Social Work Careers – Associate Director, Research and Knowledge Development at The AfriChild Centre

Organisation: The AfriChild
Centre
Duty Station: Kampala,
Uganda
About AfriChild Centre:
Established in 2013, The AfriChild Centre works to improve child
wellbeing practice and inform policy through a systematic process of scientific
research, analysis, and knowledge development. AfriChild seeks to deepen the
quality of evaluative research and effectiveness measurement of child wellbeing
interventions, in line with ensuing global discourse among child rights
activists and child protection actors. The AfriChild Centre was established by
six promoters, namely: Makerere University College of Humanities and Social
Sciences (CHUSS), Columbia University, ChildFund International, Uganda, TPO
Uganda, Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, and UNICEF-Uganda.
The AfriChild Centre aims to be a leading multidisciplinary training
and research centre that contributes to knowledge building and skills development;
and influences policy, programming and practice concerning the wellbeing of the
African child. AfriChild is uniquely positioned to address significant
programmatic, conceptual, methodological, cultural, and logistical gaps in the
translation of research to practice and policy in the child protection and care
community.
Job Summary: The Associate
Director will steer the research, innovation and knowledge development program
functions of The AfriChild Centre to ensure that the organisation is at the
forefront on children issues in the region, and to be a credible and
influential force for change. The role will also aim to improve the quality of
AfriChilds ongoing programming and to generate and disseminate new knowledge
and evidence relevant to AfriChild’s mission so as to influence policy and
practice in the East Africa region and globally.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
  • Take lead of the design and management of
    AfriChilds research and programming: Lead a process to assess research
    opportunities for AfriChild, pursue opportunities for, and oversee the
    design and management of: formative research; studies; surveys; innovative
    demonstration projects; operations research projects.
  • Forge and build innovative research and
    policy partnerships, with academia, think tanks, trusts and foundations,
    NGOs and others, that deliver new and emerging research work for
    AfriChild.
  • Identify and coordinate associate
    researchers for AfriChild so as to build a database of researchers who
    would be associated and involved in advancing the work of AfriChild.
  • Lead the writing of grants for competitive
    bidding for additional funds.
  • Assist in the identification and
    Coordination of researchers under the AfriChild Mentorship Program:
    Play a leading role in the identification and coordination of upcoming
    researchers under the AfriChild mentorship program. This will involve the
    identification of mentees and mentors and also in developing the criteria
    of selection.
  • Generate new knowledge and evidence:
    Maintain a high level of professional and academic standing by leading the
    generation of publications and other technical materials to support child
    rights programming.
  • Quality Control: Lead the
    quality control function within AfriChild and provide oversight on the
    quality of the research carried out.
  • Policy, procedures, strategy and
    guidance:
    Convene and coordinate working group(s) of experts
    working on research activities and publications. Establish or update
    policies, procedures and guidance for research work, for generating publications.
    Develop and update the AfriChild impact strategy, which will be a
    framework to assess the impact of AfriChilds activities in meeting its
    objectives. The collection of this information and data is critical when
    it comes to the mid and final evaluation of the project.
  • Team Leadership: Lead and
    coordinate the work of the team within the Research and Knowledge
    Development Unit; including the project team staff and consultants as
    required, ensuring that the team functions as a coherent unit within a
    wider institutional mandate.
  • Planning and management:
    Develop and propose plans and budgets for inclusion in the annual Program
    of Work and Budget, issue program and funding approvals for research
    projects, ensure programming in innovative areas and other research work
    in accordance with delegated authorities, and ensure that all projects are
    managed within budget and tracked correctly in the contracts database.
  • Strategic management:
    Contribute to strategic management of AfriChild and support institutional
    development.
Qualifications, Skills and
Experience: 
  • The Associate Director must hold a
    Doctorate qualification in social sciences, humanities, statistics and
    qualitative work, development studies, public health or economics.
  • A minimum of two to three years’
    post-doctoral experience in related research.
  • First-hand experience of work with a
    programming organization in one or more developing countries.
  • Excellent track record of publications in
    peer reviewed journals, books, book chapters and other relevant publications.
  • Extensive knowledge and experience in
    implementing and/or interpreting a range of analytical research tools and
    methods, both economic and social, as well as quantitative and some
    qualitative data;
  • Strong strategic planning, prioritisation,
    and execution skills. Proven ability to manage multiple objectives,
    competing demands, and monitor progress and impact;
  • Possess the ability to communicate
    effectively on technical issues to diverse audiences in both large and
    small group settings;
  • Innovative thinker;
  • High-level analytical skills;
  • Proven ability to work across multiple
    teams in a collaborative and contributory manner;
  • Previous working relationships with think
    tanks, academic institutions, donors, government departments, UN agencies,
    NGOs, trusts and foundations, and media;
  • Excellent track record of team management
    and ability to lead projects from inception to completion;
  • Knowledge and ability to implement
    principles of management, leadership, conflict resolution, negotiation,
    and motivation; and
  • Possess an ability to think strategically,
    delegate responsibility, listen carefully, build consensus and communicate
    and advocate effectively in a complex matrix organisation.
Language Proficiency: Fluency in English in required both
written and verbal skills.
How to Apply: 
If you desire to join the AfriChild Centre, please express your
interest by visiting the e-recruitment web link below to Apply Online.
Deadline: 15th May
2014

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