Job at SYDANI GROUP in Abuja
JOB ALERT
SYDANI GROUP RECRUITMENT
POSITION: HEAD, SYDANI INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION SIRI
LOCATION: ABUJA, NIGERIA
TRAVEL: REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL AS REQUIRED
EMPLOYMENT TYPE: FULL-TIME
APPLICATION DEADLINE: NOT SPECIFIED
ABOUT SYDANI GROUP
Sydani Initiative for International Development is a management consulting and advisory firm based in Abuja, Nigeria. The organisation works across international development, public-sector transformation, systems strengthening, institutional reform, and donor-funded programme delivery.
Sydani Group designs, deploys, monitors, and evaluates impactful programmes and interventions aimed at improving health and social sectors in Nigeria and globally.
ABOUT SIRI
As part of its strategic growth agenda, Sydani Group is strengthening the Sydani Institute for Research and Innovation SIRI and transitioning it from a project-driven research unit into a recognised and independent research and innovation institution.
SIRI is being developed with its own intellectual identity, research portfolio, partnerships, funding base, systems, talent pipeline, and reputation.
Sydani Group is therefore seeking an experienced research and institutional leader to lead SIRI as a high-performing and financially sustainable research and innovation entity within the Group.
JOB PURPOSE
The Head, SIRI will serve as the most senior leader responsible for the Institute’s strategy, growth, research excellence, and overall management.
This is a high-autonomy executive position. Within Sydani Group’s strategic, financial, and governance framework, the successful candidate will have responsibility for day-to-day operations, organisational structure, recruitment, research priorities, partnerships, business development, resource allocation, and external representation.
The role will work with the Partner, who provides strategic oversight and governance rather than routine operational management.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- INSTITUTIONAL STRATEGY AND BUILDING
Develop and lead SIRI’s 3–5 year institutional strategy and annual plans.
Build the structures, systems, governance processes, and institutional identity required for SIRI to operate effectively and scale.
Establish a functional organisational and governance structure for the Institute.
- RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION
Set SIRI’s research agenda and oversee portfolio quality, methodological rigour, and research governance.
Ensure research is translated into policy-relevant and practical knowledge products.
Build a research-to-practice pipeline involving digital tools, models, solutions, and potentially commercialisable intellectual property.
Establish and maintain research quality assurance and ethical compliance frameworks.
- BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND RESOURCE MOBISATION
Build a diversified funding pipeline across grants, commissioned research, consulting, training, and intellectual property.
Lead proposal development, strategic partnerships, and funder relationships.
Develop and implement a resource mobilisation strategy to sustain and grow the Institute.
- FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Oversee budgets, pricing, margins, cost recovery, and financial controls within Sydani Group’s governance framework.
Develop a sustainable financial model for the Institute.
- PEOPLE AND TALENT LEADERSHIP
Develop and lead SIRI’s workforce strategy.
Recruit, develop, and retain a multidisciplinary research team.
Build a high-performing core Institute team and leadership pipeline.
- PARTNERSHIPS AND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Represent SIRI externally with government institutions, development partners, universities, foundations, private-sector organisations, and other relevant stakeholders.
Publish research and contribute to sector conversations.
Build SIRI’s intellectual brand, visibility, and reputation.
- QUALITY, ETHICS AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Uphold research integrity and ethical compliance across the Institute’s portfolio.
Ensure research findings are transformed into accessible, practical, and usable knowledge products.
KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
INTERNAL
Partner and Group Leadership, Sydani Consulting, Texis, SIID, Finance, HR and Operations, Communications, and Business Development teams.
EXTERNAL
Government institutions, development partners and donors, universities and research institutions, foundations, private-sector organisations, policy networks, and civil-society organisations.
KEY SUCCESS MEASURES
FIRST 12 MONTHS
A defined SIRI institutional strategy and functional organisational and governance structure.
A clear research and innovation priority agenda.
A diversified research and funding pipeline.
A core portfolio of strategic research projects.
A resource mobilisation strategy.
A sustainable institutional financial model.
A high-performing core Institute team.
A research quality assurance framework.
A visible thought leadership platform.
LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE DIMENSIONS
Institutional growth through portfolio expansion, strategic partnerships, revenue and funding growth, and reputation.
Research excellence through project quality, publications, completion, research uptake, and utilisation.
Resource mobilisation through grants secured, funding pipeline growth, and funder diversification.
Impact through policies influenced, solutions adopted, and measurable development outcomes.
People and culture through staff retention, engagement, and leadership development.
Financial sustainability through revenue growth, budget performance, and cost recovery.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
EDUCATION
Master’s degree or PhD in Research, Public Health, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Economics, Data Science, Policy, or a related field.
A PhD is strongly preferred for this research-intensive leadership position.
EXPERIENCE
12–15+ years of progressive experience in research, development, consulting, policy, or academia.
At least 7 years of experience in senior leadership or institutional management.
Demonstrated experience in grant acquisition and donor partnerships.
Proven experience managing multidisciplinary teams and budgets.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Strategic leadership and long-term institutional vision.
Institutional building and organisational development.
People leadership, talent development, and team management.
Strong research methodology, evidence generation, analysis, and interpretation skills.
Thought leadership and ability to contribute to sector-wide conversations.
Business and commercial acumen.
Resource mobilisation and funding development.
Partnership management across government, academia, donors, and industry.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Not specified.
METHOD OF APPLICATION
Interested and qualified candidates should submit their applications through the official Sydani Group application portal:
