Director, Strategic Research & Evidence

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Organisation World Vision

Locations London, UK

Final date to receive applications 11 days remaining

• Location to be determined by home country of the successful candidate where WVI is registered to operate.

Job Purpose. Lead World Vision's applied research, evidence generation and learning translation function, using child data across the partnership - AIM/AIM+, programme monitoring, evaluations, operational research and commissioned studies - to produce decision-useful, externally credible evidence. The role commissions and leads applied research, evidence synthesis and university partnerships; translates findings into actionable learning and strategic insight; and ensures evidence informs programme quality, fundraising, policy influence and senior leadership decisions.

Child Data Analytics & Insights retains ownership of analytics, dashboards, data products and analytical services.

KEY RESPONSIBILITES.

Applied Research, Evidence Synthesis & Child Data Insights

• Lead applied research and evidence synthesis using child data from AIM/AIM+, programme monitoring, evaluations, operational research, commissioned studies and other evidence sources.
• Deliver the annual AIM/AIM+ insight narrative as a research/learning product, translating OP3 and senior-leadership questions into answerable research questions, data stories and decision-use products.
• Commission and/or lead secondary analyses of the 400,000+ household AIM data set and other datasets to generate cross-country insights across child wellbeing, resilience, vulnerability, equity and integrated sector outcomes.
• Set interpretation standards for child-data research, including methods, uncertainty, claim boundaries, reproducibility and responsible use of sensitive data. Coordinate with DMEAL and data governance on data availability, quality, extracts and analytical constraints.
• Translate the OP3 research agenda into a sequenced portfolio of studies across Integrated Child Wellbeing Pathways, Christian Faith/Spiritual Nurture/Child Flourishing, Climate Stress and Child Resilience, Long-Term Community Transformation, and Local-to-Global Systems Transformation.
• Commission, scope, lead and quality assure research studies, evidence syntheses, secondary analyses, mixed-methods, ex-post/longitudinal and quasi-experimental or comparative designs.
• Ensure research designs address cross-sector programming questions across health, nutrition, WASH, livelihoods, child protection, resilience, climate, faith and development, systems transformation, and humanitarian/nexus contexts.
• Develop or approve research questions, theories of change, protocols, TORs/RFPs, analysis plans, sampling approaches, ethics/IRB pathways, data-use agreements, publication plans, technical review processes and acceptance criteria. Coordinate with FO/RO teams, Support Offices, sector leads, GAM, A&EE, DM, universities and external researchers so commissioned studies are rigorous, feasible, field-grounded and operationally usable.

External Research Partnerships, Publications & Funding

• Develop university and research-institution partnerships that strengthen methodology, credibility, peer review, publication potential and access to specialists.
• Shape joint research through co-PI models, advisory groups, fellowship/student pipelines, data access protocols, authorship plans, dissemination and workplans.
• Build publication and dissemination pathways, including peer-reviewed outputs, working papers, evidence briefs, donor-facing research products and public learning products.
• Agree partnership scope, deliverables, data-use arrangements, ethical requirements, acceptance criteria and dissemination expectations with legal, data governance, safeguarding and line management as needed.
• Mobilise technical and funding leverage by matching WV data assets, field presence and OP3 priorities with external expertise in child wellbeing, faith and development, health/nutrition, climate, systems and longitudinal research.
• Represent WV research and evidence agenda with academic partners, donors, Support Offices,…