Research Manager

BBC Studios Ltd; Remote; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A global media organisation is seeking a Research & Learning Lead to direct impactful research across Africa and Asia. You will manage projects, enhance local research capabilities, and deliver insights that shape strategic media content. Ideal candidates should possess strong social research expertise, project management skills, and excellent communication abilities. Join our mission of creating a positive social impact and influencing global media strategies. Applications are welcomed from candidates eligible to work their home country.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Opportunity for travel

Capacity building and training

Qualifications

• Proven achievement in social research across diverse populations.
• Strong project management skills with budget oversight.
• Expertise in quantitative and qualitative analysis with statistical tools.

Responsibilities

• Deliver insights to inform media content and business development.
• Manage research projects, ensuring timely and quality outputs.
• Build capacity of local researchers through training and mentoring.

Skills

Social research experience

Project management

Quantitative analysis

Qualitative analysis

Communication skills

Tools

SPSS

Job description

JOB BAND: D
CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent, Full-time
DEPARTMENT: BBC Media Action, Research & Learning
LOCATION: The role will be based in one of BBC Media Action’s offices in Africa or Asia. Current BBC Media Action offices are in the following cities, and the role could be based in any of these, subject to the prevailing security situation at the time of appointment: Abuja, Addis Ababa, Dar Es Salaam, Delhi, Dhaka, Freetown, Hargeisa, Jakarta, Juba, Kabul, Kathmandu, Kyiv, London, Lusaka, Nairobi, Phnom Penh, Suva, Tunis, Yangon.
Applications are welcome from anyone with the existing right to work in any of these countries. BBC Media Action will not sponsor work visas for this engagement under any circumstances (business visas for short-term travel, if required, will be arranged). The successful applicant will be employed and based in their home country, with salary set according to BBC Media Action’s local pay scales in that country.
PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: Competitive, on relevant local scale.

We're happy to discuss flexible working. If you'd like to, please indicate your preference in the application – though there's no obligation to do so now. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.

Purpose of the role

Join our Research & Learning team to lead impactful research across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. You’ll manage projects, build local research capacity, and deliver insights that shape media content and business development. Ideal candidates have strong social research experience, project management skills, and the ability to communicate complex findings clearly. If you’re proactive, collaborative, and passionate about evidence‑driven decision‑making, apply now to help us inform global media strategies.

Why join the team

Be part of a global mission that shapes media for positive social impact. Beyond research delivery, you’ll influence strategic decisions, foster innovation, and build capacity in diverse contexts. You’ll collaborate with passionate professionals across continents, share knowledge, and create partnerships that drive change. This role offers the chance to see your insights transform content and empower communities, while contributing to organisational growth and global development goals.

Your key responsibilities and impact

1. Deliver country‑level insights to inform media content, services, and business development decisions, supporting donor engagement through robust research proposals and outputs that position the organisation as a trusted partner in media and development sectors.
2. Manage research projects and budgets, ensuring timely, high‑quality outputs within financial constraints.
3. Build capacity of local researchers through training, mentoring, and technical oversight, strengthening research quality and skills in‑country, fostering sustainable capacity.
4. Manage and analyse quantitative data across countries to produce insights across BBC Media Action’s themes to support organisational strategy, enabling evidence‑based decision‑making for content and organisational growth.
5. Communicate complex research clearly to diverse audiences, including non‑research staff, donors, and media partners.

Your skills and experience

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• Proven achievement in social research across diverse populations and contexts, ideally in media, governance, health, or resilience sectors.
• Strong project management skills, including planning, coordinating multi‑disciplinary teams, and delivering research on time and within budget.
• Quantitative and qualitative analytical expertise, with experience evaluating social change projects and using statistical tools such as SPSS. Ability to adapt methods to challenging contexts. Able to deliver digital research.
• Excellent communication skills, able to translate complex research into clear, engaging insights for non‑technical audiences.
• Ability to manage and develop staff, including mentoring, capacity building, and remote team leadership.

DESIRED BUT NOT REQUIRED:

• Related social science experience e.g. economics, behavioural science, anthropology.
• Familiarity with advanced data visualisation tools or innovative research dissemination methods.

Disclaimer

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.
Screening checks will include reference checks, eligibility to work checks, and, if applicable, safeguarding and adverse media/social media checks. Any offer made is conditional on these checks being satisfactory.

EEO & Diversity Statement

We welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio‑economic background, religion and/or belief. We are a disability confident employer. If you need to discuss adjustments or access requirements for the interview process, or to carry out this role, please contact us via email: [e-mail].