About SoCha  

SoCha is an international monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) firm that delivers evidence-driven insights to help development and humanitarian actors make adaptive, impactful decisions. We bring experience from diverse regional contexts, including fragile and conflict-affected environments, combining technical rigour, trusted local partnerships, and innovative approaches to address complex challenges. Our expertise spans third-party monitoring, mixed-methods and complexity-aware evaluations, systems strengthening, and capacity-building, ensuring that programmes remain responsive to local realities and deliver meaningful results for vulnerable populations. Guided by principles of inclusion, equity, and learning, SoCha partners with donors, UN agencies, and implementing organizations to improve outcomes and maximize impact.

Background  

SoCha is currently bidding to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) to deliver the Verification and Technical Assurance Programme-Ukraine (VERITAS-UKR). This flagship programme will provide demand-led independent third-party monitoring (TPM) and portfolio-level evidence services across FCDO’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) portfolio in Ukraine. The programme will also pilot an innovative Civil Society Organization (CSO)-led monitoring model, designed to strengthen accountability and ensure aid is responsive to the needs of Ukrainians.

As part of our proposed team, SoCha is recruiting a Qualitative Analyst. Working under the Portfolio Evidence Lead, this role will lead qualitative research components, synthesise qualitative findings across work tasks, ensure high-quality narrative and thematic analysis, and feed insights into cross-portfolio evidence products. This role is central to ensuring that the evidence generated under the evidence-focused workstream is rich, contextually grounded, and informs policy, programme design, and improvements.

This position is contingent on contract award and is expected to commence on or around 30 November 2025.

Responsibilities

1. Design and conduct qualitative research studies as commissioned under project tasking orders, including in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, case studies, and field visits;
2. Work with the Portfolio Evidence Lead to develop qualitative data collection tools (interview guides, FGDs protocols) that are culturally and contextually appropriate;
3. Lead qualitative data collection (or supervise/mentor those collecting data) ensuring ethical standards, safeguarding, and do-no-harm principles;
4. Ensure data quality through transcription, translation (as needed), coding, thematic analysis, triangulation with quantitative data, and using software tools (e.g., NVivo, Atlas.ti) as required;
5. Synthesize qualitative findings across projects to feed into portfolio-level evidence products: comparative analyses, narrative reports, policy briefs, and recommendations;
6. Identify emerging issues, lessons, and gaps from qualitative data and coordinate with TPM and CSO streams to integrate qualitative insights;
7. Work with data teams to integrate qualitative findings with quantitative indicators and TPM results;
8. Contribute to dissemination of evidence: prepare and present findings, contribute to workshops/learning events, and help shape messaging and narrative framing;
9. Maintain ethical and safeguarding compliance in qualitative research, including confidentiality, informed consent, and sensitivity to conflict and trauma;
10. Produce regular progress updates (quarterly) and a final qualitative evidence report, including recommendations for future qualitative work under the programme.

Qualifications and Experience

1. Education: Advanced degree (Master’s or equivalent) in social sciences, anthropology, sociology, qualitative or mixed-methods research, public policy, development studies, or related field;
2. Professional Experience: Demonstrated experience designing and implementing qualitative or mixed-methods research in development/humanitarian settings;
3. Technical Expertise: Strong experience with qualitative methods (interviews, FGDs, case studies, ethnographic observation), thematic coding, software-assisted analysis, and integrating qualitative insights with quantitative data;
4. Contextual Knowledge: Deep understanding of Ukraine’s socio-political, humanitarian, displacement, governance contexts; familiarity with local languages and cultural norms;
5. Languages: Fluency in Ukrainian (required) and professional proficiency in English (written and spoken);
6. Analytical & Communication Skills: Excellent ability to extract insights, produce narrative reports, write clearly, synthesize themes, present to stakeholders;
7. Ethics & Safeguarding: Experience working under challenging/humanitarian or conflict conditions with strong ethical rigour and care for participant wellbeing;
8. Adaptability & Innovation: Capacity to work flexibly, adapt tools/design based on field realities, propose new qualitative approaches or instruments when needed.

How to apply

To submit your application, kindly provide your CV using the form provided below. 

To apply before 26 September 2025.