[Hiring] Senior Research Advisor @SOS Children's Villages International

Role Description

The Senior Research Advisor provides direction and oversight for the research. Support and responsible for defining research priorities based on organisational needs and programme challenges, and for ensuring the design and implementation of high-quality research and evaluation initiatives, particularly those that are multi-country, participatory, or focused on innovation and scalability. The role involves managing research partnerships and networks, producing and quality-assuring strategic knowledge products, and supporting the uptake of evidence in programme design, fundraising, and policy influence. Position also plays a key role in strengthening the research capacities of Member Associations and guiding the work of the research team to ensure coherence, relevance, and impact.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Identify and prioritise strategic research and evaluation themes in alignment with organisational objectives, global programme priorities, and opportunities for innovation and scale-up.
• Contribute to the design and implementation of high-quality research and evaluation initiatives, including multi-country and participatory studies.
• Develop and manage strategic research partnerships and collaborative networks with academic institutions, expert organisations, and peer INGOs.
• Produce, review, and contribute to high-level knowledge products, research outputs, and policy briefs.
• Foster internal collaboration across departments, thematic units, and regional offices.
• Support organisational learning by systematically capturing, synthesising, and disseminating research findings and evaluation outcomes.

Requirements

• Master’s degree, preferably in International Development, Psychology, Child Development, Education, or Social Sciences.
• 5–8 years of relevant professional experience in research, evaluation, programme development, or evidence generation.
• Willingness and availability to travel internationally up to 20% of the time.
• EU work authorization preferred.
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken.
• Proficiency in an additional SOS language, such as Spanish, French, or Arabic (desired).

Technical Skills

• Strategic Research Planning and Oversight – Advanced.
• Research Methodologies – Advanced.
• Research Partnership and Stakeholder Management – Advanced.
• Evidence-Informed Policy and Programme Influence – Advanced.
• Production and Quality Assurance of Knowledge Products – Intermediate.
• Capacity Strengthening in Research and Evaluation – Intermediate.
• Thematic expertise in childhood, youth, family and relational child and youth care, child protection, and social services (desired).

Other Competencies and Soft Skills

• Strategic Thinking and Innovation.
• Leadership and Team Coordination.
• Excellent Communication and Influencing Skills.
• Ability to work effectively across diverse cultural and regional contexts (desired).
• Comfortable operating in complex and evolving environments (desired).

Ways of working

• Global collaboration and communication.
• Cross-functional collaboration.
• Effective collaboration within matrix structures.
• Flexibility and adaptability.
• Ownership and accountability.
• Strengthening member associations and their autonomy.
• Continuous feedback and transparency.

What We Stand for

SOS Children’s Villages is committed to creating and maintaining a caring and protective environment, which promotes its core values, and prevents and addresses child abuse and exploitation. We strongly condemn all forms of child abuse and exploitation, be it within or outside of our organization, and always respond to any case of proven, alleged or attempted abuse within our sphere of influence according to its nature.

How to apply?

If you are interested in this position, please send your detailed application in English through ICISMs here: https://careers-sos-kd.icims.com/

Please note that applications will be reviewed and suitable candidates will be contacted for interviews on an ongoing basis. The position will remain open until filled.