Applied Research Insights Lead

Location: India (Remote, with periodic travel)
Experience: 8+ years
Reports to: Co-CEO
Team: Research
Compensation: Competitive, commensurate with experience

About Ek Kutumb

Ek Kutumb is a research organisation working to strengthen the legitimacy and adoption of climate action in India. We conduct deep, values-based research to understand how people think about responsibility, risk, fairness, development, and change. Our approach moves beyond surface opinions and demographics to uncover enduring value systems that shape behaviour and public acceptance.

We translate this research into human intelligence for institutions - helping governments, funders, intermediaries, and large organisations design climate policies, programs, and investments that are socially grounded and politically viable. Our work sits at the intersection of research, public policy, and institutional strategy.

About the Role

Ek Kutumb is a research organisation working to strengthen the legitimacy and adoption of climate action in India. We conduct deep, values-based research to understand how people think about responsibility, development, fairness, and change — moving beyond surface opinions to uncover enduring value systems that shape behaviour and public acceptance.

We translate this research into human intelligence for institutions — helping governments, funders, and other systems-shaping actors design policies, programs, and investments that are socially grounded, politically viable, and realistically implementable. Our work sits at the intersection of research, public policy, and institutional strategy.

About the Role

The Lead – Applied Research & Insights will anchor Ek Kutumb’s research translation vertical and serve as the bridge between deep value-based research and institutional application.

Reporting to the Co-CEO, this role will own the design, quality, and evolution of Ek Kutumb’s applied outputs across states - ensuring that research moves beyond reports into structured, decision-relevant frameworks, diagnostics, and institutional guidance. As a senior management team member, you will help shape how EK integrates research, ecosystem engagement, and government advisory into a coherent operating model.

This is a senior leadership role for someone who combines intellectual depth with operational clarity and is motivated by building a durable translation capability within a young and ambitious institution.

Key Responsibilities

1. Own Research Translation Across Geographies

• Lead the development of applied research outputs that convert findings into structured, decision-ready intelligence

• Ensure consistency, rigour, and usability across all translation products

• Build repeatable frameworks that can travel across geographies and institutional contexts

• Maintain high standards in synthesis, clarity, and decision orientation

2. Shape the Applied Research Model

• Define and refine Ek Kutumb’s philosophy and methodology for translating citizen intelligence into institutional guidance

• Provide structured inputs into the research design to ensure downstream applicability

• Identify opportunities to strengthen the bridge between research, advisory, and ecosystem engagement

• Evolve EK’s applied intelligence suite as the organisation scales

3. Build and Lead the Applied Research & Insights Team

• Recruit, mentor, and manage a growing team focused on research applications

• Establish internal processes, quality controls, and knowledge systems

• Allocate workstreams across states and institutional engagements

• Develop future leaders within the applied research vertical

4. Contribute to Organisational Building

• Serve as a member of Ek Kutumb’s senior management team

• Support cross-functional alignment between research, ecosystem engagement, and government advisory

• Help shape stakeholder prioritisation and long-term institutional direction

Ideal Profile

We are seeking a senior professional with 10–15+ years of experience working at the intersection of research, strategy, and institutional decision-making.

You may have:

• Led applied research or advisory verticals within a think tank or policy institution

• Built applied research or strategy functions within consulting or multilateral settings

• Worked in senior public policy advisory roles

• Designed frameworks that translate evidence into institutional action

You bring:

• Strong intellectual depth and structured synthesis capability

• Experience building and managing high-quality teams

• Ability to move from complex research to disciplined, decision-relevant outputs

• Familiarity with how governments, funders, and large institutions make decisions

• Comfort operating in ambiguity while building structure

• A serious commitment to strengthening public decision-making in India