Research Manager

About the role

Teach For Afghanistan is establishing a new research department to produce rigorous, field-based education research that informs the whole sector. The Research Manager will build it from the ground up, defining what research is needed, setting up the department and delivering studies that are rigorous, well-presented and widely read across the education sector. The position is full-time and based in Kabul.

Key responsibilities

• Build the research function: assess needs, create a plan, budget and timeline, and set up the department's structure, roles and workflows
• Develop a research strategy and multi-year agenda, and write policies and standards on ethics, informed consent, child safeguarding, data protection and quality control
• Recruit, train and manage researchers, enumerators and data collectors
• Design studies using quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods, including sampling plans, surveys, interview guides and data collection tools in digital and paper formats
• Lead fieldwork in schools and communities, clean, analyse and store data, and evaluate TAO's own programmes
• Write research reports, policy briefs and summaries, and work with communications to turn findings into infographics, videos and social media content
• Disseminate findings through presentations, launch events and partnerships with donors, universities and policymakers, and make data available through a public research page

Required profile

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in education, social sciences, public policy, statistics, development studies or a related field
• At least 5 years of experience conducting field research, with at least 2 years in a lead or managerial role
• Proven record of completing research studies from design to published report
• Experience building a team, system or department from scratch
• Excellent English writing; fluency in Dari or Pashto preferred
• Understanding of research ethics, informed consent and child safeguarding

Required skills

• Quantitative and qualitative methods, sampling and data analysis (SPSS, Stata, R, Python or NVivo)
• Preferred: experience in education research in Afghanistan, digital tools such as KoboToolbox or ODK, and a track record of presenting findings externally

Applications require a CV, a one-page cover letter explaining how you would build the research function, two or more work samples (e.g. a published report, research tools or a research plan), and three references. The contract is one year with a probation period, renewable based on performance.