Principal Researcher (Tanzania GBV Prevention Program)

Location: Tanzania or remote; travel to pilot and scale-up districts required. If remote, significant time is expected to be spent in Tanzania.

Program: Tanzania Community-Based Social Norms Change and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Program

Reports to: Project Director (Team Leader)

Timeline: 8 months over a 24-month period

Please Note: This position is contingent upon award and donor approval, with an anticipated start date of September 2026.

Overview:

Global Communities champions innovative solutions to complex challenges at the intersection of humanitarian assistance, sustainable development, and financial inclusion. We ensure our approaches are as dynamic and diverse as the communities we serve. We bring together local and global insights to save lives and secure strong futures. We are looking for passionate, dedicated professionals to help us build the world we envision: one of expanded opportunity, where crises give way to resilience and all people thrive.

Global Communities is seeking a Principal Researcher for the anticipated World Bank and Government of Tanzania Evidence-Based Parenting Models Addressing Gender-Based Violence Prevention (Bandebereho/Program P). This project is part of the larger Project for Advancing Gender Equality in Tanzania (PAMOJA), which has four main components: 1) Promoting Economic Opportunities for Women through Community-Based Models; 2) Strengthening Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response Services; 3) Innovations and Partnerships; and 4) Project Management, Monitoring, and Evaluation. The objective of the 24-month assignment is to design, adapt, pilot, validate, and support the national rollout of a community-based social norms change and GBV prevention program in Tanzania Mainland, based on the Bandebereho model, a couples-based intervention successfully implemented in Rwanda. The assignment begins with intensive piloting in 2 districts before scaling progressively to a total of 15 councils across Mainland Tanzania.

The Principal Researcher will lead the formative research strand of the program, generating the empirical foundation for program design, curriculum adaptation, and targeting decisions, and will mobilize and manage a network of local researchers capable of scaling from the pilot district councils to all 15 implementation councils.

Responsibilities:

• Design a formative research protocol, including sampling framework, ethics approval, and data collection tools (FGD guides, KII protocols, observation tools) to inform adaptation of the Bandebereho model.
• Mobilize, train, and manage a network of local, community-embedded, Kiswahili-speaking researchers trained in ethical research methods, scalable from the 2 pilot district councils to all implementation councils.
• Lead formative research on gendered social norms, IPV dynamics, community structures, and cultural/linguistic considerations relevant to curriculum adaptation.
• Share preliminary findings on a rolling basis to enable concurrent curriculum adaptation and produce district-specific contextual briefs.
• In year 2, expand formative research progressively to all remaining 13 scale-up councils, maintaining the network of local researchers and quality assuring data collection at scale.
• Produce formative research reports, including a final synthesis report covering all implementation councils.
• Coordinate closely with the Programs, Training of Trainers, and MEL strands to ensure research findings inform adaptation, training, and measurement in real time.

Key Deliverables:

• Formative research protocol including sampling framework and data collection tools.
• Preliminary formative research brief from pilot district councils
• Full formative research report from the 2 pilot district councils.
• District-specific contextual adaptation briefs for all remaining 13 councils, delivered on a rolling basis ahead of each rollout wave.
• Final formative research synthesis report covering all 15 councils.

Qualifications:

• PhD or Master's degree in Gender Studies, Sociology, or a related field.
• 10+ years of research experience in GBV prevention or social norms change.
• Specific experience leading formative research on social norms and GBV in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Demonstrated experience mobilizing and managing a network of local researchers at scale.
• Experience with qualitative and participatory research methods (FGDs, KIIs, community observation) in GBV or related fields.
• Experience implementing gender transformative programs and/or research both in Tanzania and in additional countries beyond Tanzania that demonstrate international credentials.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting formative assessment to inform curriculum adaptation, with a preference for couple‑based intervention model.
• Strong team leadership, emotional intelligence, and adaptive management skills with experience with experience overseeing at least 20 geographically dispersed staff in their direct reporting line.
• Must have a track record of relevant published work.
• Fluency in English required; Kiswahili strongly preferred.

Global Communities positively welcomes and seeks applications from all sections of society. We are committed to a work environment that respects the dignity and worth of everyone and offers equal opportunity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.

Global Communities holds strict safeguarding principles and has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. In the process of recruitment, selection, and appointment, Global Communities will conduct robust reference and background screening checks, including international vetting as a signature of the Global Misconduct Disclosure Scheme to ensure children and vulnerable adults are safeguarded, and abuse is prevented. The incumbent is required to carry out their duties in accordance with Global Communities Safeguarding policy and the Standards of Conduct.