Research Head

ISDM; Dadri; On-site; INR 3,500,000 - 6,000,000; Full time

Job summary

ISDM is seeking a Research Head to provide intellectual and research leadership across the Global Knowledge Hub and ISDM. The role focuses on shaping research agendas, ensuring methodological rigour, mentoring teams, and delivering high-quality knowledge outputs across Centres of Excellence and the DM Hub.

You will strengthen the culture of research excellence, translating rigorous work into practical insights that influence policy and development practice.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in a relevant discipline such as Public Policy, Development Studies, Economics, Management, Social Sciences, or related fields.
• 20+ years of experience leading applied research in the social sector, philanthropy, sustainability management, or related domains.
• Demonstrated experience in developing research agendas and leading complex, multi-stakeholder research programs.
• Strong expertise in research design, qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and knowledge synthesis.
• Experience mentoring research teams and building research capability.
• Excellent writing, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• A passion for translating rigorous research into practical knowledge that influences policy and practice.

Responsibilities

• As the Research Head, you will shape research agendas and strategic portfolios across GKH.
• Lead design, execution and quality assurance of research projects with methodological rigour.
• Oversee development of reports, frameworks, toolkits, publications, and knowledge products.
• Coach researchers and foster a culture of inquiry, learning, and excellence.
• Bridge research and practice by aligning with teaching, capacity building and sector practice.
• Cultivate partnerships to expand ISDM's research reach and influence.
• Contribute to publications, events and public discourse to strengthen the discipline.

Skills

Research leadership

Qualitative & quantitative methods

Mentoring teams

Stakeholder engagement

Academic writing

Education

Master's or PhD in Public Policy / Development Studies / Economics / Management / Social Sciences

Job description

The Indian School of Development Management (ISDM) is a pioneering management school dedicated to strengthening leadership and management in social development work, producing the future CEOs and founders of impactful social purpose organisations. Since 2016, ISDM has worked across three strategic pillars: preparing talent, influencing practice, and building knowledge for Development Management.

With the rapid growth of India's economy and the rapid growth of development capital in the country, there is a huge opportunity to make a difference to over a billion people over the next couple of decades. However, this burgeoning development capital will need high-quality leadership and management talent to translate this possibility into real impact - talent that understands the complex nature of society and the complexities of driving social change, that can design interventions within these complexities, and that has the knowledge and skills to build and lead development organisations and translate their work into deep, sustained impact at scale.

Development Management needs to bring the head, heart, and hand together to engage with diverse communities, build on their agency, work with limited resources and divergent societal aspirations, and move towards a shared vision of a desirable society. India needs Development Management talent and capabilities across the Samaaj, Sarkaar, and Bazaar to translate this opportunity into reality on the ground, transforming the lives of over a billion people in the country, and eventually offering this discipline to countries across the Global South.

ISDM invites individuals who share its vision to join in creating a dynamic, catalytic ecosystem and positioning India as a thought leader in Development Management, ultimately enabling sustainable social impact at scale. Know more at www.isdm.org.in.

About - Global Knowledge Hub (GKH)

The Global Knowledge Hub (GKH) is ISDM's discipline engine. It exists to strengthen the knowledge and practice of Development Management by generating, validating, synthesising and disseminating rigorous, practice-rooted knowledge that helps build stronger Social Purpose Organisations and Systems.

GKH brings together two complementary engines of knowledge creation:

• Centres of Excellence (CoEs), which undertake deep, domain-specific research in areas of strategic importance, such as philanthropy, data for social impact, innovative finance, and other emerging themes.
• The Development Management (DM) Hub, which develops the broader body of knowledge for the discipline of Development Management through cross-cutting research, thought leadership, knowledge synthesis, publications, and knowledge products.

Together, they create research that is academically rigorous, deeply rooted in practice, and designed to influence both theory and practice of Development Management across the social sector.

Role Description

The Research Head will provide intellectual and research leadership across GKH and ISDM. Working closely with Centre Leads, the Centre Research Leads, the DM Hub team, and the ISDM leadership, the Research Lead will shape research agendas, ensure methodological rigour, mentor research teams, and drive the delivery of high-quality research and knowledge outputs across both the Centres of Excellence and the DM Hub.

This role is responsible for building a strong culture of research excellence – ensuring that GKH's work is credible, influential and translated into actionable knowledge that strengthens the practice of Development Management.

Key Responsibilities

As the Research Head, you will:

• Shape the Research Agenda by co-creating long-term research priorities and translating them into strategic research portfolios across GKH.
• Lead Research Excellence by guiding the design, execution and quality assurance of research projects and ensuring methodological rigour.
• Build Knowledge That Matters by overseeing the development of research reports, frameworks, toolkits, publications, and other knowledge products.
• Mentor Exceptional Teams by coaching researchers, strengthening research capability and fostering a culture of inquiry, learning, and excellence.
• Bridge Research and Practice by working across GKH, academics, practitioners, and external partners to ensure research informs teaching, capacity building, and sector practice.
• Strengthen the Ecosystem by cultivating partnerships with researchers, practitioners, funders, and institutions that expand the reach and influence of ISDM's research and knowledge work.
• Advance Thought Leadership by contributing to publications, convenings and public discourse that strengthen the discipline of Development Management.

Qualification & Experience Required

• Master's or PhD in a relevant discipline such as Public Policy, Development Studies, Economics, Management, Social Sciences, or related fields.
• 20+ years of experience leading applied research in the social sector, philanthropy, sustainability management, or related domains.
• Demonstrated experience in developing research agendas and leading complex, multi-stakeholder research programs.
• Strong expertise in research design, qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and knowledge synthesis.
• Experience mentoring research teams and building research capability.
• Excellent writing, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• A passion for translating rigorous research into practical knowledge that influences policy and practice.

Remuneration for this role will be commensurate with qualifications & experience.

ISDM is an equal-opportunity organization with a particular emphasis on affirmative action. The culture of the organization is one of professionalism while also one that greatly values relationships.