Research, Learning and Knowledge Management Officer

Purpose of the role

Strengthen institutional learning and evidence use by supporting research activities, managing knowledge systems, documenting organizational learning and translating evidence into accessible products for internal and external audiences.

Key responsibilities

Research and evidence generation

• Support the design and implementation of research, assessments, studies and learning initiatives.
• Conduct literature reviews, evidence scans and desk research.
• Support the analysis and synthesis of quantitative and qualitative findings.
• Contribute to research reports, learning papers, journal manuscripts, policy briefs, evidence summaries, case studies and conference abstracts.
• Support compliance with ethical, safeguarding and research quality standards.

Knowledge management and documentation

• Maintain organized repositories for research tools, protocols, approvals, consent materials, datasets, transcripts, reports, learning notes and knowledge products.
• Develop and maintain systems for version control, documentation, evidence tracking, decision logs and institutional archiving.
• Create templates, trackers, checklists, study manuals and workflows that improve consistency and efficiency.
• Document lessons learned, implementation experiences, innovations and organizational knowledge.
• Support consistent documentation standards across organizational initiatives and workstreams.

Learning and knowledge translation

• Translate complex evidence into clear, practical and accessible products for diverse audiences.
• Develop learning briefs, evidence summaries, presentations, public-facing resources and practitioner tools.
• Facilitate internal reflection, learning and knowledge-sharing sessions.
• Support teams to apply evidence and learning in planning, implementation and decision-making.
• Promote cross-team learning and responsible use of community knowledge.

Content adaptation, language and accessibility

• Support culturally responsive translation, localization and adaptation of information and learning materials.
• Assist in reviewing terminology and content for clarity, accuracy, cultural relevance and accessibility.
• Coordinate input from subject experts, practitioners, community reviewers, educators, creatives and other contributors.
• Support the development and adaptation of community-facing educational and knowledge resources.

Publications and dissemination

• Support the development, editing and publication of research and learning products.
• Coordinate dissemination through webinars, workshops, conferences, learning forums and digital platforms.
• Work with the Communications team to ensure evidence is presented accurately, ethically and accessibly.
• Contribute to articles, blogs, newsletters and thought leadership content.

Monitoring, evaluation and learning support

• Work closely with relevant teams to synthesize evaluation findings, outcome data, feedback and implementation evidence.
• Document lessons learned, outcome stories, case studies and improvement actions.
• Contribute to quality assurance by reviewing protocols, tools, consent materials, data collection guides and reports for clarity and consistency.
• Support consistent use of measurement tools and documentation of changes, corrective actions and learning decisions.
• Support training on research documentation, ethics, data quality and evidence communication where required.

Resource mobilization and reporting

• Support the development of concept notes, proposals, expressions of interest, donor reports and evidence updates.
• Contribute evidence, lessons and organizational achievements to fundraising and reporting documents.
• Coordinate the collection and synthesis of information required for proposals and reports.
• Help ensure submissions are evidence-informed, well documented and aligned with organizational priorities.

Partnerships and stakeholder engagement

• Support collaboration with academic institutions, government agencies, funders, civil society organizations and technical partners.
• Coordinate learning and knowledge-sharing initiatives with external stakeholders.
• Maintain records of partner engagements, joint workplans, deliverables, meeting notes and follow-up actions.
• Support the preparation of partnership and stakeholder communication materials.

Expected deliverables

• High-quality research, evidence and learning products produced according to agreed workplans.
• An updated and well-organized institutional knowledge repository.
• Documentation of lessons learned, case studies and implementation insights.
• Timely research inputs for proposals, partner materials and donor reports.
• Regular internal learning and knowledge-sharing sessions supported or facilitated.
• Accurate tracking of research, publication and partnership deliverables.

Required qualifications and experience

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, public health, sociology, anthropology, education, linguistics, translation studies, communications, development studies, social sciences or a related field.
• At least three years of relevant experience in research, learning, knowledge management, monitoring and evaluation, documentation or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in research writing, report writing, evidence synthesis, policy briefs, publications, donor reports or knowledge products.
• Experience supporting program documentation and organizational learning processes.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams and external stakeholders.
• Familiarity with digital collaboration tools and knowledge management systems.
• Strong command of English. Strong Kiswahili writing, translation or linguistic skills are an advantage.
• Experience in community-based, public health, education, social impact or mental health settings is an advantage.

Core competencies

• Excellent research writing, editing, analytical and synthesis skills.
• Ability to translate technical information into clear and accessible content.
• Strong organization, documentation discipline and attention to detail.
• Knowledge of research ethics, inclusive practice and responsible storytelling.
• Strong project coordination, communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, work across teams and meet deadlines.
• Commitment to community dignity, accessibility, inclusion and evidence-informed practice.

Ideal candidate profile

The ideal candidate is a thoughtful writer, researcher, knowledge facilitator and systems builder who can move comfortably between community insights, organizational data, academic evidence, donor requirements and policy conversations. The candidate should be curious, ethical, organized and collaborative, with a strong commitment to ensuring that evidence and experience are captured, shared and used to improve practice and contribute to meaningful change.

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