Senior Research Operations Coordinator

Samuel Hall is looking for a Senior Research Operations Coordinator to support the delivery of our research operations across Africa.

This role sits at the heart of research implementation — coordinating operational planning across multiple projects, supporting consultants and field teams, strengthening quality assurance, managing operational risks, and helping ensure our research is delivered consistently and to high standards.

We’re looking for someone with at least five years of experience in research operations, field coordination or project implementation, ideally within development, humanitarian or research organisations operating across Africa. Experience working across complex or fragile environments and coordinating consultants and field teams is particularly relevant.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Operational Planning & Implementation Oversight

• Coordinate operational planning across assigned research projects to support efficient project implementation
• Review field implementation plans, deployment schedules and operational readiness to ensure projects are adequately prepared for delivery
• Monitor operational budgets and expenditure across assigned projects, identifying variances and coordinating corrective actions with the Research Operations Manager and Finance.
• Coordinate operational resources across projects, including consultants, field teams and operational support requirements
• Monitor implementation progress, timelines and operational performance across multiple concurrent projects, identifying and addressing implementation challenges

Consultant & Field Team Coordination

• Coordinate the mobilisation, onboarding and deployment of Research Operations Coordinators, consultants and field teams to ensure projects are appropriately resourced
• Provide technical guidance and operational support to Research Operations Coordinators, consultants and field teams throughout project implementation
• Monitor consultant and field team performance, providing coaching and feedback to strengthen operational effectiveness
• Support the Research Operations Manager in maintaining a capable and responsive consultant network aligned with Samuel Hall’s needs

Research Quality Assurance & Operational Standards

• Coordinate quality assurance activities throughout the research lifecycle to ensure compliance with approved methodologies, ethical standards and procedures
• Review field implementation processes, data collection activities and operational documentation to identify quality issues and recommend corrective actions
• Monitor implementation of operational systems, standard operating procedures and quality standards across projects
• Support continuous improvement initiatives to strengthen operational quality and consistency

Operational Risk Compliance & Field Support

• Monitor operational risks across assigned projects and coordinate implementation of mitigation measures
• Support safety and security planning for field activities in collaboration with project teams and management
• Monitor compliance with organisational policies, donor requirements and research protocols
• Escalate significant operational, quality or compliance issues requiring management intervention

Operational Coordination & Stakeholder Management

• Coordinate day-to-day operational activities across multiple projects to ensure effective collaboration between programme, research, finance and support teams
• Liaise with consultants, research partners, community representatives, government authorities and service providers to facilitate effective project implementation
• Represent the Research Operations function in operational meetings, technical discussions, workshops and external engagements, as required, to support effective project implementation and stakeholder engagement
• Support operational aspects of workshops, training programmes, validation meetings and dissemination activities
• Promote effective communication and coordination across operational teams and stakeholders

Performance Monitoring, Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor operational performance against agreed workplans, budgets and key performance indicators
• Prepare operational reports, dashboards and implementation updates to support management decision making
• Coordinate operational reviews and lessons learnt exercises to strengthen future project implementation
• Identify opportunities to improve operational systems, consultant management and field coordination processes
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Research Methods, International Relations or a related field
• A postgraduate qualification in Project Management, Research Methods, Monitoring and Evaluation, Development Studies or a related field will be an added advantage

EXPERIENCE

• Minimum of 5 years experience in research operations, field coordination or project implementation, preferably within development, humanitarian or research organisations operating across Africa
• Experience coordinating multiple research projects and supporting field operations in complex or fragile environments
• Experience supervising and coordinating consultants, field teams and enumerators
• Experience implementing quality assurance processes for qualitative and quantitative research
• Experience coordinating operational planning, field logistics and project implementation
• Experience facilitating training sessions, workshops or field briefings for consultants, field teams or partners
• Experience working with international clients, donors, research partners and government institutions is an advantage

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• Coordinate operational planning across assigned research projects to support efficient project implementation
• Review field implementation plans, deployment schedules and operational readiness to ensure projects are adequately prepared for delivery
• Monitor operational budgets and expenditure across assigned projects, identifying variances and coordinating corrective actions with the Research Operations Manager and Finance.
• Coordinate operational resources across projects, including consultants, field teams and operational support requirements
• Monitor implementation progress, timelines and operational performance across multiple concurrent projects, identifying and addressing implementation challenges
• Coordinate the mobilisation, onboarding and deployment of Research Operations Coordinators, consultants and field teams to ensure projects are appropriately resourced
• Provide technical guidance and operational support to Research Operations Coordinators, consultants and field teams throughout project implementation
• Monitor consultant and field team performance, providing coaching and feedback to strengthen operational effectiveness
• Support the Research Operations Manager in maintaining a capable and responsive consultant network aligned with Samuel Hall’s needs
• Coordinate quality assurance activities throughout the research lifecycle to ensure compliance with approved methodologies, ethical standards and procedures
• Review field implementation processes, data collection activities and operational documentation to identify quality issues and recommend corrective actions
• Monitor implementation of operational systems, standard operating procedures and quality standards across projects
• Support continuous improvement initiatives to strengthen operational quality and consistency
• Monitor operational risks across assigned projects and coordinate implementation of mitigation measures
• Support safety and security planning for field activities in collaboration with project teams and management
• Monitor compliance with organisational policies, donor requirements and research protocols
• Escalate significant operational, quality or compliance issues requiring management intervention
• Coordinate day-to-day operational activities across multiple projects to ensure effective collaboration between programme, research, finance and support teams
• Liaise with consultants, research partners, community representatives, government authorities and service providers to facilitate effective project implementation
• Represent the Research Operations function in operational meetings, technical discussions, workshops and external engagements, as required, to support effective project implementation and stakeholder engagement
• Support operational aspects of workshops, training programmes, validation meetings and dissemination activities
• Promote effective communication and coordination across operational teams and stakeholders
• Monitor operational performance against agreed workplans, budgets and key performance indicators
• Prepare operational reports, dashboards and implementation updates to support management decision making
• Coordinate operational reviews and lessons learnt exercises to strengthen future project implementation
• Identify opportunities to improve operational systems, consultant management and field coordination processes
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned

• Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Research Methods, International Relations or a related field
• A postgraduate qualification in Project Management, Research Methods, Monitoring and Evaluation, Development Studies or a related field will be an added advantage