JOB DESCRIPTION
GENERIC INFORMATION
1. JOB TITLE
Research Specialist
2. DEPARTMENT
Research and Knowledge Management
3. REPORTING TO
Executive Director
JOB DETAILS
Purpose
The Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa (CAHF) is a non-profit organisation established in 2014 by the FinMark
Trust. The CAHF has grown out of FinMark Trust’s housing finance theme area, which was started in 2003, and which it
continues to serve.
The vision of CAHF is an enabled affordable housing finance system in countries throughout Africa, where governments,
business, and practitioners work together to provide a wide range of housing options accessible to all. CAHF’s mission is to
make Africa’s housing finance markets work, with special attention on access to housing finance for the poor. We pursue this
mission through the dissemination of research and market intelligence, supporting cross-sector collaborations and a marketbased approach. The overall goal of our work is to see an increase of investment in affordable housing and housing finance
throughout Africa: more players and better products, with a specific focus on the poor.
The Research Specialist will support the growth and development of CAHF’s knowledge platform, emphasizing the research
contribution to CAHF’s four themes (1. Understanding housing markets; 2. Monitoring housing sector performance; 3.
Exploring innovation in housing finance; and 4. Supporting market development). In this, the Research Specialist will need to
keep abreast of all of the activity within CAHF, and to develop mechanisms to improve the research programme and
disseminate its outputs effectively and strategically.
The Research Specialist will participate as member of the CAHF team. While reporting to and providing support to the
Executive Director, the Research Specialist will also support the research and knowledge platform needs of other staff
members, providing the link between divisions and themes that divisional leaders may overlook. The work includes but is not
limited to research and knowledge management, communication and correspondence, and administration. Over time, it is
possible that the Research Specialist may grow to become the Manager of the Research and Knowledge Management
Division.
Key Result Areas
Participate as a
member of the
CAHF team
Outputs
Participate in CAHF Strategy development

Participate in processes that lead to the development of CAHF annual strategy

Report on key issues arising in the environment that might influence overall CAHF strategy and
approach, as required

Feedback market insights to CAHF strategic development process, specifically identifying research
or products that CAHF might develop and offer to further its mission and goals in the market.
Provide Research Support to CAHF team

Review new research and refer (if relevant) to CAHF staff, Researchers / Service Providers

Through research, identify gaps and aligned opportunities for CAHF and the various themes,
programmes and projects in which it is engaged, and present hypothesis / ideas to team members
as relevant

Prepare draft PowerPoint presentations and other dissemination material as required or as
requested by other members of the CAHF team

Edit content, grammar and formatting of research documents within SLA and by deadlines
Key Result Areas
Research &
Knowledge
Management
Outputs
Research scoping and administration

Conduct initial literature reviews on identified research topics (as per strategy plan)

Receive brief and draft research Terms of References (TOR) and initial research scope

Issue RFPs, gather TOR responses, and manage administration through the procurement process

Manage implementation of specific research projects, ensuring quality and value for money
Ongoing Sector Monitoring

Stay abreast of developments in the housing finance sector across Africa and identify relevance for
CAHF work

Review sector newsletters for developments and collect these by country or by theme for inclusion
in the CAHF Yearbook

Review local and international media (news, social, academic, etc.) daily and identify issues for
communication or attention

Track the performance of specific stakeholders in the sector and report this internally

Monitor and gather new research conducted on ongoing research topics

Identify areas of opportunity for CAHF engagement and present to Executive Director

Maintain knowledge of housing and finance industries and communicate this within the CAHF team

Identify potential opportunities and risks that may impact on CAHF due to current and changing
housing and finance environmental factors and influences
Knowledge Management

Develop and implement a research knowledge management structure, using the CAHF website as a
key instrument for dissemination, but establishing and maintaining an internal system as well

Implement a research knowledge management framework that manages people, process and
technology knowledge retention and communicate to all staff

Manage the collection, capturing of and access to research knowledge, ensuring security,
completeness and accuracy

Identify areas within research where knowledge is managed in a high risk manner and implement
mitigation systems and structures
Communication Plan

Develop the Annual CAHF communication plan with input from CAHF team

Identify, propose and test innovative communication methods, drawing on social media, data
visualisation, and other techniques

Implement, update and track communication plan progress
Communication
and
Correspondence
Administration
Communication and Correspondence

Draft, update and distribute approved research communication including but not limited to
website, newsletters, blog, twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, CAHF and AUHF newsletters etc.

Respond to comment or feedback received from distributed research communication

Receive all research correspondence and calls and respond promptly, either directly or through the
relevant manager or director

Draft research summaries, press releases and other dissemination documents / materials

Draft presentations and collate / prepare supporting document packs to standard and by deadline

Identify speaking opportunities for CAHF staff, or dissemination opportunities for research, findings,
advocacy points, etc.

Provide general filing and administrative support

Develop a research documentation storage framework and implement across team

Store research so that it is easily and quickly accessible yet secure

Access filed research documents as and when required
2
REQUIREMENTS
Qualifications


Minimum Honors graduate in related field
High level of proficiency in MS Office Programmes



Experience
Research experience in related field required
1 year experience in related field
Experience with diverse forms of social media
ATTRIBUTES






Proactive and assertive
Driven to learn
EXCELLENT WRITING SKILLS
Able to gather information from various sources to ensure valuable documents/ research / communication is
created
Assimilates and retains information and uses when required
Able to process information and use to come to applicable conclusions
3