Location: Ekiti Nigeria

1.    Purpose of the Role

The Implementation Research and Learning Lead will oversee the design, execution and continuous learning of CeNHRI’s implementation research, bridging the gap between field implementation and real-world clinical practice. This role will ensure that the Centre generates rigorous, context-specific evidence on how newborn health interventions, including simulation-based training and quali ty improvement approaches, are adopted, delivered and sustained within routine health systems, and that this evidence is fed back to improving practice and inform policy.

The Implementation Research and Learning Lead will work collaboratively with the Programme Management Office (PMO), Programme Manager, research teams, the MEL team, and the Finance and Grant Manager within a wider portfolio to ensure that research and thought leadership outputs are prioritized into programme implementation and learning, and that findings translate into practical adjustments, publications and knowledge products.

The role requires strong research design, analytical, scientific writing and leadership skills, with the ability to lead research activities across multiple sites and partners while supporting the use of findings.

2. Scope of the Role

The role covers leading CeNHRI’s research from initatiation to close-out. This includes implementation research design, research execution, continuous learning and feedback practice, evidence synthesis and knowledge translation, research capacity strengthening, assuring quality, ethical conduct and data governance, reporting and publications.

The Implementation Research and Learning Lead may manage several research workstreams at different stages. The postholder will draw on appropriate methodological and subject matter specialists rather than being expected to personally conduct every aspect of each study.

3. Authority

The Implementation Research and Learning Lead is authorised to:

• Design and lead implementation research studies within the approved research agenda and budget.
• Direct the work of Research Assistants and other staff assigned to research and learning activities.
• Request programme, MEL and facility-level data required for research and learning purposes, in line with data governance requirements.
• Convene learning reviews and feedback sessions with programme teams, facilities and partners.
• Recommend implementation adjustments and programme improvements based on research findings.
• Represent CeNHRI at assigned research forums, conferences and technical meetings, as delegated by the Executive Director.
• Escalate significant research quality, ethics, data or partnership issues to the Executive Director.
  

4. Key Responsibilities

A. Implementation Research Design

• Develop and maintain the Centre’s implementation research and learning agenda, aligned with the Institutional Strategic Plan and programme priorities.
• Design implementation research studies, protocols and data collection tools that address real-world delivery challenges
• Define research instruments with programme teams, government stakeholders and clinicians to ensure relevance to practice and centre’s core mandates
• Apply recognised implementation science frameworks to assess adoption and effectiveness
• Ensure study designs are feasible, ethically sound and appropriately resourced.

Deliverables

• Study designs, research protocols, and data collection tools.
• Research workplans and timelines.
• Ethical review submissions.

B. Research Execution, Quality and Ethics

• Oversee data collection, field research and analysis across project sites in collaboration with Programme Team, Research Assistants, the MEL team and State-level staff.
• Work with the Biostatistician to ensure appropriate sampling, analysis and interpretation.
• Monitor research fidelity, data quality and adherence to protocols.
• Ensure compliance with research ethics, and data protection requirements.
• Maintain organised research documentation, datasets and audit trails.

Deliverables

• Data quality checks and field supervision records.
• Ethics approvals and compliance documentation.
• Documented research datasets and files.

C. Continuous Learning and Feedback to Practice

• Establish routine learning loops that translate emerging findings into practical adjustments in research implementation and clinical practice.
• Facilitate learning reviews and reflection sessions across functional team including programme staff, field teams and clinicians.
• Support the design and assessment of post-training follow-up, mentorship and quality improvement activities.
• Document implementation barriers, enablers and context-specific lessons to inform scale-up.
• Work with the Programme Manager to ensure learning informs workplans and programme decisions.

Deliverables

• Learning review reports and action points.
• Post-training assessment findings.
• Documented implementation lessons and recommendations.

D. Evidence Synthesis and Knowledge Translation

• Lead the development of manuscripts, abstracts, evidence summaries and technical reports from CeNHRI’s research and implementation experience.
• Translate findings into policy briefs, technical guidelines and practice-oriented products for government, clinicians and partners.
• Collaborate with the Communications team to disseminate findings through conferences, publications and public engagement.
• Support the Centre’s evidence repository and knowledge management systems.
• Ensure authorship, attribution and publication practices meet ethical and institutional standards.

Deliverables

• Peer-reviewed manuscripts and conference abstracts.
• Evidence summaries and policy briefs.
• Contributions to the knowledge repository.

E. Capacity Strengthening and Team Leadership

• Provide technical direction, supervision and mentorship to Research Assistants and other research staff.
• Strengthen the research, data use and learning capacity of CeNHRI staff and partner institutions.
• Contribute to training in research methods, ethics, scientific writing and implementation science.
• Foster a culture of curiosity, rigour, data use and evidence-informed practice across the Centre.
• Contribute to staff performance feedback for assigned research team members.

Deliverables

• Research team workplans and supervision records.
• Training and mentorship materials and records.
• Capacity assessment and development inputs.

5. Reporting Lines

The Implementation Research and Learning Lead reports directly to the Executive Director, and works closely with the Programme Manager, MEL Team and field staff on alignment of research and learning with programme delivery. The role will also provide technical direction and day-to-day supervision to Research Assistants, data team and other staff assigned to research and learning activities.

6. Qualifications and Requirements

Education

• Master’s degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Implementation Science, Health Systems or a related field.
• A PhD or doctoral-level qualification in a relevant field will be an added advantage.

Experience

• Minimum of 6 years of relevant professional experience in implementation research, health systems research or operational research, including experience leading research studies.
• Demonstrated track record of peer-reviewed publications in public health, newborn or maternal and child health, or health systems.
• Experience designing and managing mixed-methods research and working with ethics review processes.
• Experience with donor-funded research programmes and grant proposal development will be an advantage.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong knowledge of implementation science frameworks and research methods.
• Strong analytical skills, with working knowledge of statistical and qualitative analysis tools.
• Excellent scientific writing, documentation and presentation skills.
• Strong leadership, mentoring and facilitation skills.
• Strong understanding of research ethics, research integrity and data protection.
• Ability to translate complex findings into clear, practical recommendations for different audiences.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and reference management tools such as Mendeley and Zotero
• Familiarity with DHIS2 and digital data collection tools such as KoboCollect, ODK, RedCap and  SurveyCTO
• Ability and willingness to travel within Ekiti State and to other locations as required.
  

7. Working Conditions

The role will be based at CeNHRI and will require travel to programme and research sites as necessary. The position will involve close collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, government stakeholders, research institutions and partners