Research Manager

JOB BAND: D
CONTRACT TYPE:
Permanent, Full-time
DEPARTMENT: BBC Media Action, Research & Learning

LOCATION:

The role will be based in one of BBC Media Action’s offices in Africa or Asia. Current BBC Media Action offices are in the following cities, and the role could be based in any of these, subject to the prevailing security situation at the time of appointment:
Abuja, Addis Ababa, Dar Es Salaam, Delhi, Dhaka, Freetown, Hargeisa, Jakarta, Juba, Kabul, Kathmandu, Kyiv, London, Lusaka, Nairobi, Phnom Penh, Suva, Tunis, Yangon.
Applications are welcome from anyone with the existing right to work in any of these countries. BBC Media Action will not sponsor work visas for this engagement under any circumstances (business visas for short-term travel, if required, will be arranged). The successful applicant will be employed and based in their home country, with salary set according to BBC Media Action’s local pay scales in that country.
PROPOSED SALARY RANGE:
Competitive, on relevant local scale.

We're happy to discuss flexible working. If you'd like to, please indicate your preference in the application – though there's no obligation to do so now. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.

Join our Research & Learning team to lead impactful research across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. You’ll manage projects, build local research capacity, and deliver insights that shape media content and business development. Ideal candidates have strong social research experience, project management skills, and the ability to communicate complex findings clearly. If you’re proactive, collaborative, and passionate about evidence‑driven decision‑making, apply now to help us inform global media strategies.

Be part of a global mission that shapes media for positive social impact. Beyond research delivery, you’ll influence strategic decisions, foster innovation, and build capacity in diverse contexts. You’ll collaborate with passionate professionals across continents, share knowledge, and create partnerships that drive change. This role offers the chance to see your insights transform content and empower communities, while contributing to organisational growth and global development goals.

• Proven achievement in social research across diverse populations and contexts, ideally in media, governance, health, or resilience sectors.
• Strong project management skills, including planning, coordinating multi‑disciplinary teams, and delivering research on time and within budget.
• Quantitative and qualitative analytical expertise, with experience evaluating social change projects and using statistical tools like SPSS. Ability to adapt methods to challenging contexts. Able to deliver digital research.
• Excellent communication skills, able to translate complex research into clear, engaging insights for non‑technical audiences.
• Ability to manage and develop staff, including mentoring, capacity building, and remote team leadership.

• Related social science experience e.g. economics, behavioural science, anthropology.
• Familiarity with advanced data visualisation tools or innovative research dissemination methods.

If…