Director, Strategic Research & Evidence

World Vision International is seeking a Director, Strategic Research & Evidence to lead applied research, evidence generation, and learning translation across its global partnership. The role uses child data, research, evaluations, and other evidence sources to generate credible insights that inform program quality, fundraising, policy influence, and senior leadership decisions.

Key Job Information

• Job Title: Director, Strategic Research & Evidence
• Employment Type: Full time
• Locations: Home Working, United Kingdom; Zimbabwe National Office; Home Working, Kenya; Global Centre – Los Angeles, United States; Armenia – Home Working; and other listed locations
• Job Requisition ID: JR51998
• Application Deadline: October 11, 2026
• Travel: Up to 15% of the time
• Language: Fluent English required

About World Vision

World Vision has 75 years of experience focused on helping vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. The organization works with more than 31,000 staff across nearly 100 countries and is inspired by its Christian faith.

About the Role

The Director will lead World Vision’s applied research and evidence agenda across multiple countries, sectors, stakeholders, and evidence products. The position will commission and oversee research, develop evidence partnerships, translate findings into practical learning, and ensure research evidence supports strategic decisions.

Child Data Analytics & Insights retains ownership of analytics, dashboards, data products, and analytical services. The Director will work alongside DMEAL, data governance, program teams, sector leads, Support Offices, universities, donors, and external researchers.

Key Responsibilities

Applied Research and Evidence

• Lead applied research and evidence synthesis using AIM/AIM+, program monitoring, evaluations, operational research, commissioned studies, and other evidence sources.
• Deliver the annual AIM/AIM+ insight narrative and translate strategic questions into research questions, data stories, and decision-use products.
• Lead secondary analyses of the 400,000+ household AIM dataset and other datasets to generate cross-country insights.
• Set standards for interpretation, uncertainty, claim boundaries, reproducibility, and responsible use of sensitive child data.
• Coordinate with DMEAL and data governance on data availability, quality, extracts, and analytical constraints.

Research Portfolio and Commissioned Studies

• Translate the OP3 research agenda into a sequenced portfolio covering child wellbeing, faith and development, climate stress, resilience, community transformation, and systems transformation.
• Commission, scope, lead, and quality-assure research studies, evidence syntheses, secondary analyses, mixed-methods studies, longitudinal research, and comparative designs.
• Develop or approve research questions, theories of change, protocols, TORs/RFPs, analysis plans, sampling approaches, ethics pathways, data-use agreements, and publication plans.
• Coordinate with field offices, regional offices, Support Offices, sector leads, GAM, advocacy, communications, disaster management teams, universities, and researchers.

Research Partnerships, Publications and Funding

• Develop partnerships with universities and research institutions to strengthen methodology, credibility, peer review, publication opportunities, and specialist access.
• Shape joint research through co-PI models, advisory groups, fellowships, student pipelines, data access protocols, authorship plans, and dissemination workplans.
• Develop pathways for peer-reviewed publications, working papers, evidence briefs, donor-facing research products, and public learning products.
• Represent World Vision’s research and evidence agenda with academic partners, donors, foundations, Support Offices, and external evidence networks.
• Match World Vision data assets, field presence, and OP3 priorities with external research expertise and funding opportunities.

Learning Translation and Research Uptake

• Translate research findings into leadership-ready insights, Research Board materials, executive briefs, donor narratives, program design recommendations, and practical learning tools.
• Define evidence-to-decision pathways by identifying decision owners, intended use, audiences, timing, formats, and measures of uptake.
• Facilitate research interpretation and uptake with program, sector, field, Support Office, fundraising, advocacy, communications, and senior leadership teams.
• Track whether research informs decisions, external use, and resource mobilisation.
• Ensure public and donor-facing evidence claims are accurate, proportionate, and defensible.

Research Governance and Team Leadership

• Lead a research and learning platform involving researchers, sector specialists, commissioned researchers, university partners, and working groups.
• Set annual workplans, quality standards, technical review processes, escalation procedures, and product standards.
• Line-manage and/or matrix-manage research staff and consultants as assigned.
• Build organizational capability in research commissioning, analysis interpretation, research ethics, responsible data use, and evidence translation.
• Embed data protection, safeguarding, privacy, equity, inclusion, and child-sensitive research standards throughout research activities.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Statistics, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Public Health, Data Science, Economics, Social Sciences, International Development, Evaluation, Implementation Science, or a related research-intensive discipline.
• Formal training in quantitative methods, research design, evaluation, data analysis, or equivalent professional experience.
• At least 12 years of progressive experience in applied research, evidence synthesis, impact evaluation, statistics/biostatistics, epidemiology, public health, economics, data science, or development/humanitarian evidence roles.
• Senior multi-country leadership experience across research and evidence portfolios.
• Technical expertise in quantitative and/or mixed-methods research using large household survey or program datasets.
• Experience with sampling, weighting, variance estimation, subgroup and equity analysis, trend or change analysis, and interpretation of evidence limitations.
• Experience synthesizing evidence across multiple data sources and overseeing external research studies.
• Strong ability to translate evidence for senior leaders, program teams, donors, boards, and external audiences.
• Experience working across sectors including health, nutrition, WASH, livelihoods, child protection, climate/resilience, humanitarian programming, and faith and development.
• Experience building partnerships with universities, research institutes, donors, foundations, or external technical partners.
• Strong applied skills in R, Python, Stata, SPSS, or equivalent statistical software and familiarity with Power BI or equivalent business intelligence tools.
• Experience leading virtual, matrixed, and cross-cultural teams and influencing senior stakeholders without relying solely on direct authority.

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD or doctoral-level research training, or equivalent senior applied research leadership and publication experience.
• Track record of peer-reviewed publications, externally cited research, donor-facing evidence products, policy or influence products, public learning products, or rigorous technical documentation.
• Experience in child wellbeing, public health, nutrition, WASH, livelihoods/resilience, child protection, faith and development, climate, or humanitarian research.
• Experience with longitudinal, ex-post, quasi-experimental, causal inference, econometric, psychometric, index-development, evidence synthesis, or implementation science methods.
• Experience with responsible data governance, data protection, research ethics, IRB processes, safeguarding, and sensitive or personally identifiable data.
• Experience securing or shaping research grants, foundation funding, university co-investment, Support Office co-investment, or publication partnerships.
• Working proficiency in a second World Vision operational language such as French, Spanish, Portuguese, or Arabic.

Work Environment

The position requires the ability to work effectively in a global, virtual, and matrixed environment across time zones. The successful candidate must be willing and able to travel up to 15% of the time.

Compensation

For positions filled in the United States, the typical salary range is $102,700 to $136,930 USD. World Vision states that salary ranges are based on factors including labor market conditions, job type, job level, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers depend on factors including skills, qualifications, experience, and geographic location.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit their CV and cover letter in English. The application deadline is October 11, 2026, and the job requisition ID is JR51998.