Research Specialist

IDLO’s Research Team is responsible for the production of research and policy publications that support the organization’s overall Strategic Objectives through policy influencing, dissemination of lessons learned from programming, and support to programme development. The Research Team supports all aspects of research design, implementation, and dissemination; it enables high-quality knowledge production at country level through stewardship of a global Knowledge Products Pipeline and provision of on-demand technical support, and leads the inception and development of corporate policy and issue briefs.

Under the supervision of the Manager, Research & Learning, the Research Specialist will be responsible for the following duties: 

• Design, draft, and edit high-quality corporate knowledge products, including policy briefs and research papers, focusing on rule of law, access to justice and sustainable development issues prioritized in the IDLO Strategic Plan, and in conjunction with internal and external experts;
• Provide substantive technical input on a variety of research reports, policy briefs, communications materials, and project documents including concept notes, research methodologies, etc., on rule of law and justice issues of strategic interest for IDLO;
• Contribute to maintaining effective relationships with key research stakeholders and interlocutors in order to build networks through which to learn and share research messages and lessons;
• Develop and implement knowledge-sharing events and other external activities;
• Participate in and represent IDLO at dialogues, workshops, and conferences as required by supervisor;
• Foster and contribute to cross-institutional integration and knowledge sharing, through active participation in support to one or more IDLO cross-institutional thematic clusters;
• Actively contribute to the management of IDLOʼs research pipeline and quality control process, in close coordination with programmes and communications colleagues;
• Support IDLO programme teams to ensure deliverables meet quality standards and review, comment on, and edit work products;
• Support research project implementation, including identification and recruitment of experts;
• Engage with IDLO field programme offices and other internal stakeholders to help integrate research in project design; and,
• Perform other tasks as assigned by supervisor.

Education and Experience

• Graduate-level degree in law, political science, or development studies is required; a post- graduate degree in a development-related area is desirable;
• Minimum of 5-6 years of experience in conducting and coordinating research, preferably within an international setting (UN, IGO, international NGO) is required; publication track record is desirable;
• Experience in quantitative and qualitative methodologies using different research techniques;
• Experience and strong understanding of ethics and accountability in research, particularly with respect to sexual and gender-based violence, research with children, and / or other sensitive research topics;
• Research, policy, or practical experience with development and rule of law themes, with a focus on access to justice and human rights, climate justice, peace and security, or sustainable development.

Language 

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills in English;
• Knowledge of Arabic, French, Russian or Spanish would be an asset.

Technical competencies 

• Exceptional (English) writing skills at publication standard for a variety of target audiences;
• Excellent professional presentation capability, networking acumen, and interpersonal skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Systematic and organized approach to work, with the ability to multitask, manage time efficiently and meet deadlines under pressure;
• Able to work as part of an integrated, cross-departmental team, and to adapt rapidly to assigned tasks;
• Demonstrated familiarity with MS Office suite and research databases, experience with quantitative and qualitative analysis software (NVivo, SPSS) an asset.

Behavioral competencies 

• Excellent team player; open, positive, and cooperative attitude; supportive and resilient; flexible mind and capable to learn lessons and adapt; comfortable working in multi-cultural settings.
• Excellent time management. Able to work on multiple research projects at once while ensuring accuracy and attention to detail. Capable of meeting deadlines.

For this internationally recruited professional position, IDLO shall offer the selected candidate an Affiliate Contract for two years, with the possibility of extension subject to performance and availability of funding.  

IDLO shall offer the candidate an annual basic salary in the range of EUR €55000, and a leave and benefits package, including health insurance and provident fund in accordance with IDLO Employee Regulations and Rules. Relocation and installation support is also available for internationally recruited employees. 

Salaries and benefits paid by IDLO to employees are exempt from taxation in Italy. IDLO employees are responsible for compliance with income tax laws of their country of nationality or residence and/or of any other relevant fiscal jurisdiction. 

Applications will be screened on regular basis; a qualified applicant might be recruited before the deadline. In the interest of making the most effective use of resources, only short-listed candidates will be contacted during the selection process.

Application deadline: 12 September 2024 (23:59hrs, Rome time).