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Research Consultant

This job is no longer available

New York, NY, USA
Consultant / Contract / Freelance

Lumos, an international NGO founded by J.K.Rowling, helps the 8 million children currently in orphanages or other institutions regain their right to a family life. At least 80% of these children are not orphans but are separated from their families, primarily by poverty. 

Orphanages deprive children of loving families and put them at risk of impaired physical, intellectual and emotional development. Lumos supports countries in reforming child-care and protection systems, focusing on the health, education, and social care services that keep families together. 

Lumos works with the United Nations, international financial institutions, and the United States and other governments, focusing on international aid as a driver of reform. We also work with private donors to encourage them to make donations in ways that best support families to raise children.

Lumos supports governments with expertise and skills, ranging from interventions to save the lives of children facing premature death to technical support on how to use complex financial mechanisms to ensure limited resources are used to achieve reform.

Lumos has demonstrated successfully that deinstitutionalization is achievable for every child.

 

Job purpose:

The Researcher will be responsible for leading and carrying out a US research agenda. Working in close cooperation with key research and advocacy staff in New York, Washington, and London, the researcher will be responsible for providing data and evidence that supports Lumos’ principal objectives in the US and globally.

Projects may include identifying ways in which the United Nations is supporting orphanages around the world, and likewise identifying best practices that support family care; tracing funds coming from the US government that support the orphanage system abroad; investigating funding flows from religious communities that support orphanages through missionary work; or following funding practices of IFIs that support orphanages or alternative systems of care.

Reporting to: Executive Director, Lumos Foundation USA

Period: Six-months with potential to renew

Travel: Ability to travel required

Areas of Responsibility: 

Role Description

Lumos Foundation USA (Lumos) is seeking a Research Consultant to support a research and advocacy agenda around child and family immigration detention. Working in cooperation with key research and advocacy staff in New York, Washington, and London, as well as independently, the Research Consultant will be responsible for analyzing financial data, providing evidence and assisting in the production of reports. Lastly, the Research Consultant also will capture sensitive material around case studies and briefings that support Lumos’ principal objectives in the US and globally. Currently, this is a temporary, six-month position. The position may transition from temporary to permanent dependent on organizational needs.

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Supporting Lumos’ U.S-based research activities, ensuring consistent, high-quality outputs

• Designing, planning and conducting relevant research projects in conjunction with Lumos staff

• Undertaking research activities, including desk research, collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data

• Drafting and providing information in a style and format appropriate to the intended audience

• Assisting in the monitoring and evaluation of relevant Lumos’ programs

• Working effectively with Lumos staff and external partners to document project learning, producing sensitive case studies and other materials

• Assisting the Lumos advocacy team in developing evidence-based advocacy materials

• Experience in tracking and research of financial flows or financial modelling​

Skills/Experience: 

Person Specification:

Essential:

• Commitment to children’s rights and international development

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field

• Oral and written proficiency in Spanish

• Proven applied research experience and familiarity with a range of quantitative and qualitative methodologies

• Demonstrable experience in desk research and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data

• Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to summarize and interpret data accurately, using appropriate data analysis packages

• Attention to detail in checking information and evidence for accuracy and validity

• Excellent writing skills with experience conveying research findings effectively for policy-makers and practitioners

• Highly organized, with the ability to balance competing priorities and plan effectively to meet challenging deadlines

• Ability to work autonomously, as well as working as part of a wider team

• Ability to work to plan while remaining flexible as new opportunities and priorities develop

• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills

• Ability to work with wide variety of stakeholders

• Working knowledge of data protection legislation and research ethics.

Desirable:

• Experience translating research into advocacy

• Familiarity with US immigration law a plus

• Experience of working with international NGOs

• Experience working in the field of human rights, child development and protection

• Knowledge and understanding of deinstitutionalization and alternative care for children

• Graduate degree in a relevant field.

Compensation/Benefits: 

 Commensurate with their experience

How to Apply: 

Lumos is being assisted in this appointment process by the executive search firm Society. 
 
Applications should consist of a CV, accompanied by a brief covering letter addressing the criteria in the Person Specification. These documents can be uploaded via Society’s website:

https://www.society-search.com/search/job?q=&se=0&fn=0&lc=0&sa=0&id=4690

Organization Info

Lumos

Overview
Headquarters: 
London, UK
Size: 
51-200 employees
Founded: 
2005
About Us
Mission: 

Lumos is an international non-governmental, non-profit organization founded by J.K. Rowling to end the institutionalization of children by 2050. Its vision is a world in which all children have the opportunity to grow up and thrive in a safe and caring family or, where there is no alternative, in specialist placements that meet all their needs, respect their rights and ensure it can fulfill their potential.

Lumos works with the United Nations, international financial institutions, and the United States and other governments, focusing on international aid as a driver of reform. We also work with private donors to encourage them to make donations in ways that best support families to raise children. Lumos supports governments with expertise and skills, ranging from interventions to save the lives of children facing premature death to technical support on how to use complex financial mechanisms to ensure limited resources are used to achieve reform.

Programs: 

Lumos works around the world to help the millions of children in orphanages regain their right to a family.

While the reasons children end up in orphanages may differ, certain aspects remain the same. Extreme poverty is the main reason that most children end up in orphanages.

Our flexible model works by adapting to the cultural drivers of institutionalisation in every country that we work in. We use demonstration projects to enable the change needed to replace orphanages with community-based services. Governments in other areas can then replicate these. At present, we have programmes in Moldova, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Haiti.

Why Work For Us?: 

Since 2009, Lumos has prevented 20,915 children from entering harmful institutions. We work to keep families together and provide support for children within their communities.

To deliver this work, Lumos is seeking a professional researcher that will be responsible for leading and carrying out a US research agenda. Focusing on projects that may include identifying ways in which the United Nations is supporting orphanages around the world, and likewise identifying best practices that support family care; tracing funds coming from the US government that support the orphanage system abroad; investigating funding flows from religious communities that support orphanages through missionary work; or following funding practices of IFIs that support orphanages or alternative systems of care.

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Listing Stats

Post Date: 
Dec 3 2018
Active Until: 
Jan 3 2019
Hiring Organization: 
Lumos
industry: 
Nonprofit