Research Manager (Emirati Talent)

Department of Community Development; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 420,000 - 660,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi is seeking a Social Research Division Manager to lead the management and development of social research studies. You will steer strategic research initiatives, ensure rigorous methods, and collaborate with local and international entities to inform policy and drive social impact.

Ideal candidates hold a Masters in a quantitative field, with 10 years of research experience, senior leadership in research roles, and a track record of

Qualifications

• Masters degree in quantitative studies, research, statistics, economics, or mathematics (PhD is a big plus).
• 10 years of full-time experience in research, quantitative analysis, and advanced statistics.
• Currently in a Research Lead, Head, or Manager role.
• Peer‑reviewed publication related to the social sector or similar fields.
• Strong project and team management capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the entity’s research vision, priorities and annual roadmap aligned with national and sectoral strategies.
• Oversee research outputs to inform policy development and social innovation in collaboration with universities and international partners.
• Develop innovative funding strategies and sustain long-term research initiatives.
• Establish governance and quality standards including peer review, transparency and reproducibility across studies.

Skills

Research leadership

Quantitative analysis

Statistics

Team management

Education

Masters degree in quantitative studies or related field

Job description

The department of Community Development is hiring for the role of Social Research Division Manager to join their monitoring and impact team.

The right candidate will lead the management and development of social research studies in Abu Dhabi in line with the social sector strategy and ensure the provision of reliable research that contributes to strategic decision-making and the development of social impact through cooperation with local and international entities

• Masters degree in quantitative studies, research, statistics, economics, mathematics (PHD is a big plus)
• 10 full time years of experience in research, quantitative analysis and advanced statistics
• Currently on Research Lead, Head or Manager role
• Peer reviewed publication related to the social sector or similar fields
• Project and team management

Key Responsibilities:

1. Strategic Research Leade rship

• Define and lead the entity’s research vision, priorities, and annual roadmap aligned with national and sectoral strategies
• Ensure research outputs contribute to policy development, foresight, and social innovation
• Oversee flagship studies and thematic research programs addressing critical social challenges

2. Academic and Institutional Collabor ation

• Build and sustain partnerships with universities, think tanks, and global research institutions.
• Develop and manage collaboration agreements (MOUs, NDAs, data-sharing protocols) with international organizations such as OECD, UN agencies

3. Innovative Funding and Sustainab ility

• Develop and implement innovative funding strategies to sustain and expand research initiatives
• Explore opportunities to establish named research chairs, joint research funds, and academic partnerships for long-term financial sustainability
• Introduce performance-based funding and partnership models that reward impactful and policy-relevant resesearch

5. Research Governance and Qu ality

• Establish research governance frameworks, ethical standards, and peer review systems
• Ensure scientific rigor, transparency, and reproducibility across all studies
• Supervise publication pipelines, including policy briefs, working papers, and journal articles.