Research Manager Job in Kenya

Job Summary

The Research Manager leads KELIN’s institutional research, evidence generation, and knowledge production function. The role ensures that research drives strategic litigation, policy influence, programme design, and organisational positioning, while also leading the development and operationalisation of the KELIN Research Institute. The role also leads the development of systems, partnerships, and intellectual assets that position KELIN as a thought leader and drives the establishment and growth of the KELIN Research Institute as a distinct but integrated institutional platform. Working closely with programme, MEL, communications, business development, and leadership teams, the Research Manager ensures that research is not a stand-alone function, but a driver of influence, visibility, and impact.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Research Strategy and Leadership

Lead the development and implementation of KELIN’s organisational research agenda in line with the strategic plan.
Identify priority research themes, questions, and opportunities across KELIN’s programme areas.
Position research as a cross-cutting function that informs advocacy, litigation, programme quality, organisational learning, and institutional growth.
Advise senior management on emerging evidence, trends, and policy issues relevant to KELIN’s mission and strategic direction.
Set and enforce organisation-wide research standards, methodologies, and quality benchmarks.
Review and approve research designs, methodologies, and major knowledge products.
Manage research data, inputs, and collaboration from programme teams.
Ensure alignment between research, MEL, and communications outputs.
Escalate risks related to research quality, ethics, or reputational exposure.
Lead the positioning of KELIN as a regional and global thought leader through a coherent research and knowledge agenda aligned to the Strategic Plan (2026–2030).

Research Design and Quality Assurance

Provide technical leadership in the design of research studies, assessments, evaluations, baseline studies, case studies, policy analyses, and learning reviews.
Develop and review research concepts, methodologies, protocols, sampling approaches, data collection tools, and analysis plans.
Ensure all research and knowledge products meet high standards of methodological quality, validity, reliability, and ethical compliance.
Establish and maintain internal standards, templates, and quality assurance processes for research design, implementation, review, and publication.

Evidence Generation and Knowledge Production

Lead or coordinate the implementation of research projects from inception to dissemination.
Oversee data collection, analysis, interpretation, and synthesis, conducted internally or by consultants and partners.
Produce and/or supervise the preparation of research reports, policy briefs, position papers, journal articles, legal and policy analyses, case studies, and other knowledge products.
Ensure findings are translated into accessible, actionable outputs for different audiences, including communities, policymakers, donors, partners, and courts.

Research Ethics and Compliance

Ensure all research processes are ethically grounded and compliant with applicable legal, institutional, and donor requirements.
Support ethical review processes, informed consent procedures, data protection safeguards, and secure data management.
Maintain quality control over documentation, archiving, citation, and evidence traceability.
Promote responsible research practices.

Programme and Strategic Litigation Support

Work closely with Programme teams and the MEL function to embed research and evidence in programme life cycle.
Support the Strategic Litigation function through legal and socio-legal research, jurisprudence reviews, policy analysis, and evidence packaging where needed.
Contribute to the development of advocacy positions, reform proposals, submissions, and campaigns based on robust evidence.
Help document programme results, innovations, lessons, and models for scale or replication.
Ensure that research outputs are translated into evidence for litigation, policy reform, and advocacy positioning.

Policy Engagement and External Influence

Translate research findings into policy-relevant recommendations and engagement strategies.
Represent KELIN in research, policy, academic, and technical forums.
Build and maintain relationships with academic institutions, think tanks, researchers, consultants, civil society actors, and other knowledge partners.
Strengthen KELIN’s profile as a credible generator and broker of evidence in the right-to-health and justice ecosystem.
Position KELIN as a leading source of evidence in regional and global health justice and human rights discourse.

KELIN Research Institute Development

Lead the conceptualisation, operationalisation, and phased transition of the KELIN Research Institute.
Define and drive the research pipeline, partnership model, ethical review systems, and operational structures of the Research Institute.
Identify and secure opportunities for research-led growth, including fellowships, commissioned studies, academic partnerships, and publications.
Lead thinking and implementation on governance, sustainability, and functional differentiation of the Research Institute as it evolves.

Strategic Decision Support

Provide evidence and analytical insights to inform senior management and Board decisions.
Identify emerging trends, risks, and opportunities through research and analysis.
Support evidence-based positioning on key policy and legal issues.

Resource Mobilisation and Business Development

Contribute technical input to fundraising by identifying research opportunities and shaping strong evidence-based proposals.
Lead or support the development of concept notes, technical narratives, methodologies, and research budgets for grants and commissioned work.
Build relationships with donors, commissioning agencies, academic collaborators, and strategic partners interested in KELIN’s research portfolio.
Help position research as a revenue-generating and influence-enhancing function within the broader KELIN ecosystem.
Support the KELIN Executive Director in transforming the KELIN research agenda into an independent KELIN Research Institute.
Drive research as a revenue-generating and sustainability pillar, including commissioned work and partnerships through the KELIN Research Institute.

Team Leadership, Capacity Development, and Coordination

Supervise research-related consultants, interns, fellows, and project staff where applicable.
Coordinate effectively with Programme Leads, the MEL Manager, Communications Manager, and Business Development Manager to ensure joined-up planning and execution.
Support the coaching and capacity development of programme staff in research methods, evidence use, documentation, and knowledge management.
Foster a culture of curiosity, analytical rigour, reflection, and continuous learning across the organisation.
Build a pipeline of researchers, fellows, and collaborators aligned with the KELIN Research Institute vision.

Planning, Reporting, and Administration

Prepare annual and periodic research work plans, budgets, progress reports, and performance updates.
Track delivery of research outputs, milestones, partnerships, and dissemination activities.
Ensure proper management of research resources, consultant deliverables, and contractual outputs.

Education Experience and Competencies Desired

Master’s degree in a relevant field such as Public Health, Law, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Public Policy, Epidemiology, Health Systems, Political Science, Sociology, or a related discipline.
Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field from a recognised institution.
Additional training in research methods, monitoring and evaluation, data analysis, bioethics, policy analysis, or knowledge management will be an added advantage.
A PhD or ongoing doctoral study in a relevant field would be an advantage.
At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in applied research, policy research, programme research, evaluations, or knowledge generation in the NGO, academic, public policy, public health, or human rights sectors.
Demonstrable experience designing and leading mixed-methods research and producing high-quality research outputs.
Experience managing multi-stakeholder or donor-funded research assignments.
Proven experience translating research into advocacy, policy, programme, or institutional action.
Experience supervising consultants, researchers, or project-based teams is desirable.
Competence in data interpretation and use of research software/tools (e.g. SPSS, STATA, etc.).