Role Overview
The Busara Center for Behavioral Economics is an advisory and research organization focused on the evaluation and implementation of behavioral interventions in understudied countries and populations. Senior Associates work closely with Busara offices, academic researchers, and advisory clients to perform a variety of tasks aimed at advancing behavioral science in pursuit of poverty alleviation. This role focuses specifically on Food Systems, Agriculture, and Climate Resilience Management (FaRM).
Key Accountabilities/Responsibilities
Client & Advisory Leadership
- Relationship Management: Own the client relationship across the full engagement lifecycle — from scoping and contracting through delivery and dissemination.
- Strategic Communication: Lead senior-level conversations with donors, implementing partners, ministries, and private sector clients; anticipate needs, navigate complexity, and manage expectations proactively.
- Brief Development: Translate client problems into well-defined research and advisory briefs; provide constructive feedback on ill-formed questions or scope misalignment.
- Business Development: Develop proposals, concept notes, and pitch decks; contribute to business development within the food systems and climate resilience space.
- External Representation: Represent Busara at conferences, technical working groups, and client convenings — presenting findings with clarity and confidence to diverse audiences.
Qualitative Research & Technical Execution
- Research Design: Design and lead qualitative research components — including in-depth interviews (IDIs), focus group discussions (FGDs), ethnographic observation, and participatory methods.
- Evidence Synthesis: Synthesize qualitative evidence into coherent, actionable narratives; identify behavioral drivers and barriers embedded in complex social and institutional contexts.
- Framework Application: Apply behavioral science frameworks (e.g., COM-B, dual process theory, social norms models) to agricultural and climate adaptation challenges.
- Mixed-Methods Integration: Oversee mixed-methods research design, ensuring qualitative and quantitative workstreams are well-integrated.
- Quality Assurance: Maintain quality control across all research outputs — guides, transcripts, codebooks, analysis memos, and final reports.
Project & People Management
- Operations: Own project timelines, budgets, deliverables, and staffing plans; escalate risks early and manage scope proactively.
- Mentorship: Directly manage and mentor Analysts and Project Leads; build their research and advisory skills through active coaching.
- Cross-functional Coordination: Coordinate across Busara's Data, Programming, and Operations teams to ensure smooth execution of field and remote research activities.
- Knowledge Management: Contribute to onboarding and ensure institutional learning is captured and usable.
Organizational Contribution
- Strategy: Contribute to FaRM team strategy and knowledge development — including internal research, sector thought pieces, and methodology innovation.
- Team Growth: Participate in hiring, onboarding, and performance management of junior team members.
- Culture: Champion a culture of intellectual rigor, constructive feedback, and psychological safety within project teams.
Knowledge, Skills, and Experience
Required Qualifications
- Experience: 5–8 years of experience in research, advisory, or program design roles with a meaningful focus on food systems, agriculture, or climate resilience in sub-Saharan Africa or comparable contexts.
- Technical Expertise: Deep expertise in qualitative research methods — IDIs, FGDs, thematic analysis, and synthesis with strong fieldwork experience in low-resource settings.
- Client Management: Demonstrated ability to manage senior client and partner relationships with confidence, clarity, and professional maturity.
- Leadership: Proven track record leading complex, multi-stakeholder projects from inception to delivery.
- Analytical Skills: Strong analytical and synthesis skills; ability to turn messy qualitative data into a crisp, defensible argument.
- Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication in English; able to write for both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Education: Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (Social Sciences, Development Studies, Agricultural Economics, Public Policy, or related).
