Manager, Evidence to Action

In 2021, the Evidence to Action team will focus on the following key areas of work: (i) supporting the development and implementation of IRC’s research and innovation priorities and (ii) strengthening the use of evidence in strategic, programmatic and business development decisions across the organization. The E2A Manager will help to develop evidence processes and products that will be used by IRC’s Research and Innovation team as well as the Technical Units as they develop and implement their research and innovation agendas around specific topics. The Manager will also respond to evidence requests from IRC’s senior leadership, technical units, regional and country teams around thematic areas, programmatic approaches and interventions. The Manager will also support E2A to identify, develop and improve the ways we deliver our use of evidence services. This position will sit within the Airbel Impact Lab.

Job Overview/Summary:

This role will primarily support the production of evidence reviews-by conducting scoping, screening, searching and synthesis activities-on priority areas of focus for both Airbel and Technical Unit staff. In the initial stages, this role is expected to follow the guidance and mentorship of E2A’s current Manager in order to build competence in our evidence search, appraisal, synthesis and communication approaches and to structure and manage major projects. The E2A Manager will also support the update and expansion of evidence hosted within IRC’s interactive outcomes and evidence framework (iOEF). Where relevant, the Manager may be requested to manage interns or consultants. The role reports to the Advisor, Evidence to Action.

Major Responsibilities:

Develop and deliver evidence products for IRC’s Research and Innovation Priorities & Strategic themes (40%):

• Conduct scoping, searching, screening, appraisal and synthesis activities in order to develop appropriate evidence products: summaries, reviews etc.

• In collaboration with other E2A team members, support the evidence needs of Airbel and Technical Unit staff to advance IRC’s Global Research and Innovation Priorities (GRIPS) focused on Malnutrition, Education and Sexual Reproductive Health/Maternal Newborn Health.

• In collaboration with other E2A team members, support the evidence needs of Airbel and Technical Unit (TU) staff to advance TU Organizational Research and Learning Agenda’s (ORLA’s) and IRC’s emergent strategic areas, such as climate change, mental health, resilience etc.

• Orient and manage short-term interns or consultants and provide project management support to the production and maintenance of evidence reviews.

• Collaborate with the E2A and Airbel’s communication team members to identify and expand internal and external opportunities to communicate about evidence products and services.

Support the update & expansion of evidence within IRC’s interactive outcomes and evidence framework (iOEF): IRC’s central repository for theories of change (ToCs) and evidence to guide programme design and outcome assessment (60%).

• Support the identification, extraction, and update of research evidence within the iOEF.

• Support the cataloging of evidence (as hosted with the iOEF) and creation and maintenance of an evidence repository.

• Work in collaboration with Technical Unit Staff to identify and link evidence corresponding to relevant Theories of Changes (ToCs) and sub-outcomes.

• Under the supervision of Advisor, Evidence to Action support updates to features and functionality of the iOEF and liaise as needed with IT and external suppliers.