Research and Knowledge Management Coordinator

Introduction The Danish Refugee Council helps refugees and displaced people around the world: we provide emergency aid, defend their rights and strengthen their chances for a better future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along displacement routes and in countries where refugees settle. Working with local communities, we strive to find responsible and sustainable solutions. We work towards successful integration and, as far as possible, the realization of their wish to return The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956 and has since grown into an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 employees and 8,000 volunteers. Based in Copenhagen, Denmark and present in 40 countries, the Danish Refugee Council is a non-profit, politically independent, non-governmental and non-denominational humanitarian aid organization. Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced people. All our efforts are based on our core values: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, honesty and transparency.

Job overview

DRC has been operating in West Africa since 1998. Its HQ Hub, based in DakarSenegal hosts the Fund Management Unit (FMU) which manages the Regional Fund for the Sahel (SRF), a humanitarian financing mechanism dedicated to responding to crises in the Sahel, Lake Chad Basin and eastern Chad regions. SRF is governed and led by NGOs active in the region and receives financial support from several donors, including the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO/UK Aid) and the Directorate General for Civil Protection and European Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO). He works in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Chad, particularly in contexts marked by conflict, forced displacement, humanitarian access constraints and the effects of climate change.

Experience

Through its portfolio, monitoring, learning and evaluation activities, partnerships, research work and spaces for dialogue with humanitarian actors, the SRF generates and mobilizes a large volume of data, experiences and lessons learned. The enhancement of this knowledge is a strategic lever to strengthen the quality and relevance of funded interventions, inform the SRF’s orientations and contribute to the practices and reflections of the humanitarian sector in the region. Objectives of the position Under the supervision of the Regional Manager MEAL of the SRF, the Research and Knowledge Management Coordinator is responsible for the technical management of research, studies and strategic or cross-cutting evaluations conducted at the SRF level, as well as the design and deployment of the SRF knowledge management system. He/she accompanies the entire research cycle, from the identification of needs and the elaboration of terms of reference to the selection and monitoring of consultants, methodological review, analysis, validation, publication and use of results. He/she also conducts some research directly, alone or in collaboration with SRF teams and partners. The incumbent of the position gradually develops an SRF Research & Learning Agenda, structures and manages the SRF Knowledge Management Strategy, organizes the capitalization of the knowledge produced by the Fund and ensures that the evidence and lessons generated are transformed into accessible knowledge and effectively used in strategic, programmatic and operational decisions.

Main duties

Under the supervision of the MEAL Manager, the main responsibilities and tasks of the Research and Knowledge Management Coordinator will be as follows:

Responsibilities

SRF Research and Learning Agenda The Coordinator leads the development and implementation of the research and learning agenda of the FRS. As such, he/she:

• Translates strategic priorities, as defined by the UMF, into structured research and learning questions.
• Coordinates the planning of research, studies and cross-cutting evaluations decided by the FMU.
• Develops and maintains an SRF Research & Learning Agenda, presenting in particular the main research questions, planned studies, learning priorities, timing, responsibilities and dissemination modalities.
• Proactively identifies gaps, emerging issues and research needs that may inform strategic and programmatic choices in the FRS.

Other information

• Ensures that the results of research, evaluations and other learning activities are integrated into the thinking, decision-making and strategic planning processes of the FRS, and monitors their use.
• Proposes, in consultation with the FMU and the MEAL Manager, new research and learning themes.
• Leverage data, analysis and lessons learned from the SRF portfolio to identify trends, cross-cutting issues and knowledge needs that could feed into the research and learning agenda.
• Ensures the link between the research and learning priorities of the SRF and the main debates, knowledge needs and developments in the humanitarian sector. Design and management of research and cross-cutting evaluations The Coordinator is the technical point of reference for research, studies and strategic evaluations conducted at the Fund level. He/she:
• Contributes to the definition of objectives, scope, evaluation or research questions, methodologies, deliverables and governance modalities of studies.
• Contributes to defining and promoting quality standards for research, studies and evaluations sponsored or conducted by the SRF.
• Writes or coordinates the writing of clear and quality terms of reference for research, evaluations and studies sponsored by the SRF.
• Participates, in coordination with the relevant functions of DRC, in the recruitment and selection of consultants and supports the technical review of methodological proposals.
• Ensures the technical follow-up of the complete cycle of studies, from the inception phase to the validation of final deliverables.
• Organize the necessary scoping meetings, milestones and technical reviews.
• Coordinates the quality review of key technical deliverables, including protocols, methodologies, sampling plans, collection tools, analysis plans.
• Critically analyzes interim and final reports to verify consistency between research questions, methodology, data, analysis, conclusions and recommendations.
• Document the main methodological decisions, limitations and lessons learned from the research carried out.
• Formulates technical recommendations regarding the validation of deliverables with regard to the ToR and expected quality standards.
• Directly conducts, when relevant, certain internal or collaborative research or studies.
• Provides, at the request of the MEAL Manager or members of the MEAL team, methodological support for the design of complex project evaluations. Development and implementation of the FRS knowledge management strategy and system The Coordinator designs and implements a structured knowledge management approach to better capture, organize, share and use the knowledge produced or mobilized by the SRF. He/She:
• Diagnoses existing practices in the production, storage, sharing and use of knowledge within the SRF.
• Develops, in consultation with the teams concerned, a SRF Knowledge Management Strategy and its operational implementation plan.

