Senior Manager (Research), ECDA/CD

The Child Development Department in ECDA drives initiatives to support the development of young children, including those from low-income families and with developmental needs. The Research Team plays a cross-cutting role to develop and drive ECDA’s research strategy. As a Manager / Senior Manager in the Research Team, you will work closely with MSF and ECDA Divisions, other government departments, relevant research agencies/institutes and preschools to inform and facilitate operations and policymaking. You will be involved in the development and implementation of ECDA’s research strategy.

You will be responsible for developing and implementing ECDA’s research strategy, which includes the following: • Build research and knowledge base on ECDA-related research – to establish ECDA’s research priorities and lines of inquiry, synthesize local and international research on effective EC pedagogy, curriculum and educator practices (e.g. evidence briefs) and build a repository of research relevant to ECDA’s needs. • Generate evidence through outcomes and evaluation – to work with stakeholders in the research ecosystem to coordinate the evaluation of innovative pilots and programmes and methods to establish holistic child outcomes • Translate research to inform policy and practices – translate research into resources that can inform policy (e.g. horizon scans) and practice in the Early Childhood sector (e.g. guides, frameworks). Develop a publications agenda to share and promote relevant research with preschools and educators to drive the accessibility of evidence-based practices. • Strategic engagement of research community and experts – to engage and forge partnerships with research entities/Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) to conduct research or provide expert opinions on ECDA’s research priorities. This can include managing panels of experts to provide guidance and insights. • Provide secretariat support for inter-agency meetings relating to research. • Undertake any other additional tasks and duties as assigned.

You should be a highly motivated self-starter who value teamwork and excellence. An ideal candidate should possess the following experience and qualities: - A relevant tertiary qualification e.g., psychology, economics, sociology, business analytics, engineering, applied mathematics, statistics or disciplines with strong quantitative skills. - A good grasp of quantitative/ qualitative research methods and/or data analysis techniques - At least 3-4 years of prior experience in conducting research and/or evaluation of social programmes preferred - Experience in Early Childhood, in either academic or practitioner capacity, would be a plus. - Ability to analyse, interpret, and package information for the purpose of reporting. - Proficiency in Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Excel, etc). Skillsets in data management and familiarity with statistical analysis software such as SPSS, R, STATA would be a plus. - Good writing skills, stakeholder management and interpersonal skills. - Ability to engage stakeholders at different levels. - Ability to work as part of a team and autonomously as and when required. - Ability to multi-task and work under pressure.