At Saturday Art Class (SArC), we believe that every child deserves the tools to imagine, express, and grow. Saturday Art Class is a non-profit organization that provides visual arts and social-emotional learning (SEL) education to children from low-income communities in India. By creating safe spaces for students to express themselves, we help them build essential skills to thrive during their formative years.
Since 2016, our programs have directly impacted 190000+ students till date. SArC’s journey has been powered by educators, artists, learners, and changemakers who believe in the transformative power of art. Join us as we continue to make creativity a right, not a privilege, for every child, everywhere.
About Manager, Research and Impact:
The Manager – Research & Impact will lead the organization’s research strategy, monitoring & evaluation (M&E) systems, and knowledge-building efforts.
This is a leadership role that goes beyond managing data. It involves shaping how SArC understands and demonstrates the role of visual arts in social-emotional learning, while building rigorous, scalable systems across programs. You will work closely with program, leadership, and external stakeholders to ensure that collected data is used meaningfully to inform decisions, strengthen programs, and contribute to the broader education ecosystem.
Roles and responsibilities:
Research Strategy & Design
- Lead development of research frameworks aligned with organizational priorities
- Design rigorous studies (quasi-experimental, longitudinal, mixed-methods) based on the program needs.
- Lead the identification and development of research questions on arts-based learning, spanning student outcomes, teacher practice, and system-level integration.
- Ensure research is grounded in on-ground realities while contributing to broader sector knowledge
Monitoring & Evaluation Systems
- Lead the design and refinement of SArC’s M&E frameworks aligned with the organization’s Theory of Change
- Build and strengthen M&E systems across curriculum, training, partnerships, and technology verticals
- Collaborate closely with the tech team to leverage the WhatsApp chatbot (Art Connect) for data collection, tracking educator engagement, and generating actionable insights
- Define key indicators, tools, and data collection processes across programs
- Ensure data quality, consistency, and usability across different contexts and geographies
Program-Linked Research & Model School
- Oversee and manage SArC’s model school (Art Labs in Mumbai) as a space for deep, practice-based research and learning
- Work closely with the Art Labs Associate to strengthen classroom implementation for Grades 1–8. Design and implement tools for in-depth student data collection (engagement, expression, SEL)
- Use the model school as a testing ground for Curriculum and pedagogy refinement and for design of new research tools and approaches
- Translate learnings from the model school into insights for program and system-level improvement
Data, Learning & Dissemination
- Lead analysis and synthesis of data into clear, actionable insights for program teams
- Ensure regular learning and reflection spaces where data informs program design and classroom practice
- Oversee the creation of Impact reports and Partner reports, Research outputs (reports, briefs, blogs)
- Translate data into stories, narratives, and knowledge products
- Contribute to dissemination through publications, conferences, and knowledge-sharing platforms
External Engagement & Partnerships
- Engage with external stakeholders including research partners, academic institutions, evaluators, and funders
- Build and manage academic research partnerships to strengthen the rigor and credibility of SArC’s research
- Support and manage third-party evaluations where required
- Represent SArC in relevant research, education, and policy spaces within the ecosystem
Team Management & Capacity Building
- Manage and mentor the Research & Impact team (Senior Associates/Associates)
- Build team capacity in Research design, Data collection and analysis and Fieldwork quality
- Create systems and processes that enable consistent, high-quality data and learning across programs
Qualifications & Experience:
- Undergraduate or Master’s degree in development studies, public policy, education, social sciences, economics, or related fields
- 5–6 years of experience in Monitoring & Evaluation, research, or impact assessment (education sector preferred)
- Strong experience in designing and managing research studies (qualitative and quantitative)
- Experience managing projects and/or teams
- Strong data analysis skills (Excel required; familiarity with tools like R/SPSS/Stata is an advantage)
- Experience working in school systems, NGOs, or government partnerships is preferred
Skills and Mindset:
- Research & Systems Thinking: Ability to design and lead research that connects classroom practice to system-level insights and scale
- Data & Analysis: Strong ability to manage, analyze, and interpret complex datasets into meaningful insights
- Team Leadership: Ability to manage teams, build capacity, and create ownership
- Communication: Skilled at translating data into clear narratives for different audiences (program teams, funders, partners)
- Field Orientation & Adaptability: Comfortable working across diverse contexts, with a willingness to travel and engage deeply with stakeholders
Other Details
Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra/ Hybrid.
Compensation: 6.0-7.0 LPA
