Experienced researchers and international development professionals looking for senior NGO jobs in 2026 can consider the latest research leadership opportunity with World Vision International.
World Vision is recruiting a Director, Strategic Research & Evidence, a senior position focused on strengthening research, evidence generation, quantitative analysis, and evidence-informed decision-making across the organization.
The opportunity is particularly relevant to professionals with experience in applied research, evaluation, statistics, data science, public health, international development, and evidence synthesis.
Applications are expected to close on September 13, 2026, making this a time-sensitive opportunity for qualified professionals interested in advancing their careers in global development research.
World Vision Research Job 2026 Overview
The Director, Strategic Research & Evidence is a senior research leadership position designed to strengthen how World Vision generates, evaluates, interprets, and uses evidence.
The position combines several areas of expertise, including:
- Strategic research leadership
- Applied research
- Quantitative analysis
- Evaluation
- Evidence synthesis
- Research quality assurance
- Organizational learning
- Data interpretation
- Research translation
- Partnership management
Rather than focusing exclusively on producing academic research, the position emphasizes translating evidence into information that can support programs, strategy and organizational decision-making.
The successful candidate is expected to work across an international organization and collaborate with researchers, technical specialists, program teams, senior leaders, consultants, academic institutions, donors and other stakeholders.
What Does the Director of Strategic Research and Evidence Do?
A major part of the position involves leading applied research and evidence synthesis across World Vision.
The Director will contribute to identifying important research questions and overseeing studies intended to generate useful evidence on issues affecting children, families and communities.
This includes helping World Vision understand what available evidence means for programs and strategic decisions.
The successful candidate will also work with complex datasets to identify trends, vulnerabilities, inequalities, resilience factors and other findings that can contribute to organizational priorities.
Key Responsibilities
The Director is expected to manage a portfolio of applied research and contribute to research activities from design through dissemination.
Responsibilities highlighted for the role include developing research questions, designing studies, commissioning external research and establishing appropriate research protocols.
The position also requires reviewing methodologies and maintaining research quality throughout the research process.
Another important responsibility is research translation.
Research findings need to be communicated in ways that can be understood and practically used by different audiences, including:
- Senior leaders
- Program teams
- Advocacy professionals
- Fundraising teams
- Donors
- Technical specialists
- Other organizational decision-makers
This makes communication skills particularly important alongside technical research expertise.
Strategic Research and Evidence Leadership
This is not simply an analytical position.
The Director will be expected to provide leadership in establishing research priorities and ensuring that research contributes to wider organizational objectives.
Responsibilities can include strengthening processes for:
Research quality assurance, evidence review, research governance and responsible data use.
The successful candidate may also work with universities, research organizations, technical experts and external consultants.
Candidates should therefore be capable of managing complex partnerships and coordinating research involving multiple stakeholders.
The Director can additionally contribute to organizational capacity by helping colleagues strengthen their ability to commission research, interpret evidence, conduct evaluation and use data responsibly.
Education Requirements
Candidates should have a Master’s degree or equivalent qualification in a research-intensive discipline.
Relevant academic backgrounds can include:
- Statistics
- Biostatistics
- Epidemiology
- Public health
- Economics
- Social sciences
- International development
- Data science
- Evaluation
- Implementation science
- Related research-intensive disciplines
Advanced research training may strengthen a candidate’s profile.
Professionals with doctoral-level research training may therefore find their background particularly relevant to a senior position of this nature, although candidates should assess their qualifications against the official vacancy requirements before applying.
Professional Experience
This World Vision research job is aimed at experienced professionals rather than candidates beginning their careers.
Applicants should demonstrate substantial professional experience in relevant areas such as:
- Applied research
- Monitoring and evaluation
- Evidence synthesis
- Statistics
- Data science
- Development research
- Humanitarian research
- Research management
Candidates should be capable of leading complex research programs and operating across countries, teams and organizational functions.
Leadership experience is particularly valuable because the position involves more than conducting research independently.
Technical and Data Analysis Skills
Strong quantitative and analytical skills are important for this opportunity.
Candidates should be comfortable working with large datasets and selecting appropriate methodologies to investigate complex research questions.
Experience with statistical and analytical software can also be valuable.
Relevant tools may include:
R, Python, Stata and SPSS.
Experience with data visualization and business intelligence platforms can further strengthen a candidate’s technical profile.
Applicants should ideally understand research design, quantitative or mixed-methods approaches, sampling, evaluation, evidence synthesis and data interpretation.
