Advisor, Research and Analysis - Research Centre Development

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, with 191 member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. IFRC responds to disasters and crises, ensuring timely, coordinated and locally led humanitarian action. IFRC supports its members in building community resilience in the areas of climate and environment, health and wellbeing, and migration and displacement. IFRC promotes respect for our fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality, including in our work on values, power and inclusion. The IFRC focuses throughout on our core mandate – our raison d’être – of strategic and operational coordination, humanitarian diplomacy, National Society development, and accountability. IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct) .The Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) is the largest humanitarian organisations in Ukraine, with a well-developed operational infrastructure that includes its own Information Centre, handling inbound and outbound calls, conducting surveys, and operating a thematic coding system for incoming requests. . Aligned with the new Strategy 2026-2030, URCS has identified opportunities to strengthen its systems for evidence-based programming, learning, and development through the transformation of its Information Centre into a Structured and scientific Research Centre. The Information Centre has long been a key institutional asset of URCS, providing critical information management and data support to humanitarian operations and programmes. Building on this foundation, URCS aims to progressively transform the Information Centre into a Research Centre that serves as a strategic hub for generating, analyzing, and disseminating data and knowledge to support evidence-based programming, learning, and organizational development. Through the production of structured datasets, regularly updated indices, research publications, analytical reports, and policy-relevant insights, the Centre is intended to contribute to improved programme effectiveness and provide valuable evidence to guide the strategies and interventions of both URCS and other humanitarian and development partners. The Centre's development is supported by Belgian Red Cross – Flanders — drawing on the experience of its own research entities (CeRTS – Centre for Research on the Third Sector, and CEBaP – Centre for Evidence-Based Practice) — and by Norwegian Red Cross. The Centre is also being positioned within the RC3 (Red Cross and Red Crescent Research Consortium) network of National Society research centres, in line with established practice across the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. URCS's Research Strategy 2026-2027 envisage the development of a Research Centre that will produce a flagship Index of Community War Resilience covering 150 communities across seven resilience domains, alongside a suite of complementary resilience and recovery indices and thematic qualitative research products aligned with URCS programme priorities. The Centre will be established through a phased approach, progressing from establishment (2026) to consolidation (2027) and institutionalisation (2028-2029). During its first year, implementation will focus on institutional set-up, integration into URCS operations, production of initial analytical products using secondary data, and expansion into primary data collection, with exploration of sustainable outsourcing and self-financing models.

The Research and Analysis Advisor - Research Centre Development will provide technical leadership and capacity-strengthening support to the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) in transforming its existing Information Centre from a primarily operational call-centre function into a sustainable, nationally owned Research Centre that serves as a central evidence, learning, and knowledge resource for the organization.

Working closely with the Head of the Research and Information Centre in Lviv and the URCS research team, the position will guide the establishment of research systems, methodologies, governance structures, quality assurance processes, ethical standards, and statistical analysis frameworks necessary to produce high-quality evidence to inform humanitarian programming, policy, and strategic decision-making. The role will strengthen the capacity of URCS staff through mentoring, coaching, training, and knowledge transfer, enabling the Centre to independently plan, conduct, review, and disseminate research over time.

The Advisor will also support the integration and use of research findings, community feedback, operational data, monitoring results, and evaluations across URCS by strengthening collaboration with programme departments and the Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Feedback (PMER-F) function. In addition, the position will help establish partnerships with the Red Cross Red Crescent Research Consortium (RC3), other Movement research institutions, and external humanitarian research centres to promote knowledge exchange, collaboration, and access to global expertise.

Finally, the role will contribute to the implementation of the Research Centre's institutional roadmap and the development of a viable sustainability model to support its long-term effectiveness, resilience, and impact.

