YLabs Is Hiring: Deputy Director of Design Research – Remote Africa Opportunity - ApplyNOW

Deputy Director Of Design Research At Ylabs – Remote Africa Opportunity

YLabs is seeking an experienced Deputy Director of Design Research to lead its Deep Listening function and shape the organization’s approach to user and ethnographic field research.

• Job Title: Deputy Director of Design Research
• Job Location: Remote; applicants across Africa within GMT+0 to GMT+4 considered
• Closing Date: Open until filled
• Contract: Full-time, initial 12-month contract with possibility of extension
• Job Level: P6 – Deputy Director
• Working Hours: 40 hours per week
• Travel: Up to 50%
• Compensation: $48,500–$72,143 per year

The successful candidate will provide strategic and operational leadership across the full research lifecycle, from developing research concepts and protocols to leading fieldwork, synthesizing findings and presenting strategic recommendations to senior executives, donors and other stakeholders.

About Ylabs

YLabs is a global design and research organization focused on improving health and economic opportunities for young people aged 10–24.

Founded in 2016 at the Harvard Innovation Lab, YLabs works across Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Central America.

The organization partners with young people to develop products and services addressing challenges including sexual and reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, mental health, financial inclusion and climate resilience.

About The Deputy Director Of Design Research Role

The role will also establish research systems and frameworks across teams, oversee Institutional Review Board (IRB) and ethics processes, and coordinate local researchers and Principal Investigators (PIs) across complex regional environments.

Research Strategy And Systems Leadership

• Develop and implement research strategies aligned with YLabs’ organizational priorities and impact goals.

• Build and standardize research systems, toolkits and operational frameworks across teams.

• Lead the synthesis of qualitative and quantitative insights to inform strategic decisions, programme design and organizational growth.

• Act as a subject matter expert on evidence-based design research internally and externally.

Irb, Ethics And Governance

• Provide end-to-end oversight of IRB submissions, protocol adaptations and ethics compliance.

• Develop rigorous research protocols covering literature reviews, sampling and informed consent.

• Work with local PIs, ethics committees and research approval boards.

• Ensure compliance with human-subject research standards, safeguarding requirements and data protection protocols.

• Adapt research approaches to local regulatory and cultural contexts.

Field Research And Methodological Leadership

• Design and lead rapid-cycle field research sprints.

• Conduct and oversee immersive observation, semi-structured interviews and participatory focus groups.

• Recruit, train and manage local community researchers and youth field listeners.

• Lead field debriefs and apply reflexivity and positionality practices to reduce researcher bias.

• Adapt research methodologies in response to security concerns, field challenges and changing group dynamics.

Research Synthesis And Senior Stakeholder Engagement

• Transform complex qualitative data into analytical frameworks such as root-cause analyses, ecosystem maps, personas and user journey maps.

• Facilitate participatory sense-making sessions with field teams and community partners.

• Produce executive summaries, strategic reports and presentations for donors, C-suite executives and senior leaders.

• Translate youth-driven research findings into actionable opportunities and recommendations for innovation.

Design Research And Mixed Methods Expertise

Strong mastery of design research, qualitative and quantitative synthesis, and ethnographic methods, with experience managing multiple complex research initiatives simultaneously.

Strategic Leadership And Autonomy

Ability to independently make high-impact strategic decisions and lead complex organizational initiatives with limited direction.

Irb And Research Compliance

Deep knowledge of ethical research protocols, IRB applications, informed consent and human-subject protection requirements.

Systems Building And Team Management

Demonstrated ability to establish effective systems, delegate responsibilities and create structures that enable high-quality research operations across multiple teams.

Adaptability And Problem Solving

Ability to adjust research approaches quickly when confronted with unexpected field conditions, operational barriers or complex stakeholder dynamics.

Emotional Intelligence And Mentorship

Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to mentor researchers, manage performance and navigate sensitive professional situations.

Justice, Equity, Diversity And Inclusion

Strong cultural competence and commitment to creating inclusive research environments, addressing bias and ensuring marginalized voices are represented safely and ethically.

Required

• At least 7 years of professional experience in design research, user research, qualitative field research or ethnographic research.

• Experience in the economic empowerment sector is an advantage.

• Demonstrated experience leading end-to-end design research projects, from field immersion and protocol development through to executive-level presentations.

• Significant experience supervising, training and mentoring researchers and cross-functional teams.

• Proven experience preparing and managing IRB applications and working with local PIs, ethics committees or research approval boards.

• Exceptional verbal, written and visual communication skills.

• Experience developing research systems, toolkits or operational frameworks used across multiple teams or departments.

• A portfolio demonstrating the ability to transform complex research into clear and actionable frameworks.

• Willingness and ability to travel up to 50% of the time to field locations across Sub-Saharan Africa.

• Proficiency with collaborative research and synthesis tools such as Miro, Mural, Figma, Dedoose or NVivo.

Desirable

• Master’s or PhD in Anthropology, Design Research, Human-Centered Design, Sociology, UX Research or a related discipline.
• Experience living and working in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly East Africa.
• Experience working with vulnerable or marginalized youth populations.

Contract And Working Arrangements

This is a full-time position within YLabs’ Design Department, classified at Job Level P6 – Deputy Director.

The position is scoped at 40 hours per week and is ideally based in East Africa. Candidates located elsewhere on the African continent may also be considered if they are within the GMT+0 to GMT+4 time zone.

The successful candidate must be prepared to travel up to 50% of the time for field research sprints and stakeholder engagement.

The initial contract is for 12 months, with the possibility of extension.

Salary And Compensation

The salary range is $48,500–$72,143 per year, regionally benchmarked against the P6 level within YLabs’ Africa salary bands.

YLabs pays full-time employees in the local currency of their permanent work location.

Application And Selection Process

The vacancy will remain open until filled, with applications reviewed on a rolling basis.

YLabs expects the successful candidate to start as soon as possible. Applications submitted during the posting period will be reviewed by the Hiring Committee, with only successful candidates contacted once the recruitment process progresses.

How to apply

Interested candidates should submit their application through the official YLabs recruitment portal. Apply for the Deputy Director of Design Research position at YLabs

Employment offers are conditional on satisfactory background and criminal record checks. Applicant information will be treated confidentially in accordance with applicable equal employment opportunity guidelines.

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