Senior Research Manager
Lead Exposure Elimination Project
📍Remote (Global) 🕔 Full Time ⏳ 06/04/2025
This is a rare opportunity to take a leading role in shaping LEEP’s future interventions. As the first Senior Research Manager at LEEP, you will play a key role in identifying, designing, and testing new strategies to eliminate lead exposure worldwide. You’ll work closely with the Director of Research and Strategy, building on LEEP’s success in lead paint elimination to explore and develop solutions for other major sources of lead poisoning such as spices and cosmetics.
This role is not just about managing research—it’s about figuring out what works. You will combine rigorous research with creative problem-solving to uncover high-impact interventions, working at the intersection of data, policy, and real-world implementation. You’ll design research strategies, run field studies, and synthesize insights that will directly shape LEEP’s expansion into new areas.
Since this is a newly created role, the Senior Research Manager will likely be hands-on in conducting fieldwork and managing research directly before additional staff are hired. This means overseeing data collection, engaging with government stakeholders, and solving logistical challenges in the early phases of new projects. Over time, the role will evolve into more of a management position as the research team expands.
The position’s location is flexible and you should enjoy international travel, as you will lead research activities in diverse contexts. This includes working closely with policymakers, advising on how to tailor evidence for different industry and government audiences, and fostering relationships to ensure research translates into effective lead exposure elimination policies.
You’ll be stepping into a high-growth, fast-moving environment where flexibility, initiative, and a passion for solving complex global health challenges are key.
Key Responsibilities
Developing & Testing New Interventions (50%)
Design and oversee field studies, pilots, and data collection to assess the potential impact in addressing different sources of lead exposure and test intervention feasibility.
Interpret research findings to refine intervention strategies and guide decision-making.
Engage with policymakers and industry stakeholders to ensure research is actionable and drives real-world policy change.
Hands-on involvement in early research phases, including setting up studies, hiring and training field teams, and troubleshooting field logistics.
Leading Research Strategy & Execution (30%)
Use research findings across projects and refine impact models to inform LEEP’s allocation of resources across sources and locations.
Develop and implement research strategies to maximize impact, by balancing methodological rigor with practical constraints.
Develop protocols to ensure high-quality data collection, analysis, and synthesis across research projects.
Oversee research associates and partners to ensure consistency and quality in data collection.
Collaboration & Organizational Growth (20%)
Work closely with senior leadership to align research with LEEP’s strategic goals.
Contribute to scaling LEEP’s impact by refining research processes and identifying key partnerships.
Engage with funders, policymakers, and global health experts to communicate findings and shape policy.
Support hiring and onboarding of new research staff as the team expands.
Who We’re Looking For
Must-Have Skills & Experience
Strategic decision-making: Ability to set priorities, allocate resources, and make informed choices that balance ambitious goals with feasibility.
Strong quantitative research skills, including expertise in designing and implementing field data collection, advanced statistical analysis, and evaluating interventions using empirical causal inference methods.
Entrepreneurial mindset: Comfortable navigating uncertainty, generating new ideas, and making things happen.
Experience conducting policy-relevant research and translating findings into actionable recommendations.
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to balance rigor with real-world implementation.
Comfort working in fast-moving, unstructured environments.
Ability to build relationships with government officials, industry leaders, and researchers.
Excellent communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex information clearly.
Willingness to be hands-on in early project phases, including fieldwork, data collection oversight, and logistics management.
Experience working in and willingness to travel to low- and middle-income countries 8 to 12 weeks a year.
Preferred but Not Required
Familiarity with public health, environmental health, or policy research.
Proficiency in additional languages (Hindi, French, Spanish, Portuguese etc.)
Work Environment
Our culture is one of genuine care for each other and passion for our work and its impact. We are a team that values collaboration, openness, and mutual support, which creates an environment where everyone can thrive while contributing to meaningful work. Though we are a remote team, we are supportive and close-knit. We stay connected through weekly team calls and 1:1 calls, where we have conversations about both non-work and work topics; we regularly share photos and celebrate milestones and successes in our Slack; and we come together annually for an in-person retreat to strengthen relationships and reflect on our mission.
Our team of 19 people is based across five continents and speaks over 10 languages. We have diverse expertise, from medicine to environmental health to international law.
Our work schedule is flexible. Some of the team work 9-5:30, and some adjust their daily schedule around school pick-up. We value work-life balance and rarely contact the team members outside their work hours.
LEEP offers:
A chance to have a very large positive impact on the world
33 days of paid leave
Generous sick leave and parental leave policies
4% pension contribution or equivalent salary match
How to Apply
Later stages of the application process will consist of a variety of interviews, work tasks, and assessments. If you have any questions about the position or the application process, please email hiring@leadelimination.org.
LEEP is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, colour, gender, national origin, ethnicity, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other protected characteristic.
