Job Purpose
The Head, SIRI is the most senior role for the Institute''s strategy, growth, research excellence, and overall management. This is a high-autonomy executive role: subject to Sydani Group''s strategic, financial, and governance framework, the Head has authority over day-to-day operations, structure, recruitment, research priorities, partnerships, business development, resource allocation, and external representation. The Partner provides strategic oversight and governance, not routine operational management.
Job Responsibilities
Institutional Strategy and Building
Develop and own SIRI''s 3–5 year strategy and annual plans.
Build the structure, governance, systems, and institutional identity needed for SIRI to run without constant Partner intervention.
Establish a functional organisational and governance structure for the Institute.
Research Excellence and Innovation
Set the research agenda and own portfolio quality, methodological rigour, and governance.
Ensure research translates into policy-relevant knowledge products.
Build a research-to-practice pipeline — digital tools, models, and commercialisable IP.
Establish and maintain a research quality assurance and ethical compliance framework.
Business Development and Resource Mobilization
Build a diversified funding pipeline across grants, commissioned research, consulting, training, and IP — with no single point of dependency.
Lead proposals, partnerships, and funder relationships.
Develop a resource mobilization strategy to sustain and grow the Institute.
Financial Management
Own budgets, pricing, margins, cost recovery, and financial controls within Group governance.
Build a sustainable institutional financial model.
People and Talent Leadership
Own workforce strategy: recruit, develop, and retain a multidisciplinary research team.
Build a high-performing core Institute team and leadership pipeline.
Partnerships and Thought Leadership
Represent SIRI externally with governments, development partners, universities, foundations, and the private sector.
Publish research and shape sector conversations, building SIRI''s intellectual brand and reputation.
Quality, Ethics and Knowledge Management
Uphold research integrity and ethical compliance across the portfolio.
Convert research outputs into accessible, usable knowledge products.
Key Working Relationships
Internal:
Partner and Group Leadership, Sydani Consulting, Texis, SIID, Finance, HR & Operations, Communications and Business Development.
External:
Government institutions, development partners and donors, universities and research institutions, foundations, private-sector organisations, and policy and civil-society networks.
Job Key Success Measures (KPIs)
First 12 Months
A defined SIRI institutional strategy and a functional organisational/governance structure
A research and innovation priority agenda
A diversified research and funding pipeline
A core portfolio of strategic research projects
A resource mobilisation strategy
A sustainable institutional financial model
A high-performing core Institute team
A research quality assurance framework and a visible thought leadership platform
Long-Term (Performance Dimensions)
Institutional Growth:
Portfolio growth, strategic partnerships, revenue/funding growth, reputation
Research Excellence:
Project quality and completion, publications, research uptake and utilisation
Resource Mobilisation:
Grants secured, funding pipeline, funder diversification
Impact:
Policies influenced, solutions adopted, measurable development outcomes
People & Culture:
Staff retention, engagement, leadership pipeline
Financial Sustainability:
Revenue growth, budget performance, cost recovery
Job Qualifications
Education
Master''s degree or PhD in Research, Public Health, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Economics, Data Science, Policy, or a related field — a PhD is strongly preferred for this research-intensive profile.
Experience
12–15+ years of progressive experience in research, development, consulting, policy, or academia
Including 7+ years in senior leadership or institutional management
Demonstrated grant acquisition and donor partnership experience
Proven multidisciplinary team and budget management experience