Head of Research Projects

As the Head of Research Projects at Jacaranda Health, you will lead the organization's research strategy to transform maternal healthcare in East Africa. This role combines high-level project management, technical research expertise, and team leadership to drive data-driven decision-making and policy influence.\n\n### Key Responsibilities\n\n#### Drive Research Excellence & Strategic Alignment\n- Translate organizational priorities into research plans; set and enforce quality standards for all outputs.\n- Integrate product research (UX/UI, HCD) into product development lifecycles; ensure insights translate directly into product decisions.\n- Design and execute traditional research methodologies, such as RCTs and implementation research, applying them to tech innovations at scale.\n- Optimize research processes to maintain learning speed while balancing rigor with innovation.\n\n#### Lead Knowledge Generation & Influence\n- Oversee production of strategic knowledge products to position Jacaranda as a research leader.\n- Represent the organization at national and international forums to influence policy and practice.\n- Build strategic partnerships with academic institutions, donors, and government stakeholders.\n\n#### Build Team Capability & Drive Performance\n- Coach Research Managers and team members to deliver high-quality technical outputs and strategic thinking.\n- Set performance expectations, hold the team accountable, and address performance gaps.\n- Foster a culture of rigor, innovation, speed, and accountability.\n\n#### Manage Research Operations & Cross-Functional Collaboration\n- Manage departmental budgets, timelines, and resource allocation.\n- Collaborate with Programs, Product, and Data & Analytics teams to integrate research into planning cycles.\n- Implement structured planning tools for cross-departmental coordination.\n\n### Requirements\n- 9-10 years of research experience, with 5+ years in senior leadership roles managing complex portfolios.\n- Master's degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Statistics, Social Sciences, or a related field.\n- Deep technical expertise in quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research.\n- Proficiency in statistical tools (Stata, R, SPSS, SAS) and qualitative software (NVivo).\n- Understanding of product-focused research (UX/UI, human-centered design).\n- Proven track record of publishing research and presenting at global forums.\n- Experience leading partnerships with donors, government, and academia.\n- Strong management and accountability skills.\n\n### How to Apply\nQualified candidates are encouraged to apply by visiting the Jacaranda Health recruitment portal at the link provided below.