Education / Qualifications

• Work with the Chief Information Officer and other relevant teams to integrate the knowledge management system with existing digital tools where possible.
• Ensures that important knowledge products remain easily accessible to current and future SRF teams.
• Identifies and structures the main learning sources of the SRF, including research, evaluations, monitoring activities, Third-Party Monitoring, partner reports, project reviews, community feedback, workshops, exchanges with technical and financial partners.
• Sets up simple and adapted mechanisms to transform available information into structured and actionable lessons.
• Organizes and facilitates, when relevant, Break & Reflect sessions, After Action Reviews, learning workshops, lessons learned exercises and other capitalization activities.
• Produces cross-cutting syntheses of key lessons learned from the portfolio’s research, evaluations, monitoring and experiences to identify implications for SRF.
• Contributes to the development of a learning culture within the FMU and with SRF partners. Production, enhancement and dissemination of knowledge The Coordinator ensures that the results of research, evaluations and other learning activities are transformed into knowledge products adapted to different audiences and needs. He/she:
• Defines, in consultation with the teams concerned, a typology of the main knowledge products of the SRF.
• Coordinates the production of learning and synthesis products based on research, assessments and other available evidence
• Ensures the technical quality, consistency and solidity of the content produced.
• Develops and maintains a calendar of knowledge products to be prepared, finalized and disseminated.
• Working closely with the Communication Officer SRF to ensure the proper formatting, branding, and dissemination of products.
• Ensures that knowledge products are accessible and tailored to their different users and promotes the effective use of evidence in strategic and programmatic decisions.
• The Coordinator
• rice remains primarily responsible for the technical content and quality of evidence, while the Communication function brings its expertise on format, visibility and communication channels. Strategic intelligence, research partnerships and outreach The Coordinator
• rice contributes to the positioning of the SRF as an actor producing and sharing knowledge useful to the humanitarian sector. As such, he/she:
• Monitors research, publications, analyses and developments relevant to the priorities of the SRF
• Identifies relevant opportunities for publishing, presenting and sharing experiences, including through conferences, symposia, learning events and calls for contributions
• Produces, when relevant, summaries allowing the FMU to follow new research and trends likely to influence its orientations.
• Identifies and develops relationships with universities, research centres, think tanks, networks and researchers relevant to the priorities of the SRF.
• Explores and facilitates, when relevant, research collaborations with FRS partners and external institutions.
• Mobilizes, when necessary, external experts to strengthen the quality or peer review of specific work.
• Contributes to the positioning of the SRF as a mechanism capable not only of financing humanitarian interventions, but also of generating evidence useful to the sector. In addition to the above, the Research Coordinator may be required to perform other tasks entrusted to him by his manager. Required training, skills and experience Education
• Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field: social sciences, research, economics, public policy, development studies, humanitarian action, international relations, statistics, evaluation or related discipline.
• Further training in research methods, evaluation, knowledge management or data analysis is an advantage. Professional experience
• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in applied research, evaluation, knowledge management, MEAL or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in designing and conducting quantitative, qualitative or mixed research.
• Proven experience managing a full cycle of research, from the formulation of questions to the publication of results.
• Experience in critical review of research or evaluation methodologies and reports.
• Experience in writing high quality research reports, briefs or other analytical products.
• Experience in the design or implementation of highly desired Knowledge Management systems or strategies.
• Experience in humanitarian action or international development strongly desired.
• Experience working with universities, think tanks, research institutes or scientific networks is an asset.
• Experience in publishing articles, presenting at conferences or producing external publications is an important advantage. Technical skills The candidate
• e will have to demonstrate:
• Excellent command of quantitative, qualitative and mixed research methods.
• Strong ability to design research protocols.
• A good understanding of sampling methods.
• A mastery of interview techniques, focus groups, surveys and documentary reviews.
• Excellent capacity for critical analysis and triangulation of evidence.
• Ability to review and challenge complex methodologies.
• A good understanding of evaluation principles and standards.
• Knowledge of research ethics and data protection principles.
• Excellent analytical writing skills.
• An ability to transform complex analytics into accessible, decision-making messages.
• Good knowledge of quantitative and/or qualitative data analysis tools. Knowledge of tools such as R, Stata, SPSS, NVivo, Atlas.ti or equivalent is an advantage.
• A good command of documentary and collaborative management tools.
• A good understanding of the principles of Knowledge Management, including capturing, structuring, conserving, sharing and using knowledge.
• Familiarity with bibliographic management tools such as Zotero, Mendeley or equivalents is an advantage. Soft skills Key competences of DRC:
• The search for excellence
• Collaboration
• Taking the initiative
• Communication
• Integrity
• Ability to work in a multinational and multicultural environment
• Proactivity, with a strong commitment to teamwork and a true spirit of collaboration
• Excellent communication skills, as well as patience and courtesy, are required
• The ability to multi-task and the sense of organization are essential
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Proven analytical and critical thinking skills

Location

• Exemplary Ethical Sense in the Workplace
• Team spirit and good sense of humor Languages
• Excellent professional command of French, both written and spoken.
• Excellent professional command of English, both written and spoken.
• Given the Fund’s international dimension, mobilized scientific literature and opportunities for international publications and conferences, the ability to write high-quality analytical papers in both languages is an important requirement of the position. General rules
• The employee must comply with the DRC’s security, confidentiality and ethical guidelines, including the Code of Conduct and the Humanitarian Accountability Framework.
• The employee must not engage in any other paid activity during the term of the contract with the DRC without prior authorization.
• The employee shall not engage in any activity that may adversely affect the DRC or the implementation of a project during the term of the contract with the DRC.
• The employee must not give media interviews or publish photos or other documents related to the project without prior authorization.
• The employee is required to return to the DRC all equipment borrowed for the project at the end of the term of the contract or on simple request

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