Director, Strategic Research & Evidence

World Vision; United States; Remote; USD 103,000 - 137,000; Full time

Job summary

World Vision is seeking a senior leader to head the Applied Research, Evidence Synthesis and Child Data Insights function. You will oversee AIM/AIM+ datasets, learning translation, and data products to inform program quality, fundraising and policy influence.

You will coordinate with DMEAL, FO/RO teams, universities and external researchers to ensure rigorous, field-grounded studies and actionable uptake of findings across multiple countries.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in a quantitative/analytic field.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in applied research, evidence synthesis, or evaluation.
• Experience leading research across multiple countries, sectors and stakeholders.
• Experience with large household datasets and data governance.
• Strong ability to translate evidence into decision-ready insights.

Responsibilities

• Lead integrated research and evidence synthesis using AIM/AIM+ and related datasets.
• Deliver annual insight narratives and data-driven learning products.
• Commission and/or lead secondary analyses to generate cross-country insights.
• Coordinate with DMEAL, FO/RO teams, universities and external researchers.

Skills

English fluency

Statistical software

Data pipelines

Power BI

Education

Master’s degree or equivalent in related field

Tools

R

Python

Stata

SPSS

Power BI

Job description

Key Responsibilities:

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

* Please submit your CV and cover letter in English.

JOB PURPOSE.

Lead World Vision’s applied research, evidence generation and learning translation function, using child data across the partnership - Annual Impact Measurement (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 WVI’s Global Strategy - Our Promise, Phase 3 (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.
• Coordinate with Design Monitoring Evidence Accountability and Learning (DMEAL) and data governance on data availability, quality, extracts and analytical constraints.

OP3 Applied Research Portfolio & Commissioned Studies

• 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.
• Coordinate with Field Office and Regional Office (FO/RO) teams, Support Offices, sector leads, Grants Acquisition and Management (GAM), Advocacy and External Engagement (A&EE), Disaster Management (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, foundations and external evidence networks.

Learning Translation, Influence & Research Uptake

• Translate research findings and child-data findings into leadership-ready insight products, Research Board materials, executive briefs, donor-facing narratives, programme design implications, influence products and practical learning tools.
• Define an evidence-to-decision pathway for each major research product, identifying the decision owner, intended use, audience, timing, format and measure of uptake before products are commissioned or produced.
• Facilitate interpretation and uptake with programme, sector, FO/RO, Support Offices (SO), GAM, advocacy, communications and senior leadership teams so findings inform design, adaptation, fundraising, policy influence and external positioning.
• Ensure public-facing and donor-facing evidence claims are accurate, proportionate and defensible.

Research Governance, Team Leadership & Capability Building

• Lead a leveraged research and learning platform that includes core researchers, Health/Nutrition and Faith/Development research capabilities, commissioned researchers, university partners, sector specialists and time-bound working groups.
• Set the annual workplan, quality standards, technical review cadence, escalation process and product standards for applied research, evidence synthesis, AIM/AIM+ insight narratives and OP3 research outputs.
• Line-manage and/or matrix-manage research staff and consultants as assigned, setting priorities, coaching technical quality, managing delivery and ensuring accountability for outputs.
• Build organisational capability in research commissioning, analysis interpretation, responsible data use, research ethics, evidence translation and use of child data insights for decision-making.
• Ensure responsible data practice, safeguarding, privacy, equity, inclusion and child-sensitive research standards are embedded in study design, analysis, dissemination and data use.

REQUIRED EDUCATION, TRAINING, LICENSE, REGISTRATION, AND/OR CERTIFICATION.

• 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.

REQUIRED 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, including senior multi-country leadership responsibilities.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a research and evidence agenda or portfolio across multiple countries, sectors, stakeholders and evidence products.
• Proven technical expertise in quantitative and/or mixed-methods research using large household survey or programme datasets, including sampling, weighting, variance estimation, subgroup/equity analysis, trend or change analysis, and clear articulation of what claims evidence can and cannot support.
• Experience synthesising evidence across multiple data sources, including AIM/AIM+, programme monitoring, evaluations, operational research, grant/sponsorship evidence, external datasets and commissioned studies.
• Experience commissioning and overseeing external research studies, including research questions, TORs/RFPs, protocols, analysis plans, quality assurance, ethical review, data-use agreements, publication plans and dissemination plans.
• Demonstrated experience translating evidence for senior leaders, programme teams, donors, boards and external audiences, including technical writing for non-technical decision-makers.
• Proven ability to work across sectors such as health, nutrition, WASH, livelihoods, child protection, climate/resilience, fragile contexts, humanitarian programming, and faith and development, drawing on sector specialists where required.
• Experience building or managing partnerships with universities, research institutes, donors, foundations or external technical partners.
• Strong applied skills in statistical software and/or data pipelines such as R, Python, Stata, SPSS or equivalent; familiarity with business intelligence tools such as Power BI or equivalent.
• Proven experience leading virtual, matrixed and cross-cultural teams and influencing senior stakeholders without relying solely on direct line authority.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be fluent in English.

TRAVEL AND/OR WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• The position requires ability and willingness to travel up to 15% of the time.
• Ability to work effectively in a global, virtual, matrixed environment across time zones.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE AND/OR OTHER QUALIFICATIONS.

• PhD or doctoral-level research training, or equivalent record of senior applied research leadership, publication and commissioned research oversight.
• Track record of peer-reviewed publications, externally cited research, donor-facing evidence products, policy/influence products, public learning products or equivalent rigorous technical documentation.
• Experience with 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 use of personally identifiable or sensitive data.
• Experience securing or shaping research grants, foundation funding, university co-investment, Support Office co-investment, or publication partnerships.
• Working proficiency in a second WV operational language such as French, Spanish, Portuguese, or Arabic.

Compensation:

For positions filled in the United States, the typical salary range for this role is $102,700 to $136,930 USD. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, job level, internal equity and budget. Exact salary offers will be determined by factors such as the candidate’s skills, qualifications, experience and geographic location.

Applicant Types Accepted:

Local Applicants Only

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organisation with a mission centred on following Jesus Christ in service to the world´s most vulnerable children. Therefore, in all locations to the fullest extent legally permissible,the successful applicant will affirm our core documents, observe conduct compatible with Christian principles, serve at a high level of professional ethics and strive to act in accordance with cultural sensitivities. Furthermore, regular attendance with team and office devotions, chapel and prayer gatherings are expected in line with policies in the World Vision host location and its departments.