Research Associates/Affiliates

About the position
The New Frontier Institute is planning to implement a range of research, policy and capacity
building projects on critical regional and county-specific challenges and opportunities. As the
Institute is building its in-house staff as well as other external experts, we seek to attract and
retain people whose education, talents and commitment are most relevant to the Institute’s
strategic growth, and we endeavour to provide our staff with best opportunities for personal
and professional enhancement within a supportive and stimulating company culture.
NFI’s in-house staff are divided along specific socio-economic, political, and development
areas and are consequently grouped into multiple thematic areas – governance, peace and
security studies, environment and climate change and social-economics development and
trade. This covers all technical aspects related to work outputs, outcomes and impacts to be
achieved. Big and complex projects and assignment need identifying, mobilizing and fielding
a significant number of short-term experts.
To this end, The Institute is pleased to invite Research Associates to join its pool of dedicated,
multidisciplinary, and dynamic experts deeply committed to driving positive change in
Northern Kenya. The Experts will be affiliated with the organization and provide specialized
support on an on-call basis and will be involved in the implementation of both on-going
projects as well as in the design and acquisition of new projects. The successful diverse pool of
Research Associates will under take the following responsibilities.
Key Responsibilities
• Act as thematic lead on one of NFI’s technical area of responsibility and provide expert
guidance and technical services,
• Lead research design and implementation of research projects,
• Lead or contribute to development, publication and dissemination of research findings to
relevant audiences on the technical area of responsibility,
• Attend and support facilitation and presentation events, webinars, meetings, forum
convened to discuss topics relevant to technical area of practice and provide technical
expert inputs
Qualification and Skills:
The following qualifications and skills are required to be part of NFI’s pool of Research
Experts:
• Hold a master’s degree or PhD in a relevant social science discipline.
• At least 10 years of experience in research and development in Kenya and Horn of Africa
countries on governance, peace and security study, environment and climate change and
pastoralism and livestock supply chain.
• An understanding of local political, economic and social context of Northern Kenya is an
advantage.
• A track record in proposal writing and fundraising and commitment to a culture of
learning and innovation.
• Experience in promoting public engagement in research, education and policy and
building capacity and collaborative networks of researchers and research institutions.
• A track record in resource mobilisation and an ability to nurture donor relations.
• Demonstrated experience working in fragile and insecure contexts is an advantage.
Terms of Engagement
• Research Associates will be part of the Institute’s pool of Research Experts, not as fulltime employees but as affiliated professionals.
• Engagement will be project-based and aligned with specific research assignments or
thematic areas relevant to the Associate's expertise.
• Each engagement will be formalized through a Research Associate Contract detailing
terms of reference, deliverables, timelines, and agreed compensation.
• All research products, outputs, and intellectual property developed by the Research
Associate during the engagement will be the sole property of the Institute.
• Associates are required to maintain the confidentiality of all Institute-related
information during and after the engagement.
• Compensation and payment terms and conditions will be agreed upon for each
assignment and outlined in the Research Associate Contract.