Manager - Research & Impact

Why this role exists : Sanjhi Sikhiya works with government primary schools and village communities across four districts in Punjab. We generate a lot of data from our programmes. This role exists to make that data count — by asking the right research questions, designing rigorous tools and studies, building the team's ability to use evidence, and communicating findings in ways that strengthen programme design and influence decision-makers at the district and state level. What you will own 1. Research Design and Studies • Identify research questions and evidence gaps using programme data across programmes ie. School, Village, Youth Leadership, STEM programmes • Design study methodologies — action research, ethnographic studies, pre-post, quasi- experimental, longitudinal, and mixed methods • Handle sampling, basic descriptive analysis, and where relevant, inferential statistical tests • Design qualitative and quantitative tools — with strong understanding of question design principles (leading vs non-leading, social desirability bias, etc.) • Write up findings as research briefs, working papers, and reports that are clear and usable by programme teams and external audiences 2. M&E Systems and Tools • Design and maintain M&E frameworks and LFAs across programmes • Understand Theory of Change and support programme teams in designing and articulating TOC • Design and regularly update monitoring tools — assessment forms, observation forms, facilitation rubrics, maturity matrices • Ensure data collected through Kobo and other systems is clean, complete, and usable • Work with large datasets using Excel, R, Python, or STATA 3. Data Capacity Building and Usage • Train programme teams on how to interpret, analyse, and use data for planning and reflection • Facilitate data review sessions in monthly and quarterly meetings • Observe field processes and learning sessions and share structured feedback to district and state teams • Support teams to move from data collection to data-informed decision making 4. Support in Evidence Communication and Advocacy • Prepare and present findings to district officials, DIET, and state-level stakeholders and enable Sanjhi Sikhiya’s district/state teams to take this further • Use data for liaisoning and advocacy — making the case for programme approaches with evidence • Support in producing knowledge products — case studies, impact briefs, infographics, articles — for external dissemination • Manage research partnerships and coordinate with external organisations and evaluators What we are looking for Skills and experience • 5–6 years of experience in M&E, research, or impact roles in the social sector • Strong foundation in research methodology — both quantitative and qualitative • Hands-on experience with statistical tools — at minimum Excel; ideally R, STATA, or Python • Experience designing monitoring tools, assessments, and qualitative study instruments • Ability to design and implement M&E frameworks and LFAs • Understanding of TOC and programme design concepts • Clear, structured writing — can synthesise findings and write reports, briefs, and articles • Comfortable presenting data to non-technical audiences including officials and community members • Experience working with DIET, district officials, or state education departments is preferred • Familiarity with data collection platforms like Kobo, ODK, or similar tools Who you are • You ask why before asking how — you want to understand what a piece of evidence is for before designing it • You can hold rigour and practicality together — you know when good enough is good enough and when it is not • You communicate findings in plain language — you do not hide behind jargon • You are comfortable working in ambiguity and with evolving programme designs • You care about ground reality — you want to see how data is actually used, not just collected Who you work with most • R&I Lead — weekly check-ins, research planning, and quality review of outputs • Programme and Design Teams (LP, GP, Scale, PYLP, STEM) — tool design, data review sessions, feedback on design decisions • District and State Teams — sharing findings, capacity building on data interpretation • External Partners — DIET officials, research organisations, implementation partners About Sanjhi Sikhiya Foundation Sanjhi Sikhiya Foundation works with government primary schools and village communities in Punjab, India — across four districts: Patiala, Bathinda, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Ropar. We work on improving learning outcomes through a combination of classroom support, community governance, and leadership development of young people. We are a small, values-driven team and we take our culture seriously. Our core values are Compassion, Collaboration, Curiosity & Continuous Learning, Awareness, and Grit & Resilience. We look for these not just in the work but in how people show up every day. Other deatils : Location : Mohali Slalary band : ₹6.5 –7.75 LPA