James Downes
Alaró
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
4
4
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work history
Managing Director
Jouri Research and Consulting
Geneva, Switzerland (Remote)
07.2024 - Current
- Provide leadership to leading company engaged in strategic research, monitoring, and evaluation projects in conflict and emergency settings across 12+ countries in the MENA region, Europe, and Africa.
- Coordinate a geographically dispersed, multicultural team across multiple time zones, managing 10+ core team members, 100+ consultants, and 25+ partner organisations.
- Successfully manage and deliver research, monitoring, and evaluation projects, overseeing a diverse portfolio of 10+ projects across sectors such as education, livelihoods, child protection, WASH, MPCA, and health.
- Oversee the design and execution of research, monitoring, and evaluation projects and deliverables, ensuring adherence to MEAL best practices and maintaining the highest standards of quality assurance throughout.
- Direct business development efforts to expand Jouri's portfolio, establishing and maintaining strategic partnerships, strengthening Jouri's presence in key markets, and enhancing project acquisition.
- Drive Jouri's strategic vision by adapting to shifts in humanitarian trends and donor priorities, successfully securing long-term donor-funded projects.
Executive Committee Member (Grants Lead)
Zamda Ireland
Kabwe, Zambia (Remote)
06.2024 - Current
- Led multisectoral grant procurement, securing funding from a diverse range of donors, private sector partners, and government agencies, driving the expansion of Zamda's funding base to support initiatives across education, health, and infrastructure.
- Served as an Executive Committee Member, providing leadership in governance, strategic direction, and long-term organizational planning to drive the charity's growth and mission.
- Coordinated strategic partnerships with local and international stakeholders, facilitating collaborations that resulted in significant donations to improve school facilities and resources for marginalized communities.
- Directed the development and execution of educational initiatives, ensuring programs aligned with the charity's mission and addressed the specific needs of vulnerable students.
- Produced detailed reports on educational programming, leveraging qualitative and quantitative data to provide actionable insights that informed decision-making and enhanced program outcomes.
Project Manager
Jouri Research and Consulting
Geneva, Switzerland (Remote)
07.2023 - 06.2024
- Led over 5+ multisectoral projects for international governmental and non-governmental organizations across Europe and the Middle East, including UNICEF Ukraine, Danish Refugee Council, and GOAL Global.
- Managed and coordinated multisectoral programming, integrating education, child protection, livelihoods, WASH, and gender-based violence (GBV) interventions.
- Handled project planning and budgeting processes, ensuring efficient resource allocation and timely delivery of projects, both in-country and for international clients.
- Coordinated effectively with local and international teams, ensuring smooth communication, progress tracking, and successful delivery of high-quality project planning, data collection, and deliverables.
- Specialised in quantitative and qualitative data analysis, utilizing advanced techniques and tools such as Power BI and Microsoft Excel to derive actionable insights, track progress, and inform decision-making across multisectoral programs.
Middle Leader-Primary Education
Ranches Primary School
Dubai, UAE
09.2020 - 07.2022
- Implemented a data-driven approach to deliver tailored British Curriculum (Co-Educational) education for 180+ Year 2 students, utilizing formative and summative assessments to create personalized learning pathways.
- Developed and implemented school-wide policies in Mathematics, Science, and English, addressing learning gaps and enhancing progress for 600+ students.
- Generated data-driven reports on academic, social, and emotional progress, informing school-wide strategies and contributing to improved student outcomes.
- Fostered a positive school community through regular reporting and continuous monitoring of student progress across all key objectives.
- Spearheaded teacher training and best practices for a staff of 30+, ensuring effective policy execution and improving teaching standards.
Middle Leader-Primary Education
Emirates International School Jumeirah
Dubai, UAE
09.2016 - 07.2020
- Led and supervised a team of seven educators in the IB Curriculum (Primary Years Programme), providing expert guidance on educational policy, standards, and best practices to ensure high-quality education for 200 students.
- Mentored junior teachers individually, utilizing Incyte Education accreditation to enhance teaching methodologies and drive school-wide improvements in educational practice.
- Co-created the innovative "Signs of Success" policy, promoting student autonomy and metacognitive skills through personalized learning strategies.
