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Senior Research Specialist

  • Company

    ChildFund India

  • Location

    Delhi

  • Employment Type

    Full-Time

  • Functional Category

    Research & Knowledge Management

  • Experience

    7 - 10 years

  • Date Posted

    05-Nov-2025

About ChildFund India

ChildFund India is a child-focused development organisation ensuring children grow up healthy, educated, skilled and safe.

Overview of the Role

The Senior Research Specialist is responsible for leading and managing ChildFund India’s research, evaluation, learning, and knowledge management initiatives to generate strong evidence for programs and strategy. The role involves designing and executing mixed-method studies, operational research, and evaluations that meet high standards of rigor, ethics, and data quality. They will guide the development of study protocols, sampling plans, and research tools; coordinate quantitative and qualitative data collection; and analyse findings to inform program improvement and policy advocacy. The Senior Research Specialist will work closely with program teams, zonal and field offices, and external research partners to ensure smooth implementation of studies and adherence to organizational protocols. The role also contributes to producing high-quality knowledge products such as reports, briefs, and publications, and supports organizational learning through presentations and dissemination efforts. They will provide technical inputs across all thematic areas of ChildFund India. Remain alert and responsive to any child safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills which will enable you to promote strong safeguarding practices, understand the safeguarding policy and procedures and conduct yourself in a manner consistent with ChildFund’s Safeguarding Policy.

Job Description

Research and Evaluation Design
• Lead the design of research studies, evaluations, and operational research across ChildFund India’s thematic areas, including health, nutrition, education, protection, and livelihoods.
• Develop research protocols, sampling frameworks, evaluation designs, and detailed plans that meet ethical, methodological, and organizational standards.
• Ensure research approaches integrate both quantitative and qualitative methods to provide actionable and credible evidence.
• Provide technical guidance to program teams and partners on embedding research findings into program strategies and proposals.

Tool Development and Data Collection
• Design, review, and pilot research tools, questionnaires, and digital data collection formats to ensure clarity, accuracy, and cultural appropriateness.
• Train enumerators, field teams, and partner organizations in research tools, data collection methods, and ethical guidelines.
• Oversee and monitor data collection activities to ensure adherence to approved protocols and timelines.

Data Quality Management and Protocol Compliance
• Establish and oversee processes for data quality assurance including validation checks, field audits, and error rectification.
• Ensure compliance with ChildFund India’s research protocols and ethical standards, including safeguarding and informed consent.
• Address data quality issues promptly and provide ongoing technical support to field and partner teams.
• Data Analysis, Reporting, and Knowledge Products
• Conduct statistical analysis of quantitative data and thematic analysis of qualitative data using relevant software (SPSS, STATA, R, NVivo).
• Prepare high-quality research reports, briefs, infographics, and presentations for internal and external audiences.
• Contribute to peer-reviewed publications, knowledge papers, and represent ChildFund India’s research at national and international forums.
• Support the preparation of success stories and documentation of best practices emerging from research and evaluation work.

Coordination and Capacity Building
• Coordinate closely with MERL team members, program leads, zonal offices, and external research partners to ensure smooth study implementation.
• Build capacity of internal staff and local partners in research methodology, data collection, analysis, and use of evidence for program improvement.
• Facilitate workshops and learning sessions to share findings and promote evidence-based decision-making across the organization.
• MERL System Strengthening and Strategic Support
Contribute to the development and refinement of ChildFund India’s MERL frameworks, indicators, and monitoring systems.
• Align research and evaluation activities with organizational strategic priorities and donor requirements.
• Provide technical inputs for the development of proposals, logframe, and monitoring frameworks.
• Support the Director, Program, Design, Impact & Delivery in managing the overall research portfolio, planning annual priorities, and reporting to leadership.

Required & Preferred Qualifications

Skill

• Teamwork: the ability to work effectively and collaborate with others; values and respects individual differences.
• Communication: demonstrates empathy and tact when communicating with others and uses a storytelling approach when appropriate.
• Result orientation: gets things done; takes proactive steps to achieve organizational goals and quality standards.
• Decision making: uses good judgement, critical thinking, and non-traditional ways to evaluate problems and opportunities; reflects and innovates to improve decisions and outcomes.
• Resilience: thrives and grows in rapidly changing, demanding, and complex environments.
• Digital literacy: adopts and champions new technology to relevant contexts, stays aware of technological trends and embraces technological solutions to business challenges.

Other Required Competencies
• Knowledge of research and evaluation standards and effective practices across multiple thematic areas relevant to children and adolescents.
• Knowledge of participatory and community-based research approaches.
• Excellent analytical, presentation, and interpersonal skills to communicate findings effectively.
• Strong computer skills, with familiarity in the Microsoft Office suite and statistical or qualitative analysis software.
• Proven ability to design study protocols, manage data quality, and lead research activities across diverse locations.
• Organized, team player, self-starter, and results-oriented individual.

Education

Master’s degree in public health, Statistics, Demography, Social Sciences, or Development Studies; a Ph.D. will be an added advantage.

Experience

• 7–10 years of progressive experience in research, evaluation design, and operational research in the development sector. • Proven experience in designing and implementing primary research studies. • Proven expertise in designing studies with mixed methods, including robust sampling strategies and evaluation frameworks. • Strong analytical skills in quantitative and qualitative data analysis using tools such as SPSS, STATA, R, NVivo, or similar software. • Experience in managing data quality processes, protocol compliance, and ethical research standards including safeguarding. • Demonstrated ability to develop study protocols, research tools, and high-quality knowledge products (reports, briefs, presentations). • Track record of contributing to or authoring peer-reviewed publications or knowledge papers is preferred. • Experience in coordinating with multiple stakeholders including internal teams, field offices, and external research agencies. • Knowledge of child and adolescent-focused programs in health, nutrition, education, livelihood and child protection is desirable, which is aligned with ChildFund programs. • Willingness to travel as and when required across ChildFund India’s operational areas.