Organization overview

A leading local policy research and consultancy firm based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, is seeking to recruit a highly qualified Principal Research Consultant, who will also serve as Technical Director, to join its dynamic team.

This senior role offers an opportunity to contribute to impactful research and advisory projects across economic development, trade, and policy reviews. The firm invites experienced professionals with a proven track record in economic policy research, consultancy delivery, and stakeholder engagement to apply and be part of its mission to drive evidence-based solutions for sustainable development.

Role overview

As a Principal Research Consultant/Technical Director, the successful candidate will lead business development, strategic engagement, and delivery for research, advisory, and consulting projects across various economic and development policy domains.

The role will involve overseeing teams of analysts and consultants while ensuring the delivery of rigorous, data-driven insights that support client needs and decision-making.

The position requires a strong balance of:

• Subject-matter expertise
• Strategic thinking
• Results-oriented business mindset
• Strong research and consultancy delivery skills
• Effective stakeholder engagement

Key responsibilities and functions

The successful candidate will be responsible for the following duties:

• Lead business development initiatives to grow the portfolio of projects, including strategic sourcing and engagement mapping.
• Design and oversee the timely delivery of economic and development policy research projects.
• Ensure methodological rigor and policy or practical relevance in all research and consultancy assignments.
• Prepare and present high-quality reports, policy briefs, and presentations for diverse audiences.
• Mentor, guide, and oversee junior professionals in the research and consultancy industry.
• Foster a culture of excellence and innovation within project teams.

Qualifications and experience

The ideal candidate should have the following qualifications and experience:

• A Master’s degree or PhD in Economics, Public Policy, or a related field.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in economic policy research and/or advisory services.
• Proven record of success in project delivery.
• Strong knowledge of economic modeling, policy analysis, and quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in key statistical tools such as STATA, R, or Python.
• Proficiency in data visualization tools.
• Experience engaging with government bodies, international organizations, or private sector clients.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to present complex concepts clearly to non-specialist audiences.

• Lead business development initiatives to grow the portfolio of projects, including strategic sourcing and engagement mapping.
• Design and oversee the timely delivery of economic and development policy research projects.
• Ensure methodological rigor and policy or practical relevance in all research and consultancy assignments.
• Prepare and present high-quality reports, policy briefs, and presentations for diverse audiences.
• Mentor, guide, and oversee junior professionals in the research and consultancy industry.
• Foster a culture of excellence and innovation within project teams.

• Subject-matter expertise
• Strategic thinking
• Results-oriented business mindset
• Strong research and consultancy delivery skills
• Effective stakeholder engagement
• Strong knowledge of economic modeling, policy analysis, and quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in key statistical tools such as STATA, R, or Python.
• Proficiency in data visualization tools.
• Experience engaging with government bodies, international organizations, or private sector clients.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to present complex concepts clearly to non-specialist audiences.

• A Master’s degree or PhD in Economics, Public Policy, or a related field.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in economic policy research and/or advisory services.
• Proven record of success in project delivery.