences, and panel discussions to enhance SBU visibility.
The above essential functions are representative of major duties of positions in this job. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary. Other duties may be assigned similar to the above consistent with the knowledge, skills and abilities required for the job.
Desired profile
Education
•Advanced degree (Master’s/MPhil or PhD) in Economics, Economics of Education, Education, ECCD/ Social Work/ Development Studies/ or allied social sciences
Experience
•8-9 years of work overall experience in research, with 4-5 years mandatory experience in MEL/large scale research
•Prior experience in Education/Child Protection/ Skilling domain.
•Experience in contemporary MEL methodologies and practices, with hands-on experience in writing and publications.
•Experience of designing and executing quantitative and qualitative research projects.
Personal Competencies
•In-depth knowledge of research, evaluation, data analysis, and thematic understanding of The education, child protection or skilling sectors.
•Proficiency in both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.
•Experience working with Government departments, Multinational organisations, and Philanthropic donors.
•Experience in leading projects independently, engaging with various stakeholders, with effective time & resource planning.
•Professional fluency in oral and written English, with spoken Hindi required; proficiency in any other regional languages is a plus.
•Proficiency in MS Office and statistical packages such as STATA, R and Python for data analysis.
•Willingness to travel to different geographies.
•Efficient written and oral communication skills
Sambodhi focuses on nurturing an inclusive work environment. We stress and reinforce diversity in our workplace. We welcome all applications regardless of race, religion, caste, place of origin, gender, sexuality, and disability.
Application Instructions
Interested applications are requested to kindly submit their updated resume and a one-page cover letter via email to hr@sambodhi.co.in
Please note, all applications will be checked for AI-use.