We are seeking a
Senior Research Manager who will lead the design and implementation of GxD's
evaluation and research portfolio, specifically on deepening women’s engagement
in the AI and digital economy, and the development of GxD's gender-intentional
AI evaluation methodology. This is a senior role with real intellectual
ownership: the SRM will not just execute; they will shape how GxD evaluates,
what questions it asks, and how findings reach the right audiences.

The SRM will work
closely with the Associate Director – Research & MLE and may be expected to
manage a team of Research Associates and Research Managers, contribute to
proposal development and fundraising, and represent GxD's research identity to
external audiences.

1. Evaluation Design &
Implementation

•     Lead end-to-end design and implementation of impact
evaluations and assessments — including theory of change development,
evaluation design (quasi-experimental and experimental), sampling frameworks,
and data collection instruments.

•     Take primary responsibility for multiple evaluation
studies, from inception through baseline, monitoring, and end line.

•     Design and oversee mixed-method studies that combine
quantitative impact evaluation with qualitative process and contextual enquiry,
to go beyond gender-disaggregated data to examine structural barriers,
intersectional dimensions, and differential pathways of digital and AI system
use.

•     Ensure methodological rigour: appropriate causal
identification strategies (DiD, PSM, RCT), power calculations, sampling
validity, and data quality management.

•     Lead data analysis, triangulation, and interpretation,
with strong command of STATA, R, or equivalent.

•     Write comprehensive reports, prepare decks, papers and
other knowledge outputs as per project requirements

•     Work with Vertical Heads to execute the team’s research
agenda and develop new research projects and ideas.

2. Project Management & Team
Leadership

•     Manage a team of Research Associates and Research
Managers across active projects — setting work plans, reviewing outputs,
providing methodological mentorship, and maintaining quality standards.

•     Take end-to-end project management ownership: workplan
development, budget monitoring, partner communication, and compliance with
funder requirements.

•     Conduct and supervise field visits to assess
implementation fidelity and gather first-hand insights.

•     Contribute to hiring decisions for project-related
positions and to the performance management of junior team members.

3. Knowledge Production &
Dissemination

•     Produce high-quality research outputs across formats such
as evaluation reports, working papers, policy briefs, and conference
presentations, to the standard expected for academic and policy audiences.

•     Contribute to landscape reviews, synthesis pieces, and thought
or methodological pieces

•     Support the dissemination of knowledge products to
government, funder, and practitioner audiences, ensuring materials are
tailored, accessible, and actionable.

•     Represent GxD at national and international forums;
present findings at conferences, workshops, and policy roundtables.

4. Proposal Development & strategic
contribution

•     Lead or substantially contribute to research proposals
and evaluation pitches to funders, including bilateral donors, foundations, and
government bodies.

•     Work with the Associate Director to identify and pursue
external evaluation mandates, positioning GxD as a knowledge and evaluation
partner for funders and implementers deploying digital and AI solutions

•     Contribute to GxD's strategy development — including
workstream planning, methodological positioning, and thought leadership.

•     Proactively identify gaps in the research and
evaluation agenda and propose approaches to address them.

•     Stay current with developments in development
economics, AI governance, and gender-intentional evaluation methodology in
India and globally.

Applications are
reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Shortlisted
candidates will be contacted for interview. We are targeting a September 2026
start date.

To apply, please
submit the following as a single PDF:

•     Curriculum vitae

•     Cover letter (no more than two pages) explaining your
interest in the role, your approach to gender-intentional evaluation, and a
specific evaluation you have designed and led

•     One writing sample (a research report, working paper,
or evaluation you have authored or substantially contributed to)

Requirements

Essential

•     PhD in Development Economics, Development Studies, Gender
Studies, or a closely related discipline with at least 3 years of evaluation or
applied research experience; OR Master's degree with a minimum of seven years
of progressively responsible experience in applied research and evaluation in
the development sector.

•     Demonstrated expertise in impact evaluation design and
implementation, including causal inference methods (difference-in-differences,
propensity score matching, randomised controlled trials), power calculations,
and sampling frameworks.

•     Hands-on experience with quantitative data analysis
using Stata, R, or equivalent; comfort with both primary data collection
(in-person and remote) and secondary data analysis.

•     Strong mixed-methods capability with ability to
integrate quantitative evaluation with qualitative methods (IDIs, FGDs, process
tracing, contribution analysis).

•     Demonstrated thematic knowledge in at least two of the
following: gender and women's economic empowerment, digital inclusion and
digital livelihoods, AI systems and their social implications, skilling and
workforce development.

•     Track record of producing high-quality research outputs
including evaluation reports, working papers, or policy briefs for academic and
non-academic audiences.

•     Experience managing junior researchers and leading
teams across multiple concurrent projects.

•     Excellent written and oral communication skills in
English; ability to translate technical findings for policy audiences.

Strongly Desired

•     Experience designing and implementing evaluations of
digital platforms, AI tools, or technology-mediated service delivery,
particularly in low-resource or LMIC contexts.

•     Familiarity with gender-intentional evaluation
frameworks and intersectional methodologies.

•     Experience working with government counterparts in
India, including MoUs, government-commissioned studies, and policy translation
work.

•     Peer-reviewed publications or published working papers
with demonstrated methodological contribution.

•     Experience with proposal writing and engaging with
bilateral donors, foundations, or government funding bodies.

•     Familiarity with digital public infrastructure (DPI),
UPI, and India's digital ecosystem.

Key Attributes

•     Intellectual rigour combined with practical orientation,
able to hold a high methodological bar while keeping an eye on what findings
mean for women's lives and policy decisions.

•     Genuine commitment to gender equity and intersectional
analysis

•     Strategic thinker who can connect dots across themes,
projects, and audiences.

•     Independent worker who takes initiative, manages up and
across, and proposes solutions.

•     Comfortable operating in a lean, high-performing team
with a fast-moving portfolio -- adaptable, responsive, and collaborative.

•     Sensitivity to cultural differences and gender
dynamics, with a commitment to equitable research practice in fieldwork contexts.