Research and Knowledge Management Specialist

TITLE: Research and Knowledge Management Specialist
TEAM/PROGRAMME: REALM, LOCATION: Kabul
GRADE: 3, CONTRACT LENGTH: Fixed Term

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:
Level 3: the post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE:
Save the Children International works in all contexts to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and create lasting change in children’s lives.
Save the Children’s ambitious strategy for 2022-24 places a strong emphasis on the key role of research and evidence in driving up our impact for children, both in our programmes and in our policy, advocacy and campaigns work.

The primary role of the Research and Knowledge Management Specialist (RKMS) is to:
• Design, lead, commission and conduct research, evaluations and studies relevant to Country Strategic Objectives
• Leading and coordinating Knowledge management and learning processes and systems in Afghanistan CO with an overall objective of ensuring we have efficiency of knowledge capture, sharing, learning and sustainability of the institutional memory.

SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: Research, Evidence and Learning Manager
Staff reporting to this post: None
Direct: 0
Indirect: 0
Budget Responsibilities: None
Role Dimensions: The role holder reports to the Research, Evidence and Learning Manager and is a member of the Research, Evidence, Accountability, Learning and Monitoring (REALM) team. The role holder liaises closely with other REALM Team Members, Program Development and Quality Team members, Program Implementation, Advocacy, Communication, Campaigns and Media staff at country, area and provincial level.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

RESEARCH AND EVALUATION (50% LOE)

Research and Evaluation Leadership and Design
• Work with project teams to develop research and evaluation Terms of References for strategic studies at the country, multi-country, regional and global levels.
• Design, conduct and commission single strategic studies at the country, multi-country, regional level and global level.
• Design, conduct and commission meta-analysis and evidence reviews to fill knowledge gaps on priority topics.
• Work with the Advocacy and Campaigns and MEAL team to design and conduct Influencing Impact Studies.
• Lead, project manage and monitor both short and long-term research and evaluation studies to ensure they are delivered on time, to budget and to a high standard.

Data analysis and evidence synthesis
• Conduct quantitative data and qualitative data analysis for single studies.
• Conduct meta-analysis using statistical methods to integrate data and summarize the results of multiple studies across thematic areas, regions and time.
• Conduct systematic evidence reviews using rigorous methodology, including steps to minimise bias in the identification of relevant research, the selection of studies for inclusion and the collection, analysis and interpretation of their findings.
• Work with the REALM team to collate secondary data and conduct descriptive analysis to identify and define emerging issues relevant to country strategic plan.

Partnerships, funding & new business
• Participate in and develop internal and external Research and or Knowledge Management Networks and Communities of Practice.
• Work with the Research, Evidence and Learning Manager, REALM team and new business development colleagues to write new proposals.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT (50% LOE)
Report Writing and Knowledge Translation
• Produce research, evaluation and evidence synthesis reports, and as required, submit journal articles for external publication.
• Work with the REALM team to produce learning products such as fact sheets, evidence to action briefs, policy briefs, policy position papers etc

Thought leadership and capacity building
• Stay abreast of child-participatory/led, innovative, robust, credible and right-fit research methods and communicate these with team members.
• Champion robust use of evidence and a learning culture where evidence is built systemically into the design, approval, implementation and review of programmes and policies.
• Work with the REALM team to monitor Country Office’s Research, Evidence and Learning Agendas and learning agenda implementation plans for priority topics, and support the generation of evidence that fills priority evidence gaps
• Support technical advisors and project teams to use standardised indicators and measures that enable meta-analyses across projects and are valid, reliable, sensitive and culturally appropriate in terms of acceptability and interpretability in different contexts and communities.
• Coach, mentor and support REALM Unit colleagues in developing their Knowledge Management skills.
• Deliver Knowledge Management remote or face-to-face training as requested
• Work effectively with large and diverse project teams comprised of Save the Children staff and external partners located in different countries and with multidisciplinary areas of expertise.
Strategic Knowledge Management and Learning
• Act as a KLM focal point person for all KLM activities in the Country Office
• Develop KLM system and processes, including areas in which AFG can be more efficient in managing knowledge for sharing and learning
• Work with Research, Evidence and Learning Manager or designated global or regional contact to identify current SCI-AFG knowledge sharing, strategies and tools, including types of knowledge products, there sources, target audiences, and dissemination channels;
• Work with the Country and Regional Office to maintain, update and upload learning products on SCI CO, Regional and Global Knowledge Management and Learning Repositories to ensure institutional learning is captured, stored, made accessible to staff and management and external stakeholders.
Knowledge Management Coordination and Implementation
• Facilitate cross department learning and transfer of best practices through documentation, and dissemination/sharing of lessons learned for overall organizational learning (can explore forums such as ESMT, response update meetings, departmental workshops/retreat etc.)
• Lead and support knowledge sharing and learning events such as collaborative learning and adaptation workshops at all levels
• Track user feedback on KLM products

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)
Accountability:
• holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.
Ambition:
• sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.
Collaboration:
• builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.
Creativity:
• develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• willing to take disciplined risks.
Integrity:
• honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

The post holder must commit to work in an international agency that respects racial diversity and fights racism in all forms; and to model positive behaviours and respect to all colleagues, partners and communities.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
Essential
• Bachelor’s degree in economics, Statistics, Social Sciences or relevant field or equivalent experience.
• At least 5 years of experience in designing and managing evaluation of programs.
• Experience in data collection, data management, and analysis.
• Demonstrated proficiency in statistical analysis using STATA or other statistical software.
• Familiarity with methods for and issues involved with involving children in research.
• Demonstrated ability to use MS-Office (Excel).
• Demonstrated ability to use qualitative software.
• Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner.
• Demonstrated report writing skills.
• High level of fluency in English, both verbal and written.
• Ability to give professional support and direction to others.
• Willing and able to travel time to Afghanistan to support field teams as security permits.
• Strong thematic background knowledge in at least one of Save the Children’s breakthrough areas: Survive, Learn and Be Protected; and themes (health and nutrition; child education; child protection; child poverty and climate change; and/or child rights governance).
Desirable
• Experience working for an international humanitarian or development agency.
• Experience or knowledge of working and living in Afghanistan.
• Experience and knowledge of Save the Children’s structure, mandate and child focus.
• Master’s Degree in Economics, Statistics, Social Sciences or relevant field or equivalent experience.

KEY COMPETENCIES
Technical competencies:
• Collaborates with other functions and initiatives to strengthen the quality and use of qualitative and quantitative research and evidence data.
• Creates opportunities for qualitative and quantitative data in research and evaluation to inform existing learning and research agendas
• Leads on standardising qualitative and quantitative data approaches across the organisation.
Generic Competencies
• Be the innovator: Analyses and critically appraises a wide range of evidence and guides others to do the same
• Be the innovator: Champions the use of evidence to influence policies and practice
• Deliver results at scale: Leads coalitions to promote systems thinking and strengthening

Additional job responsibilities
The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.
Equal Opportunities
The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.
Child Safeguarding:
We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.
Safeguarding our Staff:
The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy
Health and Safety
The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Organization context

The Organization
We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard. We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:
· No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
· All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
· Violence against children is no longer tolerated
We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children.We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.
Application Information:
Please apply using a cover letter and up-to-date CV as a single document. Please also include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations. A copy of the full role profile can be found at www.savethechildren.net/jobs We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.