Senior Conflict Specialist (Research)

Based in the UK or Kenya; candidates must have the right to work in the UK or Kenya

Full-time contract with 3-month probationary period

Salary band: 50,000 – 60,000 GBP

About the role

We are looking for an experienced Senior Conflict Specialist to join our growing research team. This individual will be responsible for leading conflict analysis and assessments and supporting evaluations with a peacebuilding focus. You will be based in the UK or Kenya, working remotely.

This position is ideal for you if you:

• Have significant experience in conducting research on topics related to conflict and peacebuilding
• Are proactive – you anticipate problems and tasks, communicate them to the team, and propose solutions
• Are committed to, and have a track record in, producing sound, objective research and analysis
• Have strong written and verbal communication skills

Working with Bodhi, you will:

• Have ample opportunity to build diverse experience across thematic and geographic contexts including the MENA region, sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia
• Have the opportunity to develop research ideas, with the flexibility to pursue your own research interests
• Improve your research and organisational skills
• Conduct substantial fieldwork, with the opportunity to improve your foreign language skills, or learn a new one
• Have the flexibility to schedule and manage your work as tailored to your needs

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

• Research
  • Manage all stages of research projects, leading design, implementation, analysis, and reporting, ensuring that deliverables meet expectations and deadlines
    • Manage multiple concurrently-running projects, balancing competing deadlines and internal resource requirements
  • Identifying appropriate research designs to understand questions of interest and developing tools and approaches
  • Engage with, and adapt, new research practices and approaches, and participatory research tools and methods applied in development research
• Project and Organisational Leadership Support
  • Support and lead on the identification of tenders and development of proposals, including researching clients, existing programmes, and development topics
  • Build positive working relationships with external stakeholders, including potential partner organisations, senior members of academic institutions, and local CSOs, where necessary
  • Assist in developing and standardising internal processes and procedures
  • Assist in the development of internal knowledge and practices regarding conflict analysis and assessments, and write blog posts and website content on relevant matters to support in the development of Bodhi’s external profile

Person Specification

• Qualification and experience
  • Masters degree in Peace and Conflict Studies, Development Studies, International Relations, or a related discipline
  • Conceptual understanding of conflict in work areas and conflict transformation
  • Thematic interest and experience in climate change, economic development, food security, governance, migration, the triple nexus, conflict sensitivity, and/or youth and gender
  • At least 7 years of experience delivering conflict analysis or other research on FCAS
  • Demonstrated fieldwork experience in FCAS environments
  • Good knowledge of data collection software and analysis packages (e.g., SPSS or NVivo)
  • Fluency in English. Ability to speak and work in French and/or Arabic is desirable
  • Experience of or interest in feminist research principles is desirable
  • Ability to cope well under pressure, and to occasionally work irregular hours to meet tight deadlines
• Core competencies
  • Research skills: Advanced analytical and conceptual ability, ability to distill information for relevance and context, excellent report writing skills and ability to write in a lucid accessible style
  • Attention to detail: A commitment to high quality deliverables and reports, meticulous in approach to research and report writing
  • Initiative and flexibility: Must be able to work independently, show initiative towards completing goals and objectives, but also have the flexibility to adapt and answer to different demands necessary to fulfill assigned tasks
  • Teamwork: Openness to ideas and input from others on the team, ability to work collaboratively, and strong listening and interpersonal skills
  • Organised: Must have a systematic approach to work, with the ability to multitask and manage time efficiently, meeting deadlines under pressure
  • Integrity: Must have a strong sense of research and professional ethics (including willingness to complete safeguarding training and checks, and knowledge of ‘no no harm’ principles), be conscientious in approach to work and be committed to Bodhi’s research standards
  • Communication: Ability to communicate (verbal and written) confidently in English and to adapt to different audiences and cultural contexts