Research Director, Emergency Cash

About the role

The Research Director will lead GiveDirectly’s learning agenda for Emergency Cash programmes, shaping research strategy and driving impact evaluation across multiple countries. Working closely with the Senior Product Director, EC Response Leads and M&E staff, the role ensures that research priorities align with organisational goals and emerging humanitarian needs.

Key responsibilities

• Define and continuously refine the research and learning strategy for Emergency Cash and related frontier topics.
• Set research priorities, balance them against organisation‑wide objectives, and coordinate with product, partnerships and fundraising teams.
• Lead strategic impact evaluations and impact‑focused research, from concept development to partnership building and resource allocation.
• Establish standards, policies and systems for research best practice, ensuring quality, ethics and compliance across the Emergency Cash portfolio.
• Pilot innovative research methods in fast‑evolving emergency contexts and disseminate lessons across the organisation.
• Provide intellectual leadership and technical direction, mentoring team members and overseeing emerging research projects.

Required profile

• Extensive experience leading research strategy and impact evaluation for emergency cash or humanitarian programmes.
• Proven ability to manage multi‑country research projects and build effective partnerships.
• Strong understanding of research ethics, compliance and best‑practice standards.
• Demonstrated capacity to mentor staff and influence organisational learning.

Required skills