Senior Research Advisor, Migration and Displacement Initiative (MDI)

The Opportunity

Save the Children International has an exciting opportunity for you to join our team as the Senior Research Advisor, Migration and Displacement Initiative (MDI) in London, UK or any existing Save the Children International Regional or Country office worldwide.

Role Purpose:

As a key member of the MDI team, the Senior Research Advisor will drive forward our Migration and Displacement related research work, maintaining and further developing Save the Children’s migration and displacement profile with key donors and influencers and enabling us to amplify the voices of children. 

Under the MDI Director’s steer, the post holder will be responsible for developing, coordinating, and managing an exciting portfolio of high quality, innovative child-related research that extends learning and informs policy and programming. In addition to helping scale existing research initiatives, the Senior Research Advisor will have the opportunity to drive forward new studies on topics such as child migrant decision-making, climate mobility, and durable solutions for children. They will also help maintain a strategic overview of top-line child related migration and displacement research issues, broker research collaborations within the organization, and with partner organizations, academia and the wider research community, deliver research products, and ensure knowledge management and skill sharing. They will also work with the extensive evidence and learning network across Save the Children and other partners to develop and share evidence of what works to protect children who are migrating and displaced.

In order to be successful you will bring/have:

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• Excellent understanding of current global migration and displacement evidence, data, analysis and scholarship
• Strong background in applied migration and/or displacement-related research in a relevant social sciences discipline
• A demonstrable ability to develop and lead desk and field-based research, surveys and other activities oriented towards developing evidence-based positions
• Extensive understanding of research methodologies, both quantitative and qualitative, and the ability to design appropriate methodologies
• Familiarity with monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) methods, as well as evidence generation
• Strong analytical skills and an ability to assimilate & process large amounts of information into a coherent narrative.
• Strong research entrepreneurship skill set
• Evidenced skills in project (including financial) management
• A capacity for critical thinking and commitment to producing original and challenging ideas to improve policy and practice.
• A proven ability to conceptualise and theorise but ground abstract ideas in operational realities.
• A sharp intellect and an ability to discern strategic opportunities to build the profile of the team’s work, as well as opportunities for new areas of research.
• The ability to present arguments clearly and convincingly to a variety of audiences.
• Experience in organising workshops and policy discussions.
• Proven experience of building personal networks, resulting in securing significant new opportunities for the organisation.
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work collaboratively in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures
• Outstanding verbal & written skills in English
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills and a proven ability to drive work forward across complex internal networks in a matrixed way, including influencing and negotiation
• The ability to manage and juggle a complex and varied workload, at times working independently, at others working to tight deadlines under time pressure.
• Commitment to Save the Children values

Desirable

• Expertise in child focused – migration/displacement research
• Experience working for an international humanitarian or development organisation, including developing-country experience
• A strong international network within external research facilities/organisations
• Proficiency in a language other than English
• Educated to PhD level.

We can offer circa £52,000 per annum (If based in UK) with an option of flexible working hours. If the role is based outside of the UK, National T&C (including pay) will apply.

This role can be based in London or any existing Save the Children International Regional or Country office location on approval, provided the successful candidate has proof of eligibility to work from the preferred location.

Where we Work - Where We Work | Save the Children International

The Organisation

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 environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

Application Information:

Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application, and include details of your salary expectations.

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.

All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our global anti-harassment policy.

Save the Children does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.