- Integrated technology across the curriculum to enhance data-driven assessment procedures, streamline progress tracking, and inform targeted interventions, improving student outcomes at both grade and school levels.
- Fostered a high-achieving academic environment by setting clear expectations, supporting professional development, and ensuring consistent instructional excellence.
Teacher-Primary Education
Scoil Thomais Primary School
Dublin, Ireland
09.2015 - 06.2016
- Delivered high-quality instruction aligned with the Irish Primary School Curriculum, adapting teaching methods and materials to meet the diverse needs and interests of 1st Class students.
- Utilized data-driven assessment strategies to monitor student progress, inform instructional decisions, and implement targeted interventions for improved learning outcomes.
- Maintained consistent collaboration with colleagues to analyze student data and refine teaching strategies, ensuring alignment with learning objectives.
- Worked closely with Speech and Language Therapists and Inclusion teachers to implement best practices for SEND students, enhancing accessibility and support across the classroom.
Education
Master of Arts - International Relations
Queen Mary University of London
09.2020 - 05.2022
Bachelor of Education - Primary Education
Mary Immaculate College
09.2011 - 05.2014
Skills
- Team Leadership
- Project leadership
- Strategic Planning
- Interpersonal communication
- Mixed Methods Research (Quantitative & Qualitative)
- Innovation facilitation
Relevant Project Experience
- War Child Alliance - Long-Term Agreement for Evaluations in Syria (Company Lead) : Coordinating 10+ baseline, midline, endline, and final evaluations of War Child's interventions in Syria, focusing on child protection, education, MHPSS, nutrition, and WASH, with a gender-sensitive analysis of impacts on vulnerable children and families.
- European Union - Evaluation of Humanitarian Assistance in Syria (Company Lead) : Leading the evaluation of the EU's humanitarian interventions in Syria, focusing on counter-violent extremism, resilience-building, reintegration, and social cohesion.
- UNICEF Sudan - MCCT+ Post Distribution Monitoring (Company Lead) : Leading post-distribution monitoring of UNICEF Sudan's MCCT+ program, assessing the effectiveness of cash assistance and health services for vulnerable pregnant women and children in Sudan.
- UNICEF Ukraine - "Life for Children during the War" Series (Project Lead) : Led research on the impact of war on children in Ukraine, collecting data from 18,000 parents to produce 6 reports of findings and recommendations across the sectors of education, child protection, WASH, health, and climate needs.
- GOAL Global - Thrive Programme Evaluation in Syria (Project Lead) : Co-led a third-party monitoring evaluation of GOAL Global's Thrive program in Syria, analyzing food assistance, nutrition, WASH, shelter, and multi-purpose cash assistance through extensive data collection.
- Danish Refugee Council - LINKED Consortium Project Evaluation in Lebanon (Project Co-Lead) : Co-led the final evaluation of the LINKED Consortium project in Lebanon, assessing the impact of connecting vulnerable populations to inclusive market networks for economic development.
Certification
- Project Management for Development: Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
- Data for Effective Policy Making: Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
- Risk Management in Development Projects: Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
- Behavioural Economics and Public Policy: Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIIM Bangalore).
- Public Financial Management: International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Languages
English
Native
Irish
Fluent
Spanish
Advanced
French
Intermediate
Timeline
Managing Director
Jouri Research and Consulting
07.2024 - Current
Executive Committee Member (Grants Lead)
Zamda Ireland
06.2024 - Current
Project Manager
Jouri Research and Consulting
07.2023 - 06.2024
Master of Arts - International Relations
Queen Mary University of London
09.2020 - 05.2022
Middle Leader-Primary Education
Ranches Primary School
09.2020 - 07.2022
Middle Leader-Primary Education
Emirates International School Jumeirah
09.2016 - 07.2020
Teacher-Primary Education
Scoil Thomais Primary School
09.2015 - 06.2016
Bachelor of Education - Primary Education
Mary Immaculate College
09.2011 - 05.2014
- Project Management for Development: Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
- Data for Effective Policy Making: Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
- Risk Management in Development Projects: Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
- Behavioural Economics and Public Policy: Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIIM Bangalore).
- Public Financial Management: International Monetary Fund (IMF).
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