Duty Station:Marsabit, Kenya
Duration: 24 Months (with possibility of extension)
Reporting To: Executive Director
The organization
The Center for Research and Development in Drylands – CRDD is a Kenyan based non-profit organisation that promotes people-centered research and development work in the drylands. Based in Northern parts of Kenya, it works with a pool of professionals from the region to develop and implement research and development that contribute to sustainable livelihoods for communities living in the drylands. CRDD promotes evidence-based approaches to address the complex situations in dryland development, with emphasis on integration of knowledge from academic and local communities to co-develop and implement innovations Thus, CRDD places the local communities central in developing and implementing contextualized and holistic solutions to address local challenges. This is a departure from practices where the role of local communities has remained peripheral, mostly as information providers.
CRDD’s priority areas of engagement include: –
- Conducts policy-oriented action research to generate evidence about drylands generally and pastoralism in particular
- Undertakes development interventions through collaborative, community centered approaches informed by research outputs
- Provide training and capacity building support to customary and other local institutions
- Support the skills development for policy advocacy, including through building of networks and coalitions with state and non-state actors
CRDD currently implements a growing portfolio of research in development projects that include research in food security and nutrition, rangeland governance and rangeland-based livestock value chains. Further, CRDD plans to develop projects is areas such as and just transitions to green energy in pastoral contexts.
Main Purpose
CRDD is implementing action-research on building resilience from below in the drylands of Marsabit and Isiolo county. The primary responsibility of the research manager is to lead synthesis of the field data and writing out quality research outputs that include scientific articles, blow posts and research reports among others. The ideal candidate will bring strong research skills, a track record of delivering research projects and an expertise in the policy engagement and/or delivery.
The project team comprises of researchers with expertise in pastoralism and resilience across the globe and provides collaboration and opportunities for growth in regional and global engagements on pastoralism in the drylands.
Duties and Responsibilities
Research implementation and coordination
- Ensure production of high-quality project deliverables such as scientific articles, research reports, blog posts and policy briefs
- Effectively communicate project events and outputs through the use of social media and digital technologies.
- Coordinate the project activities in line with the project proposal and work plan, ensuring quality and timely implementation
- Establish and maintain close working relationship with the communities targeted by the research project
- Guide, train and supervise researcher assistants and students as required to undertake quality data collection
- Monitor project budgets and ensure expenditure is within the budget allocation
- Contribute to CRDD’s wider agenda of influencing policy, supporting better practice and promoting adult learning and full employment.
- Represent the project and CRDD with key stakeholders – including national and local government, civil society organizations and other research centers and think tanks in the country and globally.
- Proactively engage with other CRDD research teams to ensure synergy with other running organizational projects
QUALIFICATIONS
The position requires a professional with at least 7 years of professional field experience, a good team player with high personal integrity and ability to work with minimal supervision in a multicultural environment. The following specific qualifications are required:
- Advanced degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, or natural resources management.
- Working experience in resilience research and programming in the drylands and pastoralist’s development context
- Well-developed skills in designing, managing and delivering a range of research and development projects including effective and efficient resource allocation
- Ability to develop and utilize appropriate qualitative methods and tools to support high quality research
- Proven experience in delivering research projects to meet funders’ requirements, including to time and quality expectations, within budget
- Ability to work under own initiative with a proactive approach to problem solving
- Well-developed communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to engage with multiple stakeholders including local communities, local government, partners and funders
- Proven skills in writing for and speaking to a range of audiences to ensure impact
- Being flexible and committed to the work, for instance being willing to travel extensively within the region, sometimes at a short notice
- Excellent analytical, report writing, and communication skills
- Excellent networking and communication skills
Applications from residents of the drylands of northern Kenya with the above qualifications are particularly encouraged.
Languages:
Fluency in written and spoken English and the ability to speak any of the local languages spoken in in northern Kenya is an added advantage.
How to apply
Motivation letter expressing interest and showcasing suitability for the position and an up-to-date CV to be submitted to [email protected] and copy to [email protected]. State your monthly salary expectations and submit a summary of your PhD/MSc thesis, copies of testimonials and other relevant documents with the application.
Interested candidates should submit their expression of interest by 15th April 5.00pm East Africa Time.
