Head of Research & Learning

Looking for Head of Research & Learning jobs in Nairobi? Twaweza East Africa is seeking a dynamic and strategic Head of Research & Learning to lead research, learning, and evidence generation that influences governance systems, public engagement, and citizen outcomes across East Africa. This senior leadership opportunity is ideal for experienced research and MEL professionals passionate about systems change, youth engagement, and policy influence.

Head of Research & Learning

Salary Grade: Band 10
Reports to: Executive Director
Supervises: Research & Learning Officers
Collaborate with: Executive Director, Head of Program & Engagement, Head of Finance & Operations, Partnership and Resource Mobilisation Coordinator
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Start Date: As soon as possible

Twaweza East Africa is a regional civil society organization operating in Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya. Our vision is of an open society built on the human impulse to make a difference, where information and ideas flow, all citizens engage, and government works better for people. For more information, please visit www.twaweza.org

Are you energetic, vibrant, and looking for an opportunity to lead impactful research and learning work in East Africa? Twaweza East Africa is seeking a competent, effective, and dynamic Head of Research and Learning to join our team.

Job Summary

The Head of Research & Learning provides strategic and intellectual leadership to position Twaweza as a learning-driven organisation that generates and uses evidence to influence systems and improve outcomes for citizens of East Africa.

This role leads Twaweza’s research, learning, and evidence functions, ensuring that high-quality evidence informs organisational strategy, public engagement, and influence. The role strengthens Twaweza’s ability to generate actionable insights, foster adaptive learning, and deepen understanding of how governance systems, power, and citizen engagement shape outcomes across East Africa, particularly for young people.

As a member of the Senior Management Team, the role contributes to organisational strategy, coherence, and culture; resource mobilisation; and fosters collaborative, cross-functional, and externally engaged ways of working. You may be asked to take on the role of Country Lead, ensuring that the overall organisational strategy, programs, operations, and systems are understood, promoted, and practised in the country office.

Core Responsibility Areas

1. Strategic Leadership for Systems-Oriented Research & Learning

● Contribute to organisational strategy processes, ensuring rigour, creativity, and evidence shape strategic choices.
● Lead the development and continuous refinement of Twaweza’s research and learning strategy, aligned with the 2027–2031 strategic direction and theory of change.
● Guide the organisation in understanding how institutions, incentives, relationships, and power dynamics shape governance and citizen outcomes, and use evidence to identify opportunities for meaningful influence and change.
● Ensure research and learning priorities are forward-looking, context-responsive, and politically informed.

2. Research Excellence and Innovation

● Provide intellectual leadership in designing and implementing high-quality mixed methods and applied research.
● Ensure research outputs are methodologically rigorous, policy-relevant, and practically actionable.
● Champion innovation in research approaches, including rapid learning cycles, adaptive research, and experimental methodologies.
● Uphold the highest standards of research ethics, integrity, and contextual sensitivity.
● Translate complex findings into clear, compelling narratives for diverse audiences.

3. Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Adaptive Practice

● Design and oversee integrated MEL systems that enable both accountability and continuous learning and adaptation.
● Institutionalise adaptive management practices, including feedback loops, iteration, and real-time course correction.
● Lead processes for reflection, learning reviews, and theory of change interrogation at programme and organisational levels.
● Ensure MEL approaches capture contribution to systems change, including shifts in behaviours, institutional responsiveness, relationships, and decision-making.
● Embed a culture of curiosity, critical reflection, and experimentation across teams.

4. External Engagement, Influence, and Partnerships

● Build and sustain strategic partnerships with research institutions, universities, governments, civil society, the private sector, and donors.
● Position Twaweza as a regional and global thought leader in systems change, youth engagement, and learning organisation.
● Represent the organisation in high-level policy, research, and practitioner forums.
● Translate evidence into influential policy and public discourse contributions.
● Engage diverse stakeholders in co-creation of knowledge and solutions.

5. Leadership, Team Development, and Organisational Contribution

● Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing, collaborative, and values-driven team, fostering a culture of shared ownership and mutual accountability.
● Foster strong interpersonal relationships and cross-unit collaboration across countries, promoting transparent ways of working, open communication, clarity of expectations and trust.
● Foster a culture of curiosity and continuous learning, encouraging reflection, questioning, and openness to new ideas and approaches.
● Contribute actively to the Senior Management Team, strengthening organisational coherence and strategic alignment.
● Ensure efficient management of budgets, systems, and workflows within the function, ensuring quality, accountability, and efficiency in all functional processes.
● Where required, take on country leadership responsibilities.

6. Resource Mobilisation and Strategic Positioning

● Lead the timely production and high-quality communication of organisational impact.
● Contribute to fundraising proposals and concept notes.
● Contribute evidence, learning insights, and strategic framing to donor engagement and resource mobilisation efforts.
● Aggregate and synthesise organisational impact and insights to strengthen Twaweza’s positioning to funders and stakeholders.
● Build internal capacity across teams to integrate evidence and learning into resource mobilisation efforts.

Candidate Profile & Qualifications

Twaweza is seeking a leader who combines intellectual rigor, systems thinking, and adaptive leadership with the ability to translate evidence into influence and organizational learning. The ideal candidate brings a strong mix of technical expertise, strategic leadership, and relational capability, grounded in the realities of East Africa.

The successful candidate must live and have the legal right to work in Kenya.

Qualifications
● Advanced degree (Master’s or higher) in social sciences, development studies, public policy, statistics, or a related field.
● At least 10 years of progressive leadership experience in research, MEL, public policy, governance, or related fields.
● Strong understanding of governance, citizen agency, and civic space dynamics in East Africa.

Terms and Conditions

Twaweza offers an attractive, internationally competitive salary and benefits package.

How to Apply

Twaweza is an equal opportunity employer committed to gender equality; therefore encourages all qualified applicants to apply by June 5, 2026.

To apply for this position, please submit the following documents in MS Word or PDF format to recruitment@twaweza.org

● Your CV (max 4 pages)
● A cover letter explaining your interest/motivation for working with Twaweza
● Two samples of your written work
● Names and contact details of 3 referees

Please include your name and the position you are applying for in the subject line of your email. Only shortlisted candidates will be invited to interviews.