Protection Research Advisor

POSITION SUMMARY:

HIAS seeks a Protection Research Advisor to support protection-related research and learning priorities as part of the Research and Learning Unit of the Programs division. The Protection Research Advisor will work closely with the Assistant Director, Program Research & Learning, the regional technical advisors, as well as external NGO and academic partners. This role involves liaising across several research and programmatic initiatives for HIAS’ Protection programming globally to deliver projects in a high-quality, effective and ethical manner.

Reporting to the Assistant Director, Program Research & Learning, the Protection Research Advisor will deliver technical assistance remotely to country program colleagues to support field implementation and capacity building of operational research. This technical support will also encompass the implementation and operationalization of research; the Protection Research Advisor will manage the research process at all stages, including from inception or research request through research project closeout. Additionally, the Protection Research Advisor will contribute to global research quality assurance processes and systems and support the ethics review processes with partners and country teams. Moreover, the Protection Research Advisor will support the design of HIAS’ Protection research strategy especially as it pertains to HIAS’ crosscutting signature approaches.

Organizationally, HIAS is guided by its Refugee Rights Framework. This rights-based approach, based on international human rights, humanitarian and refugee law and practice, provides a programming framework for HIAS’ focus on refugee protection. This framework prioritizes programming impact that ensures forcibly displaced people realize their potential and become contributors to society, with this impact being achieved through the realization of legal and civil rights and social and economic rights, including 1) the right to protection from harm, violence and discrimination; 2) the right to recovery from the shock of displacement and 3) the right to economic self-sufficiency and inclusion.

Protection programming at HIAS includes a focus on the needs and systems influencing refugees and forcibly displaced people. Protection at HIAS encompasses our signature approaches and additional ancillary programming. HIAS’ community-based mental health and psychosocial support programs promote the mental health and well-being of individuals, families and communities so they can heal and rebuild their lives. HIAS country offices provide legal services and support, including free legal representation for asylum seekers, so they can obtain legal status. HIAS seeks to prevent gender-based violence by reducing risk; helping survivors, women, girls and LGBTQI+ people find healthcare and safety; and changing beliefs that perpetuate violence so they can live safely. Moreover, through HIAS’ economic inclusion work, we enable refugees and forcibly displaced people to work toward financial independence so they can provide for themselves and their families and contribute to their local economies and communities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

RESEARCH STRATEGY

• Contributes to global strategy for HIAS research, including research design, approaches and strategic priorities, with focus on visibility, sustainability, and impact at scale.
• Supports the design of research strategy focused on HIAS’ Protection programs and activities, particularly in crosscutting programming.
• Contributes to HIAS’ Protection overall learning agenda; identifies learning opportunities best suited to research and those best suited to program monitoring, evaluation and practice-based learning.

QUALITY ASSURANCE

• Contributes to evidenced-based research standards for designing and delivering quality research outcomes, ensuring that processes for research proposals and development are clear, realistic and responsive to the needs of beneficiaries and stakeholders (including donors).

DELIVERY/IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT

• Provides short term thematic support to program teams and signature approaches in the implementation of prioritized research projects, ensuring alignment with HIAS’ technical approach and donor requirements.
• Facilitates project coordination, information-sharing and guidance on donor rules and reporting to project staff.
• Co-designs and supervises data collection, entry and analysis as needed.
• Supervises research team (including enumerators and staff) and implementation of research in designated country offices.

CAPACITY BUILDING

• Supports in mapping HIAS’ global research capacity gaps, develop tools and resources to address identified gaps, and anticipates future research priorities.
• Designs training materials and training methodology for research teams.
• Trains research teams in research methodology, ethics and fundamental skills.

NEW BUSINESS & ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT/DONOR ENGAGEMENT

• If and when necessary, supports and contributes to efforts aimed at expanding HIAS’ research, including but not limited to academic partnership development, donor engagement and lead generation.
• Supports in research proposal development: aligning potential proposals with overall protection research strategy, reviewing proposal materials and supporting the development of materials for proposal submission.

REPRESENTATION, ADVOCACY & NETWORKING

• Represents HIAS in relevant global platforms/spaces (such as IASC WG, InterAction, Clusters, recognized technical bodies) to amplify HIAS’ thought leadership relating to core programming at international level to influence policy.

RESEARCH & LEARNING

• Facilitates uptake and utilization of research as a learning tool to inform program design, advocacy and policy to advance HIAS’ humanitarian and development principles and standards.
• Conducts research according to the global research strategy and priorities, including but not limited case studies, assessments, trials, studies and reviews.
• Contributes to learning products, including dissemination events, publications, guidance notes, training manuals and policy briefs.

OTHER

• Manages consultants, research projects and, when necessary, special program budgets.
• Contributes to development of analysis plan and overall project work plan; coordinates with country teams to develop and maintain timeline for regular communication and project reporting/deliverables.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

• Graduate degree in international development, social work, social research, public health or related field required; PhD preferred.
• 3-5 years of experience in conducting and managing research assignments that employed mixed methods for a development or humanitarian agency preferred.
• Strong organizational skills, superior attention to detail and ability to meet stringent deadlines.
• Demonstrated experience in helping agencies use research to inform decision-making.
• Prior research experience with marginalized and vulnerable populations, such as migrants, refugees, displaced populations, LGBTQIA+ or survivors of gender-based violence.
• Strong coordination, communication and management skills.
• Strong project management skills.
• Must have exceptional organizational, analytical, writing and presentation skills.
• Superior technical writing skills, including editing ability and recent publication of research findings.
• Ability to organize, manage, prioritize and follow through on multiple tasks in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment.
• Experience managing mid-sized to large research projects (at least $500,000) a plus.
• Proven capacity to take initiative and willingness to learn new skills as needed.
• Demonstrated ability to manage relationships with multiple stakeholders and colleagues.
• Demonstrated timely communication skills.
• Demonstrated experience in the humanitarian and development sector and commitment to local ownership and capacity building.
• Travel up to 25% of time.
• Travel, to include travel to insecure operating environments, may be required.