JOB SUMMARY

Role Overview
The Research Lead acts as the primary advocate for research within FSD Uganda and among its external stakeholders, cultivating a data -driven culture across the organisation. This role is responsible for steering FSD Uganda’s research agenda by developing a nd implementing the organisation’s research strategy and execution plan, addressing research challenges for both internal teams and external partners.

Key Responsibilities
Leadership and Technical Guidance: Provides direction and technical expertise in the design and delivery of research initiatives. This includes activities such as conceptualising research assignments, developing terms of reference, overseeing procurement, ensuring quality assurance, and su pporting publication and dissemination efforts.
Fostering a Research Culture: Drives a culture of evidence -based decision -making within FSD Uganda and across its network, enabling a systematic approach to capturing results and learning throughout the organisation.

KRA 1: Strategy
Translates organisational and market challenges into clearly articulated research problems and questions. Collaborates closely with both FSDU’s internal teams and external stakeholders to shape these challenges into a practical research agenda, supported b y a comprehensive research strategy and action plan. Designs and executes research initiatives that advance organisational objectives, covering areas such as market intelligence, business analytics, and broader ecosystem research.
Translate the organisation ‑wide research agenda into annual and quarterly delivery plans with clear milestones, budgets, and resource plans.
Facilitate collaboration with external stakeholders, including industry partners, academic institutions, and funding bodies, to secure project support and enhance research outcomes
Contribute to sustainability by identifying fee for service opportunities and co -funded research with donors, government, think tanks, and private sector.
Develop and actively maintain database of market and business intelligence to support the organisation’s research agenda, corporate and program strategy

KRA 2: Research Delivery & Quality Assurance
Sets and enforces technical standards
Lead the end -to -end conceptualisation, design and management of research assignments (surveys, experimental/quasi -experimental evaluations, diagnostic studies, qualitative inquiries, bigdata/administrative data analytics).
Establish and enforce rigorous data collection, analysis, and storage protocols to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of research data
Establish and enforce a Research Quality Assurance (RQA) framework (peer review, replication checks, codebooks, version control, data dictionaries).
Oversee vendor/consultant procurement for research projects : ToRs, selection, contracting, oversight, deliverable reviews, and acceptance.

KRA 3: Thought Leadership
Translate research evidence into actionable recommendations for internal program design and external industry, and policy influence .
Produce and/or supervise high quality outputs: working papers, policy briefs, insight notes, blogs, toolkits, slide decks, and data visualisations.
Translate complex evidence into actionable recommendations for programme design, private -sector practice, and public policy.
Work with the communications Lead to c o-create influence pathways and uptake plans for each flagship research (audiences, messages, channels, timing).

KRA 4: Risk, Ethics & Data Governance
Safeguards research participants and data by securing ethics approvals, implementing consent procedures, and complying with Uganda’s Data Protection and Privacy Act and donor rules.
Ensure compliance with Uganda’s Data Protection and Privacy Act and donor requirements; lead research ethics approvals and informed -consent processes.
Implement risk management strategies for research activities, identifying potential legal, ethical, or financial risks and developing mitigation plans
Champion safeguarding and Do -No -Harm principles in all research activities.

Specifications for the Role

Qualifications:
A Master’s degree in Economics, Development Studies, Public Policy, Data Science, or a related field. A PHD in the relevant field is an added advantage

Relevant Experience:
Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in research, impact evaluation, or knowledge management within financial inclusion or development finance sectors.
Proven track record of publishing, policy engagement, and leading research and Impact Teams
Demonstrable e xperience working with donors, governments, and private sector stakeholders.

Critical Technical Skills & Knowledge:
Financial Inclusion and Financial Sector Development
Research Methodology
Data Analytics
Publication of Research
Presentation of Research
Stakeholder Engagement

• Provides direction and technical expertise in the design and delivery of research initiatives. This includes activities such as conceptualising research assignments, developing terms of reference, overseeing procurement, ensuring quality assurance, and supporting publication and dissemination efforts.
• Drives a culture of evidence-based decision-making within FSD Uganda and across its network, enabling a systematic approach to capturing results and learning throughout the organisation.
• Translates organisational and market challenges into clearly articulated research problems and questions.
• Collaborates closely with both FSDU’s internal teams and external stakeholders to shape challenges into a practical research agenda, supported by a comprehensive research strategy and action plan.
• Designs and executes research initiatives that advance organisational objectives, covering areas such as market intelligence, business analytics, and broader ecosystem research.
• Translate the organisation-wide research agenda into annual and quarterly delivery plans with clear milestones, budgets, and resource plans.
• Facilitate collaboration with external stakeholders, including industry partners, academic institutions, and funding bodies, to secure project support and enhance research outcomes.
• Contribute to sustainability by identifying fee for service opportunities and co-funded research with donors, government, think tanks, and private sector.
• Develop and actively maintain database of market and business intelligence to support the organisation’s research agenda, corporate and program strategy.
• Lead the end-to-end conceptualisation, design and management of research assignments (surveys, experimental/quasi-experimental evaluations, diagnostic studies, qualitative inquiries, bigdata/administrative data analytics).
• Establish and enforce rigorous data collection, analysis, and storage protocols to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of research data.
• Establish and enforce a Research Quality Assurance (RQA) framework (peer review, replication checks, codebooks, version control, data dictionaries).
• Oversee vendor/consultant procurement for research projects: ToRs, selection, contracting, oversight, deliverable reviews, and acceptance.
• Translate research evidence into actionable recommendations for internal program design and external industry, and policy influence.
• Produce and/or supervise high quality outputs: working papers, policy briefs, insight notes, blogs, toolkits, slide decks, and data visualisations.
• Work with the communications Lead to co-create influence pathways and uptake plans for each flagship research (audiences, messages, channels, timing).
• Safeguards research participants and data by securing ethics approvals, implementing consent procedures, and complying with Uganda’s Data Protection and Privacy Act and donor rules.
• Implement risk management strategies for research activities, identifying potential legal, ethical, or financial risks and developing mitigation plans.
• Champion safeguarding and Do-No-Harm principles in all research activities.

• Financial Inclusion and Financial Sector Development
• Research Methodology
• Data Analytics
• Publication of Research
• Presentation of Research
• Stakeholder Engagement

• A Master’s degree in Economics, Development Studies, Public Policy, Data Science, or a related field. A PHD in the relevant field is an added advantage.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in research, impact evaluation, or knowledge management within financial inclusion or development finance sectors.
• Proven track record of publishing, policy engagement, and leading research and Impact Teams.
• Demonstrable experience working with donors, governments, and private sector stakeholders.