Research Manager – The Social Protection Initiative – Dvara Research

Dvara Research is an independent, non-partisan, not-for-profit policy research institution based in India. Its mission is to ensure that every low-income household and every small enterprise has complete access to suitable financial services and social security through a range of channels that enable them to use these services securely and confidently. Since 2008, Dvara Research has deeply analysed, and carefully written about, financial inclusion and social protection in India from policy, regulatory, and practitioner perspectives that are anchored to its mission. Its work has gained the admiration and respect of policymakers and regulators, and since its inception, Dvara Research has been a research-partner of choice for such key policymaking bodies as the Reserve Bank of India, Securities and Exchange Board of India, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority, etc.

Job Purpose:
Dvara is seeking a highly skilled and driven Research Manager keen to lead and make an impact at the frontiers of India’s social protection landscape for low-income households.

About The Social Protection Initiative:
The Social Protection Initiative at Dvara Research studies and writes about the design and implementation of social protection in India. The core idea that informs this initiative’s research efforts is that India’s social protection system needs to be inclusive and citizen-centric from the conception of its social protection programs all the way to the delivery of its benefits.For more details, please visit ‘About SPI’.

Key Accountabilities and Deliverables:

• This position requires the individual to provide stewardship to the Social Protection Initiative team and leads its research activities. You will report to the Executive Director of Dvara Research and manage a team of 4-5 researchers working on a diverse portfolio of engagements related to social protection design and delivery.
• Day-to-day management and strategic stewardship of the Social Protection Initiative, a 4–5-memberteam of researchers from diverse academic backgrounds working on issues related to social safety nets, specifically related to cash transfers, insurance markets, and system-level policy design.
• Project management of a diverse portfolio of research projects, including their budgeting, resource management, and reporting. Resource management requires you to closely work with your team and support them in their research trajectory, helping them deliver high-quality work outputs consistently.
• The role requires you to manage a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders, including funders, policymakers, civil society organisations, fellow members from the research community, and the wider industry allied to financial inclusion efforts.
• Writing detailed research papers and project reports, within the larger context of SPI’s research, outreach advocacy efforts.
• Expanding the margins of SPI’s research portfolio by identifying and leveraging new opportunities for research on social protection and allied topics.
• Delivering presentations and memos for internal and external audiences and stakeholders.
• Building and maintaining institutional knowledge on key issues and theme within the Initiative.
• Sharing responsibility for organising stakeholder meetings, workshops, and events with the help of the communications team.
• Co-ordinating and collaborating with the leadership team of Dvara Research on projects that further its mission and outreach.

Candidate Profile:
Educational Qualifications/Experience:

• Prior experience with managing research projects and leading teams of individuals from diverse disciplinary backgrounds.
• Master’s degree in Economics, Finance, Public Policy, or allied disciplines.
• 5+ years of experience in conducting research on social protection, financial inclusion, social inclusion, and allied sub-themes. Experience in social sector policy research preferred.

Knowledge/Skills required:

• Leadership, collaboration, and mentorship: Develops thought leadership on important themes in social protection and can convincingly articulate the Initiative’s views on various topics; Seeks out opportunities for research collaboration and is a valued collaborator; willing to invest in feedback and professional development of young researchers.
• Domain Knowledge: Thrives in both abstract and concrete questioning environments, able to identify sources of meaning in one’s own and other people’s work, strives for ideological neutrality, able to draw lateral connections in a rigorous manner, is recognized internally and externally as an expert on the SPI’s subject matter(s).
• Project Management: Diligently engages in end-to-end project management, including, conceptualising the project, search and management of funding support, forging partnerships, monitoring, and timely producing specific deliverables.
• Constructive problem-solving: Sound analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to analyse challenging issues from first principles and develop solutions. Thrives on multidimensionality (or normative ambiguity) but can hone-in on context-relevant trade-offs for solutions whenever necessary, strives to contest accepted and conventional ideas, brings these capabilities to bear on new questions and perspectives that expand the content, methods, and meaning of the SPI’s body of work.
• External Engagement: Possesses an almost native, instinctive understanding of the necessary and sufficient conditions for lowincome households’ financial wellbeing, therefore able to persuasively advocate for it in forums to which the person has been invited and command the audience’s attention.
• Inter-personal skills: Communicates clearly and thoughtfully and deals effectively and sensitively with different opinions and conflict; is able to accommodate multiple views and is able to know when to collaborate and compromise.
• Reflexive attitude and mindset: An open mind and eagerness to learn new things; being comfortable with uncertainty and changing situations; making sense of large amounts of new information quickly; being self-critical, self-aware and open to learning from others.
• Motivation and persistence: Thinks independently about issues; is selfmotivated and self-sufficient in planning and executing tasks; is a consistent worker and knows when to ask for help.
• Integrity and honesty: Exhibits a high degree of integrity and honesty in one’s dealings. Contributes to the team’s performance and considers it as important as one’s own performance.
• Communication: Has a proven track-record of good written and spoken language skills.

Interfaces:

Internal:

• DRF: ED, Deputy ED, Practice Heads/Team Leads, Communications Head, Program Manager(s)
• DH: Senior leadership of group companies, Finance team, Legal/Compliance team

External:

• Funder(s)
• Strategic partners (Knowledge partners, Implementation partners including field researchers and enumerators, Advocacy partners)
• Relevant policymakers

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our team. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, disability status, ethnicity, gender, marital status or religion.

To apply for this position please send us your latest CV, a cover letter, the names of 1 reference to jobs@dvara.com