DataQ is a Sudanese research services company providing high-quality research, data collection, and analysis in humanitarian and development contexts. With operations across  Sudan, DataQ supports evidence-based decision-making for international and local partners. 
 

We are a small, rapidly growing team of eight, operating in a values- and impact-driven culture where each team member contributes beyond the boundaries of their formal role. As our project portfolio grows, we are looking for a Research and Projects Manager to take end-to-end ownership of a portfolio of projects. 

The Research and Projects Manager is a project leader. The postholder takes full project management authority over an assigned portfolio of DataQ’s active projects, leading them from inception through to closure. 
 

This is distinct from the Director of Research and Programs, who owns the R&P function as a whole: function-wide methodology standards, sector positioning, senior strategic client relationships, team-wide development, and the long-term direction of the function. The Manager applies and contributes to those standards on their projects, but the Director owns them at the function level. 
 

The Manager is also distinct from Senior Officers (L3), who lead smaller and more straightforward projects with their own PM authority. Managers and Senior Officers operate as complementary project leaders — distinguished by the seniority, complexity, and scale of the projects they lead, not by the nature of the work. 

As DataQ grows, the role is designed to scale: additional Managers may be appointed in time, each leading a distinct portfolio (for instance, organised by sector, client type, or geography).
 

How this role relates to others in the R&P function 

1. Key responsibilities :


Project leadership 

• Lead an assigned portfolio of active projects from inception through to closure, with full project management authority on each engagement. 
• Lead project inception, including workplans, milestones, deliverables, risk management plans, operations plans, and QA/QC plans for each project. 
• Oversee implementation, monitor progress against plans, and intervene early when risks to quality, timeline, or budget emerge. 
• Lead project closures, including closing reports, client feedback, and capturing lessons learned. 
• Allocate and coordinate Senior Officers, Officers, Assistants, and field teams within their assigned projects. 

Client engagement 

• Act as the senior client point of contact on assigned projects, leading technical and financial communication throughout the engagement. 
• Translate client needs into project plans and deliverables; manage expectations on scope, timeline, and budget. 
• Escalate strategic relationship matters, scope changes above 10%, and sensitive client issues to the Director of R&P. 
• Contribute to client feedback collection and references at the close of each project. 

Team leadership and mentorship 

• Support the project teams on assigned engagements, including workload allocation, performance feedback, and conflict resolution. 
• Mentor Senior Officers, Officers, and Assistants — supporting their growth, building their technical and project management skills, and helping them step into more senior roles over time. 
• Lead the recruitment and onboarding of project team members for assigned projects; contribute to senior hiring decisions led by the Director. 
• Contribute to the growth of DataQ’s research capacity through internal training and knowledge sharing. 
• Participate in team appraisals and contribute to performance feedback in collaboration with the Director and General Manager. 

Quality assurance and risk management 

• Ensure standard operating procedures (SOPs) are understood, followed, and improved upon across assigned projects. 
• Lead the implementation of QA/QC processes on data collection, analysis, and final deliverables for assigned projects. 
• Manage project-level risk — including security, reputational, delivery, and workload risks — and develop mitigation plans. 
• Contribute observations and lessons learned to the function-wide improvement of SOPs and methodologies led by the Director. 
• Approve emergency and developmental requests within agreed authority limits. 

Project finance oversight 

• Develop operational budgets and cash flow plans for small and medium projects under the Manager’s portfolio; recommend large project budgets to the Director and General Manager. 
• Review and clear project custody accounts on assigned projects; oversee invoicing and the closure of milestone payments. 
• Approve subcontractor and team payments within agreed authority limits. 
• Ensure accurate project finance records and contribute to project finance reporting. 

Business development and reporting 

• Lead the writing of technical proposals for medium and large bids, contribute to financial proposals and scoping conversations led by the Director and General Manager. 
• Contribute project-level inputs to the quarterly Project Management Office (PMO) report owned by the Director. 
• Produce closing reports for assigned projects and contribute to internal reporting and learning across the function. 
• Support identifying upcoming opportunities - funding cycles, tenders, and emerging client needs - and contribute these to DataQ's pipeline tracking. 
• Cultivate follow-on and referral opportunities from within assigned engagements, in coordination with the Director of R&P. 
• Initiate and participate in horizon and introductory meetings with prospective clients and partners. 
• Identify potential consortium partners, subcontractors, and collaborators that strengthen DataQ's ability to bid 
   

2. Reporting line :

The Research and Projects Manager reports primarily to the Director of Research and Programs.  