Equally important is the ability to translate technical findings into clear information for people who may not have specialist research backgrounds.
Research Partnership Experience
Managing external research relationships is another relevant area of experience.
Candidates with experience commissioning studies or collaborating with:
- Universities
- Academic researchers
- Research institutes
- Consultants
- Technical specialists
- External research organizations
may be well positioned for the role.
Successful partnership management requires the ability to maintain research quality while coordinating different organizations, technical disciplines and stakeholder expectations.
International Development Experience
The position is especially relevant to professionals whose research experience intersects with international development or humanitarian issues.
Potentially relevant areas include:
- International development
- Humanitarian assistance
- Child wellbeing
- Public health
- Poverty reduction
- Education
- Livelihoods
- Climate resilience
- Development policy
Understanding how research and evidence can influence program design and strategic decisions in complex development environments is particularly important.
World Vision operates internationally, so candidates should also be prepared to collaborate across countries, cultures, professional disciplines and time zones.
Who Should Consider Applying?
The World Vision Director of Strategic Research & Evidence opportunity may be a strong fit for an experienced professional who combines technical research expertise with leadership and communication capabilities.
A competitive candidate would typically be able to demonstrate experience managing substantial research activities, analyzing complex information and translating evidence into recommendations.
Candidates who have worked across international development organizations, NGOs, universities, research institutions, public health organizations or related environments may find their experience particularly transferable.
This position could also appeal to researchers who want their work to have a more direct connection to development programming and organizational decision-making.
Why This World Vision Research Opportunity Stands Out
One of the most notable aspects of this position is its emphasis on the practical application of research.
Academic research often focuses heavily on producing scholarly outputs. This World Vision role instead places significant emphasis on ensuring that evidence can inform organizational action.
Research findings can potentially contribute to areas such as:
Program improvement, organizational learning, strategic decision-making, advocacy and resource mobilization.
The position also offers an opportunity to work with professionals from different technical and geographic backgrounds while contributing to work focused on vulnerable children and communities.
How to Prepare a Strong Application
Applicants should prepare a professional CV that clearly communicates their research expertise and leadership experience.
Rather than simply listing previous positions, candidates should highlight measurable responsibilities and achievements relevant to the vacancy.
A strong CV should demonstrate areas such as:
- Research portfolio management
- Complex quantitative analysis
- Research design
- Evaluation
- Evidence synthesis
- Research commissioning
- Team or project leadership
- External research partnerships
- International development experience
- Communication of technical findings
Where possible, candidates should show how their research influenced programs, policy, investment decisions or organizational strategy.
Applicants should also clearly demonstrate their experience working with multidisciplinary teams and translating complex research into accessible recommendations.
Application Deadline
The stated application deadline for the World Vision Director, Strategic Research & Evidence position is:
September 13, 2026.
Interested candidates should avoid waiting until the final day to apply.
Vacancy details can sometimes be updated, so applicants should review the official World Vision recruitment listing before submitting their application and confirm that they meet the current requirements.
How to Apply for the World Vision Research Job 2026
Applications should be submitted through the official World Vision recruitment platform.
Before applying, candidates should carefully review the full vacancy description and confirm their eligibility.
Applicants should then prepare the required professional information and supporting documents, ensuring their CV clearly reflects experience relevant to research leadership, evidence generation, data analysis and international development.
Candidates should submit their applications before September 13, 2026, unless the official vacancy indicates an updated deadline.
Applicants should rely on the official World Vision recruitment portal for the final vacancy requirements and application submission.
Final Thoughts
The World Vision Research Job 2026 offers experienced researchers an opportunity to move beyond traditional research production and contribute directly to evidence-informed decision-making within an international development organization.
The Director, Strategic Research & Evidence position combines research leadership, quantitative analysis, evaluation, evidence synthesis, research partnerships, and organizational learning.
Professionals with a strong academic background and substantial experience in applied research, international development, public health, statistics, evaluation, or data science may find the opportunity particularly relevant.
With applications currently expected to close on September 13, 2026, qualified candidates should review the official vacancy and prepare their applications as early as possible.
Important Disclaimer
Campus Lifestyle is an independent opportunity and career information platform and does not recruit on behalf of World Vision. This article is provided for informational purposes. Applicants should submit applications through World Vision’s official recruitment platform and verify all requirements, deadlines, and recruitment information directly with the hiring organization.
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