Head of Research and Innovation

  • MSI Reproductive Choices
  • Jun 18, 2025
Full time Logistics

Job Description

We re thrilled to announce four exciting opportunities to join the dynamic Evidence & Impact team at MSI Reproductive Choices! We re looking for talented, driven individuals who are passionate about sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and who thrive on data, evidence generation, and impact communication. This is a chance to help shape how we measure and disseminate the real-world impact of our work not from the sidelines, but by rolling up your sleeves and diving in. If you're a bold thinker who loves turning complex data into compelling stories, thrives in fast-evolving environments, and is excited about helping build a future-focused, resilient team, we want to hear from you. You ll be part of a team that champions innovative research and drives sector-shaping insights with the chance to become a thought leader and influencer in the global SRHR space. Come push boundaries with us and help drive meaningful change around the world.

Why This Matters

In a world where 218 million women lack access to contraception, evidence isn't just academic it's life-changing. Your work will directly influence: Delivering of lifechanging services to millions of women; $2+ billion in annual global SRHR investments that transforms healthcare delivery across 36 countries

The Opportunity

We are recruiting roles to spearhead different dimensions of our evidence ecosystem. Whether you are inside or outside SRH, or from health economics, development research, tech analytics, or academic evaluation, we want people who are driven by impact and excel at translating complex data into compelling action. If that matters to you, then we want you.

About MSI

MSI Reproductive Choices is one of the world s leading providers of sexual and reproductive healthcare. We believe that everyone should have the right to choose. From contraception to safe abortion and life-saving post-abortion care, we are committed to delivering compassionate, affordable, high-quality services for all.

Today, our organisation has almost 9,000 team members working in 36 countries across the world. Our success lies in the fact that MSI teams are locally led, entrepreneurial and results-driven, and are passionate about delivering high quality, client-centred care in their own communities. As a social business, we focus on sustainable delivery, efficiency, and funding models that are built to last, so that the women and girls we serve today will have a choice in the future too. #

We know that access to reproductive choice is life changing. For some, it can mean the ability to complete an education or start a career. For others, it means being able to look after the family they already have. For everyone, it means the freedom to decide their own future, creating a fairer, more equal world.

About the Role

Lead MSI s flagship research initiatives and high-stakes third-party evaluations ensuring world-class methodological rigour, strategic relevance, and real-world impact. This role is central to positioning MSI as a global thought leader in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). You will drive research excellence across the organisation while cultivating and strengthening relationships with research-focused donors who demand and fund the highest standard of analytical credibility. Your work will not only shape internal decision-making but also influence global SRHR agendas and investments.

Success Metrics:
  • Research Excellence: All major studies meet or exceed donor expectations for methodological quality, ethical integrity, and utility establishing MSI as a go-to centre of research excellence in the SRHR sector.
  • Donor Engagement & Funding Growth: Tangible increases in funding and partnerships from research-oriented donors, with growing demand for MSI-led evidence initiatives.
  • Strategic Impact: Research findings directly influence programmatic strategies, donor policy, and global SRHR discourse, leading to measurable shifts in access, quality, and equity in reproductive healthcare.
About You

For us, it s vital that every MSI team member believes in and is committed to our organisational mission, vision and values.

This means that we will only accept applications from candidates who are unequivocally pro-choice.

Our values act as guiding principles, providing us with a clear direction. They set the tone for how we approach our work, interact with others and align ourselves as One MSI . It s important that our team members truly resonate with our values and demonstrate them consistently, in all that they do.

We recruit talented, dynamic individuals with diverse backgrounds who share our mission and are focused on delivering measurable results. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone can participate and contribute meaningfully. We value open-mindedness, curiosity, resilience, and a solutions-oriented mindset, alongside a commitment to promoting equality and safeguarding the welfare of both team members and clients.

We seek exceptional communicators who are self-motivated, solutions-driven, and aligned with MSI s mission and entrepreneurial mindset. You should be dedicated to driving social change in an environment focused on sustainable impact, both locally and globally, and comfortable working with diverse teams in an ambiguous setting.

To perform this role, you ll need the following skills:

Technical Research Expertise
  • Expert knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies including RCTs, quasi-experimental methods; including multi-country evaluations and ethical research management.
  • Proficiency in advanced statistical analysis and research data interpretation. Excellent data analysis skills using statistical software packages (STATA or R) and advanced excel skills; experience of advanced quantitative analysis techniques such as Interrupted Time Series Analysis, multilevel regression etc.
  • Proficiency in developing new metrics and frameworks for assessing program impact, particularly in equity, disability, and marginalized group outcomes.
  • Deep understanding of research ethics, protocols, and quality assurance processes
  • Highly proficient in steering large-scale third-party evaluations.
Sector Expertise
  • Substantial experience in sexual and reproductive health research
  • Understanding of SRH research challenges, indicators, and measurement approaches
  • Knowledge of key global health research institutions and networks
  • Familiarity with demographic and health research data sources and methodologies
Stakeholder Engagement and communication
  • Highly developed skills to influence and persuade ability to quickly and effectively build relationships with team members and stakeholders at all levels.
  • Proven ability to communicate complex research concepts to diverse audiences
  • Confident public speaking and strong communication skills, with the ability to craft persuasive, evidence-based narratives tailored to diverse external audiences such as donors, policymakers, and partners.
  • Strong networks within academic research community and global health institutions
  • Knowledge of evaluation standards expected by major donors and foundations
  • Skilled in knowledge dissemination, including producing peer-reviewed publications and engaging in technical forums.
  • Ability to build strategic research partnerships and secure funding through external engagement.
Team leader:
  • Strong leadership in managing research portfolios and teams and skilled at capacity building approaches.
  • Exceptional ability to foster learning cultures that value evidence-based decision making and continuous improvement
  • Strong mentoring and coaching skills at individual and team levels
Prioritisation and Multi-tasker: Strong ability to manage multiple tasks and effectively prioritise workload

To perform this role, you ll need the following experience:
  • Extensive (minimum of 8 years) experience in leading research in global health
  • Strong track record in managing multi-country research initiatives and partnerships.
  • Demonstrated experience in thought leadership, research dissemination, and donor engagement.
  • Proven ability to manage teams, budgets, and deliver high-quality research outputs in a fast-paced environment.
Formal education/qualification
  • Advanced degree in Public Health, Social Sciences, or related fields is essential.
  • Additional qualification or formal training in research design or impact evaluation desirable
  • Proficiency in French is highly desirable (please state level in application)
  • Additional qualification or formal training in research design, epidemiology or impact evaluation, data visualisation such as PowerBI; advanced excel skills - desirable
Please view the job framework on our website.

Location: London, UK (minimum of 2 days per week in the office).

Full-time: 35 hours a week, Monday to Friday.

Contract type: Permanent.

Salary: £46,000 - £59,600 per annum for UK based candidates. Discretionary bonus + benefits.

Salary band: BG 10

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