The Manager line-manages Senior Officers, Officers, and Assistants on their assigned projects. Reporting relationships within the team vary by project assignment and are confirmed at project inception. 

1. Required qualifications and experience 

Education 

• Master’s degree in social sciences, economics, statistics, development studies, or a related field.  
• MERL and PMP or equivalent certification preferred  

Experience 

• 6–10 years of experience in leading and managing research projects, with substantive exposure to both humanitarian and development sectors. 
• At least 2 years in a project leadership or management capacity, overseeing multidisciplinary teams. 
• Proven track record of at least 2 years delivering high-quality research outputs on time and on budget, across multiple concurrent projects. 
• Demonstrated experience designing research methodologies, leading qualitative and quantitative data analysis, and producing evidence-based reports that have informed programmatic or policy decisions tailored to the Sudanese context. 
• Strong background in client and stakeholder engagement, including managing relationships with international and local partners. 
• Experience aligning research outputs with organisational learning goals and supporting team capacity building. 
• Intimate knowledge of the Sudanese context and current conflict dynamics is strongly preferred. 

Technical skills 

• Proficient in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research design and analysis. 
• Hands-on experience with research and analysis software (e.g. SPSS, Stata, R, NVivo, ATLAS.ti, MAXQDA). 
• Familiarity with MERL frameworks and indicators. 
• Strong technical writing skills in English and Arabic. 
• Working knowledge of project budgeting, cash flow planning, and financial risk management. 
• Comfortable using project management and collaboration tools. 

2. Competencies and personal qualities:

Values alignment 

• Capacity for critical reflection on one’s own work and the broader sector. 
• Impact-driven and motivated by causes such as decolonisation, localisation, and locally led research. 
• High integrity and accountability. 
• Strong sense of community solidarity and authentic engagement with the contexts we work in. 
• People-centred and empathetic, with sound judgement on sensitive matters. 

Leadership 

• Confident managing stakeholders, teams, and partners across diverse contexts and cultures. 
• Able to act as a figurehead and spokesperson on projects with clients and partners. 
• Entrepreneurial mindset; takes initiative, identifies opportunities, and drives growth within their portfolio. 
• Strong conflict management and team alignment skills. 

Network and external presence 

• Established professional relationships within the humanitarian, development, peacebuilding, or market research ecosystem in Sudan or the wider region. 
• Willingness to build DataQ's institutional relationships rather than hold relationships personally. 

Soft skills 

• Growth mindset, curiosity, and active commitment to continuous learning. 
• Proactivity, reliability, and ownership of outcomes. 
• Adaptability and resilience in fast-paced, often-uncertain operating environments. 
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail. 
• Self-awareness, including awareness of personal strengths, gaps, and biases. 

3. Our approach to this role:

We consider this role to be open in scope. The responsibilities outlined above represent the core work that the Manager must lead, but we are genuinely interested in shaping how the position evolves around the right candidate. 

Where a candidate brings particular thematic expertise (such as gender, peace and conflict, governance, displacement, or markets), methodological specialisation (such as PAR, MERL, or quantitative analysis), or sector strengths, we welcome the opportunity to shape their portfolio in ways that draw on those strengths. Our philosophy is to find the right job for the right person, rather than forcing the right person into a fixed job description. 

Compensation and benefits:

Base salary in the range of USD 1,500 – 2,000 per month. The range reflects the seniority of the role and is calibrated to the experience and unique skills the candidate brings. In addition, the role offers the following benefits: 

• 30 days of paid leave per year 
• Overtime pay at 1.5x the standard rate 
• Location-based expense allowance of up to 50% 
• In addition to the above salary and benefits, eligible employees will be enrolled in a stock options plan. These provide the opportunity to become a shareholder in the company, with ownership earned gradually over a four-year period.

How to apply:

Please click on the Apply Now button below. For any questions regarding the role or the application process, please contact work@dataq-sd.com.

Please note that we won’t consider email applications, and we will only respond to questions.

Selection process: 

• Shortlisting based on relevant experience and responses to the application questions. 
• Culture and Technical tests for shortlisted candidates. 
• Panel Interviews with different members of our team. 
• Reference checks and a work sample review for finalists.