Indicative Deliverables

• Governance package finalised: Centre statute, organisational structure, SOPs, ethical protocol template — endorsed and in use.
• Research methodologies and data-quality review completed, with documented sensitivity analysis.
• At least one joint capacity-building/coaching plan for the research team has designed and implemented.
• Formal linkage(s) established with the RC3 network and documented exchange with other supporting partners (IFRC, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders and/or Norwegian Red Cross).
• Draft financial sustainability / commissioned-services model prepared for URCS leadership review.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Institutional development and governance (NS Strategic Goal I)

• Support the Head of the Research Centre in finalising the Centre's governance framework, statutes, organisational structure, standard operating procedures and internal policies.
• Advise on the integration of Information Centre (hotline) operations into a structured research and data-collection process, clarifying roles between operators, supervisors, methodologists and analysts, including advice on needed revisions in the job descriptions.
• Support the development and application of the Centre's ethical oversight system — informed consent, anonymity and confidentiality (in line with Ukrainian data protection legislation), the Do No Harm principle, and safeguards for products combining service delivery and independent evaluation functions.

Methodological quality and evidence-based practice (NS Strategic Goals II–IV)

• Provide technical leadership on quantitative research design, including sampling strategies, survey methodology, weighting, statistical analysis, and interpretation of findings to ensure methodological rigour and credibility of research products
• Provide technical accompaniment on the flagship quantitative product — sampling design, questionnaire development, data cleaning, index construction and sensitivity analysis — and on the development of the wider index family (Household War Resilience, Community Resilience, Service Accessibility, Social Recovery).
• Support quality assurance of thematic qualitative products against the Centre's standardised operational cycle (problem description – methodology – interviewer training – data collection – analysis – visualisation – reporting).
• Introduce and adapt evidence-based practice methods (e.g., systematic/rapid evidence reviews, evidence summaries), drawing on the CEBaP model, where relevant to URCS analytical products.
• Advice on the use of statistical and analytical software (SPSS, PSPP, R, Python and MAXQDA), advanced data analysis techniques, data visualisation, and dashboard development.
• Promote the production of publication-quality analytical reports, research papers, evidence summaries, and policy briefs aligned with international research standards.
• Support the Research Centre in establishing effective collaboration and evidence-sharing mechanisms with URCS programme departments and the Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Feedback (PMER) Unit to ensure that research findings, community feedback, operational data, and analytical products are systematically used to inform programme design, implementation, monitoring, adaptation, and organizational learning.

Capacity building and mentoring

• Coach and mentor sociologists, methodologists, analysts and Centre leadership on quantitative and qualitative research design, statistical analysis, interpretation of findings, scientific writing, and dissemination of research outputs, with an explicit skills-transfer and succession focus.
• Support the design and delivery of internal training for interviewers/operators ahead of each data-collection wave.
• Contribute to the recruitment and induction of core positions foreseen in the Centre's staffing model (e.g., senior analyst, senior methodologist), where relevant.
• Support monitoring of progress against the Centre's institutional roadmap and annual research plan, flagging risks and bottlenecks to the Head of the Research Centre and IFRC Country Delegation.
• Contribute to donors and partner reporting related to support the Centre.

Partnerships, Movement linkages and positioning (Strategic Goal V)

• Facilitate the Centre's connection to the RC3 network of National Society research centres and to relevant IFRC technical resources.
• Support structured exchange with Belgian Red Cross-Flanders (CeRTS, CEBaP) and Norwegian Red Cross on methodology, governance models and lessons learned.
• Support engagement with national academic partners, Ukrainian research agencies, humanitarian data actors (e.g., REACH/IMPACT, OCHA, IOM DTM) and relevant government counterparts.
• Contribute to the design of the Centre's longer-term financial sustainability model — the phased transition from fully donor-funded operations towards co-financing and a commissioned-services/outsourcing model.

