JOB DETAILS:

The Senior Research Officer (SRO) is a strategic role driving Ahaki’s research and policy agenda, focusing on pandemic preparedness, health equity, and social justice in Africa. The position blends rigorous research leadership with policy influence, ensuring evidence translates into advocacy and systemic change.

Key Responsibilities

1. Research Design & Leadership
   • Lead high-impact research projects using participatory, feminist, and decolonial methodologies.
   • Manage multi-country/multi-stakeholder studies, ensuring rigor, ethics, and timeliness.
2. Knowledge Production & Translation
   • Produce peer-reviewed articles, policy briefs, and public-facing reports.
   • Simplify complex findings for advocacy, media, and policymaker audiences.
3. Policy Influence & Thought Leadership
   • • Identify policy gaps and lead evidence-based advocacy with governments, CSOs, and regional bodies.
     • Represent Ahaki in high-level forums to shape health and social justice agendas.
4. Partnerships & Fundraising
   • Build collaborations with universities, think tanks, and donors.
   • Contribute to grant proposals and donor reporting with research insights.
5. Capacity Strengthening
   • Mentor junior researchers and train staff in ethical, participatory methods.
   • Strengthen institutional research standards and learning practices.
6. Monitoring & Learning Integration
   • Collaborate with MEL teams to align research with program impact measurement.

Core Competencies & Requirements

• Education:
  • Master’s in Public Health, Social Sciences, or related field (PhD preferred).
  • Certifications in research methods/M&E are advantageous.
• Experience:
  • 6–8 years in applied research (academia, NGOs, or policy sectors).
  • Proven track record in mixed-methods studies and policy-facing outputs.
• Technical Skills:
  • Expertise in participatory/feminist methodologies and decolonial frameworks.
  • Proficiency in qualitative/quantitative tools (e.g., NVivo, STATA, SPSS).
• Policy & Communication:
  • • Ability to translate research into advocacy materials and media engagement.
    • Fluency in English (Kiswahili/local languages a plus).
• Values Alignment:
  • Commitment to equity, African epistemologies, and community-centered research.

Notable Details

• Location: Nakwero, Uganda.
• Reporting: Head of Research.
• Probation: 6 months (2-year contract) or 3 months (1-year contract).
• Focus: SHARPER program—strengthening Africa’s health research ecosystems.