Head of Research Projects

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Jacaranda Health aims to make pregnancy and childbirth safer for women and newborns by transforming maternity care in East Africa. We build private maternity clinics in peri-urban areas and are innovating to provide patient-centered care that combines quality and affordability.

JOB SUMMARY

What you bring9-10 years research experience; 5+ years in senior research or leadership roles managing teams and complex portfoliosMaster's degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Statistics, Social Sciences, or related field Deep technical expertise in quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research; proficiency in Stata, R, SPSS, SAS, NVivo, or similarStrong understanding of product-focused research (UX/UI, human-centered design) and product development lifecyclesTrack record publishing research outputs and presenting at global forums; experience leading donor, government, and academic partnershipsStrong management and accountability 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Drive Research Excellence & Strategic AlignmentTranslate organizational priorities into research plans; set and enforce quality standards for all outputsIntegrate product research (UX/UI, HCD) into product development lifecycles; ensure insights translate directly into product decisionsDesign and execute more traditional research methodologies, such as RCTs and implementation research, applying them to tech innovations that are operating at scaleMaintain high speed of learning by optimizing research processes; balance methodological rigor with rapid innovationLead Knowledge Generation & InfluenceOversee production of strategic knowledge products that position Jacaranda as a research leaderRepresent Jacaranda at national and international forums; influence policy and practice through evidenceBuild strategic partnerships with academic institutions, donors and government stakeholdersBuild Team Capability & Drive PerformanceCoach Research Managers and other team members to deliver consistently high-quality technical outputs and strategic thinkingSet clear performance expectations; hold team accountable; address performance gaps decisivelyFoster a performance-driven culture that values rigor, innovation, speed, and accountabilityManage Research Operations & Cross-Functional CollaborationManage departmental budgets, timelines, and resource allocation; ensure projects delivered on time, within budget, to scopeCollaborate with Programs, Product, Data & Analytics teams to integrate research into organizational planning cyclesImplement structured planning tools that enable cross-departmental coordination

REQUIRED SKILLS

Data analysis, Research planning, Research and development, Project monitoring and evaluation (M&E), Project preparation and planning

REQUIRED EDUCATION

Post-graduate education