Senior Research Officer

Job Description

Title: Senior Research Officer

Company Name: Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST)

Vacancy: 1

Age: 30 to 45 years

Job Location: Dhaka

Salary: Negotiable

Experience:

• At least 3 years

• Master of Law (LLM) in Law

• At least 3 years

• Age 30 to 45 years

Position Overview:

The Senior Research Officer is responsible for leading and coordinating legal research initiatives, managing the organization's fellowship program, and contributing to resource mobilization and program development under FREED project. The position will maintain strong relationships with the other clusters and departments of BLAST and outside stakeholders whenever necessary.

Key Responsibilities:

Research work:

·       Provide analytical support to the FREED projects by closely working with the Legal Specialist.

·       Lead and conduct legal research focusing on journalists' right to freedom of expression and digital rights to support the organization's advocacy efforts and service provision.

·       Produce an annual research plan, reviewing event reports, recommendations, and policy gaps, develop research outline, methodology, and different tools.

·       Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to gather data, evidence, and best practices for research projects.

·       Analysis of the collected data and legal provisions to determine the findings and develop research report.

·       Preparation and dissemination of research findings and reports for internal and external use in research-sharing sessions.

·       Work closely with all cluster/department advisors, communication, programme and legal department to develop new research topics and devote resources to conduct research as per guidance.

·       Analyze legal issues, statutes, case law, and policy documents to inform policy recommendations and strategic interventions.

·       Hire and manage consultants to develop policy briefs and position papers on key legal and social justice issues.

·       Work closely with the Director, Programme in the development of various terms of reference, and concept notes, including the development of annual programme objectives and plans.

·       Support the recruitment of consultants/researchers, including assisting with drafting requests for proposals (RFPs), Terms of References (ToRs), and Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs).

·       Coordinate the review and dissemination of policy briefs to relevant stakeholders, including policymakers, advocacy groups, and the public

·       Arrange and coordinate relevant workshops and additional events to support the objective of the research.

Fellowship Program Management:

·       Design, implement, and oversee the Media Fellowship program for conducting community-based socio-legal research.

·       Recruit, train, and mentor fellows to ensure high-quality research outputs and community engagement.

·       Facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing among fellows, staff, and partner organizations.

Internship Management:

·       Manage the recruitment, selection, and onboarding of national and international interns.

·       Oversee the intern's engagement, guide, and support to national interns throughout their placement.

·       Coordinate with relevant departments to ensure interns' tasks align with organizational priorities and learning objectives.

Reporting and Documentation:

·       Provide support in reviewing periodical reports (i.e., quarter, annual, and half-yearly reports) of any projects.

·       Develop research reports of the project, where the research is the component of the project.

·       Reviewing research proposals, inception reports, methodology, data collection tools and research reports from fellows and consultants.

·       Write articles for blogs/newspapers/journals about various issues of social justice and inclusion, economic justice, gender justice and climate justice and take the lead to publish.

Resource Mobilization and Program Development:

·       Contribute to the development of funding proposals, concept notes, and project plans to secure funding for new initiatives.

·       Engage with donors, partners, and stakeholders to identify funding opportunities and strategic partnerships.

·       Support the Executive Team in tracking the implementation of programs across clusters and departments.

Internal Coordination and Collaboration:

·       Facilitate communication and collaboration between different departments, clusters, and teams within the organization.

·       Coordinate meetings, workshops, and events to promote knowledge sharing and synergy among staff members.

·       Assist with the development and implementation of organizational policies, procedures, and strategies.

·       Communicate management decisions and instructions to relevant teams and stakeholders during emergencies.

·       Work as a coordinator for BLAST's young writers' forum, supporting young authors in writing blogs and articles for the BLAST blog and newspaper.

Other Tasks:  

·       Performing any other duties as and when required by the BLAST management and in line with BLAST’s mission and vision.