Research Project Management

• Manage priority internal and external research projects from end to end including developing the evaluation strategy, drafting RFPs, identifying and contracting research partners (where appropriate), project management and oversight, data anlaysis report writing, dissemination, and ensuring translation of evidence and insights for program improvement and advocacy.
• Provide technical guidance/management to other LG and partner staff to adhere to research systems/processes/protocols to ensure high-quality research design, implementation, and analysis.
• Conduct analysis of internal program data and external evaluation data to answer priority learning questions or develop key evidence and insights for advocacy.

External Research Partnerships & Business Development

• Expand and deepen strategic global research partnerships
• Identify Principal Investigators and high-quality research partners for collaboration on specific projects.
• Package up key evidence, learning and insight to share externally for advocacy, thought leadership and business development.
• Represent the organization externally with government partners, academia, funders
• Lead the technical input on evaluation and research sections of funding proposals.
• Partner with the business development team to identify specific opportunities for research funding aligned with the strategy.
• Participate in relevant external coalitions and technical working groups

Knowledge Pieces and Publications

• Publish key research, analysis, evidence and insights in peer-reviewed journals.
• Write knowledge pieces including blogs, policy briefs, and other articles to drive LG thought leadership, fundraising and advocacy goals.

Professional development & capacity-building

• Provide technical mentorship and capacity building across staff in research design, management and dissemination.
• Share relevant literature and research with team to enable and encourage evidence-informed decision making.

Administrative/Other

• Contribute to Global Program Team and country-level research strategy, annual planning and budgeting.
• Lead or participate in internal and external steering committees and technical working groups as assigned and appropriate.

Minimum Qualifications

• Masters degree in public health, epidemiology, biostatistics, health economics, health systems strengthening, health policy with quantitative research specialization
• Demonstrated research technical experience with 7-9 years of total work experience with ideally 1-3 years at managerial level

Skills and Competencies:

• Excellent research & analytical technical expertise including in Epidemiology, bio-statistics, health economics, health systems research, quantitative & qualitative methods, survey design and management, data management,
• Experience managing multiple research projects from end to end with a high degree of quality and excellence.
• Strategic thinking and analysis, ability to synthesize and interpret evidence and data into relevant, strategic recommendations
• Track record of packing up evidence and insights into high quality knowledge and learning outputs, policy briefs, peer-reviewed publications etc.
• Ability to foster research collaboration internally and externally across an established personal network of research colleagues.
• Experience in team management, technical capacity building and mentorship.
• Excellent written, verbal and inter-personal communication skills. Demonstrated ability to communicate and engage effectively with a range of stakeholders including team members, external partners, funders and government partners.
• Strong interpersonal skills including cultural sensitivity. Experience working cross-functionally across teams

Key Responsibilities

BD Strategy: You will contribute to developing and implementing the Bi/Multi-strategy working closely with the BD Deputy Director to advance Kenya's strategic goals and grow our revenue, profile, and influence. You will also direct all fundraising efforts at the country level and monitor the progress of country fundraising plans and priorities. You will help ensure donor perspectives and learnings are informing Living Goods work.

Secure new business: This position will have a significant focus on bringing in new & diverse donors to Living Goods. You will help the management to actively identify and monitor funding and partnership opportunities systematically and conduct pipeline forecasting and donor surveillance to track the release of procurements.You will lead concept notes/proposal development, help assemble proposal development teams, and provide effective coordination to ensure the submission of high-quality concept notes and proposals aligned with the organization’s strategic priorities. You will work with top-tier donors to influence and co-create opportunities to mobilize resources to support Living Goods and the Government of Kenya, to increase Community Health funding for government-led programming.

Strategic stakeholder engagement: You are responsible for identifying and pursuing strategic opportunities to engage, coordinate, and partner with key stakeholders at the country level to facilitate technical program exchanges, influence policy and thinking, and identify critical areas of potential cooperation, including program funding. Working collaboratively within the Partnership, Advocacy, and Communications team, you will work closely with the Senior Manager, Partnerships, and Stakeholder Engagement to cultivate, maintain and grow existing relationships. You will help monitor and track stakeholder priorities and new trends in the field.

Raise our profile. You will raise awareness about Living Goods by cultivating relationships with Kenya based NGO’s/implementing partners and bilateral/multilateral donors. You will identify strategic speaking opportunities and represent Living Goods at donor events and global health meetings and conferences to raise LG’s brand and influence in the country, amplifying our unique value proposition in the country. You will spend a lot of your time away from your desk or virtually getting some face time with key stakeholders in our business, establishing Living Goods as a Thought Leader in Community Health.

Capacity building: Provide guidance and oversight on capacity assessments to staff and partners working with donor funding in the country.

Home systems: You will document and implement business processes, procedures, and templates to improve the workflow of the business development team.

Motivate & organize people: Each proposal effort you lead is a chamber orchestra comprised of external partners and internal colleagues. You will serve as the conductor of each orchestra – leading discussions on strategy, creating buy-in around responsibilities and timelines, and guiding players at every step in the proposal process. You will also get our senior management excited about being part of the fundraising process, providing regular updates on our donor and partner priorities, and supporting them to always be eyes and ears for business development.

Your Background

International NGO experience: You have experience working in global health or international development organizations. You have traveled extensively or lived in a developing country.

Business development experience: 

• You have 7+ years of experience, at least five years related to developing grant proposals for bi/multilateral funding.
• You know the world of USAID and donor agencies like FCDO, the Global Fund, GAVI, and large foundations.
• You are well versed in US government funding mechanisms and procedures. Strong writing skills: You have experience drafting successful funding proposals.
• You can write thoroughly yet simply about complex topics. You have a sharp eye and can write about broad themes and minute details.