Reporting and coordination

• Support monitoring of progress against the Centre's institutional roadmap and annual research plan, flagging risks and bottlenecks to the Head of the Research Centre and IFRC Country Delegation.
• Contribute to donor and partner reporting related to support to the Centre.
• Perform any other duties related to the Centre's institutional development as reasonably assigned by the Head of the Research Centre.
• Facilitate coordination between the Research Centre, URCS programme teams, and the Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Feedback (PMERF) Unit to promote the integration of research, monitoring data, community feedback, and evaluation findings into evidence-based programme planning and decision-making.
• Support the development of internal processes and forums for sharing research findings and analytical products across URCS, ensuring that evidence generated by the Centre contributes directly to programme quality, accountability, learning, and strategic planning.
• Support monitoring of progress against the Centre's institutional roadmap and annual research plan, flagging risks and bottlenecks to the Head of the Research Centre and IFRC Country Delegation.
• Contribute to donors and partner reporting related to support the Centre.

Indicative Deliverables

• Governance package finalised: Centre statute, organisational structure, SOPs, ethical protocol template — endorsed and in use.
• Research methodologies and data-quality review completed, with documented sensitivity analysis.
• At least one joint capacity-building/coaching plan for the research team has designed and implemented.
• Formal linkage(s) established with the RC3 network and documented exchange with other supporting partners (IFRC, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders and/or Norwegian Red Cross).
• Draft financial sustainability / commissioned-services model prepared for URCS leadership review.

Quarterly progress notes against the Centre's roadmap shared with URCS and IFRC.

Duties applicable to all staff

‎1.‎ Work actively towards the achievement of IFRC’s goals. ‎
‎2.‎ Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles.‎
‎3.‎ Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager.‎

Required

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or higher) in Social Sciences/ Sociology, Development Studies, Economics, Statistics, Demography, Public Policy, Humanitarian Action, International Relations, Research Methodology, Data Science, Organizational Development, or another relevant field.
• Specialized training or certification in humanitarian research, monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL), impact assessment, statistical analysis, or organizational development.

Preferred

• PhD or equivalent doctoral qualification in a research-related discipline is an advantage.

Required

• Minimum 5-7 years of progressively responsible experience in applied research, ‎evidence generation, learning, or analytics, including demonstrated experience ‎establishing or leading research, knowledge-management, or analytical institutions.‎
• Proven record of published research, analytical reports, policy papers, or evidence ‎products relevant to humanitarian, development, resilience, or recovery contexts.‎
• Experience designing and overseeing mixed-methods researches and studies.
• Demonstrated experience establishing, strengthening or managing a research unit, ‎ideally within humanitarian/development organization, or applied-research ‎institution.‎
• Demonstrated experience designing and leading large-scale quantitative research, ‎including survey methodology, sampling, weighting, statistical modelling, and analysis ‎of complex datasets.‎

Preferred

• Prior international deployment/delegate experience in a humanitarian context is an ‎advantage.‎
• Familiarity with the RC3 network or comparable National Society research structures is ‎an advantage.‎

Required

• Advanced command of quantitative research methods and statistical analysis, ‎complemented by strong qualitative research skills and mixed-methods research ‎experience.‎
• Working knowledge of SPSS/PSPP and/or R or Stata; familiarity with MAXQDA or ‎comparable qualitative analysis tools.‎
• Sound understanding of research ethics, data protection and the Do No Harm ‎principle in humanitarian settings.‎
• Proven coaching/mentoring skills and experience transferring technical skills to ‎national colleagues.‎
• Strong analytical writing skills (policy briefs, analytical reports) and data visualisation ‎skills.‎
• Partnership-facilitation skills, given the multi-stakeholder nature of the role (URCS, ‎IFRC, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders, Norwegian Red Cross, RC3 network).‎
• Demonstrated core proficiency in (a) digital communication & collaboration, (b) basic ‎digital content creation, (c) digital safety & security, (d) data literacy, and (e) problem ‎solving with technology (including responsible use of AI assistants).
• Understanding of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement's Fundamental Principles ‎and working structures.‎
• Understanding of and commitment to IFRC’s mission and values. ‎
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex statistical findings into accessible analytical ‎products and recommendations for operational and strategic decision-making.‎
• Fluent spoken and written English

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability

Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society ‎and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust

Functional Competencies: Strategic orientation, building alliances, leadership, empowering others, solution oriented

Managerial Competencies: Managing staff performance and development