By Daniele Paletta on Mon, 19/01/2026 – 12:51
Summary:
ILGA World is hiring a Research Manager – an integral part of our team who will lead the organisation’s work to inform, strengthen, and support advocacy, policy engagement, and capacity building for … Read more
ILGA World is hiring a Research Manager!
* 100% full-time position
* Flexible working regime with remote option
* Requires legal authorisation to work in the country in which the candidate is based and wishes to work from
* Start of the position: 2 April / 1 May 2026
Who can apply?
Anyone
* with dedication to – and experience in regard to – the human rights of persons with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions and sex characteristics
* who meets the requirements set out below
is welcome to apply.
Overview
The Research Manager is an integral part of ILGA World, leading the organisation’s research function to inform, strengthen, and support advocacy, policy engagement, and capacity building for LGBTI organisations globally.
The role is responsible for implementing ILGA World’s research strategy as a core contribution to the organisation’s broader strategic goals and priorities, including those set out in the 2025–2029 Strategic Plan .
The Research Manager ensures that ILGA World’s research work is timely, rigorous, accessible, and responsive to the evolving needs of advocacy, movements, and decision-makers.
The Research Manager leads the collation, production, and dissemination of high-impact, data-driven research through key resources such as the ILGA World Database and the ILGA World Monitor, ensuring that data and analysis effectively inform advocacy strategies, policy discussions, and public narratives.
The role oversees flagship research initiatives, including Laws on Us and Our Identities Under Arrest, while contributing to the strategic development of ILGA World’s research portfolio and strengthening collaboration with internal programmes, ILGA regions, member organisations, and external partners.
Working closely with the Director of Programmes and colleagues across ILGA World, the Research Manager helps strengthen coherence between research, advocacy, and movement-building work, ensuring that research meaningfully informs and reinforces ILGA World’s efforts across intersecting human rights issues.
The Research Manager will manage one staff member and a team of consultants.
Research has been a cornerstone of ILGA World’s work since its inception and remains central to the organisation’s mission and strategic priorities. As part of ILGA World’s 2025–2029 Strategic Plan, the Research Programme plays a critical role in ensuring that advocacy, policy engagement, and movement strengthening are grounded in credible, accessible, and up-to-date evidence on the lived realities of people and communities of diverse SOGIESC.
ILGA World’s Research Programme is responsible for producing and maintaining high-quality, data-driven research that informs global, regional, and national human rights efforts. Building on more than four decades of experience, the programme documents legal developments, policy trends, and patterns of discrimination affecting LGBTI communities, with a strong focus on intersectionality and structural inequality.
Central to this work are ILGA World’s flagship knowledge tools and reports, including the ILGA World Database, the ILGA World Monitor, Laws on Us, and Our Identities Under Arrest. Together, these resources provide human rights defenders, civil society organisations, policymakers, researchers, and international institutions with reliable information to track progress, identify gaps, and support evidence-based advocacy and policy reform across diverse contexts.
The Research Programme works in close collaboration with colleagues across ILGA World, ILGA regions, member organisations, and external partners to ensure that research outputs are responsive to movement needs and contribute meaningfully to broader organisational objectives, while respecting the distinct roles and responsibilities of research, advocacy, and movement-strengthening functions.
Through this collaborative approach, the programme supports ILGA World’s advocacy and movement-strengthening work while maintaining the independence, rigour, and ethical standards required for credible research.
As global backlash against LGBTI rights intensifies and civic space continues to shrink in many contexts, the Research Programme plays an increasingly important role in making visible patterns of exclusion, criminalisation, and resistance. By combining methodological rigour with strategic relevance, ILGA World’s research helps equip movements, institutions, and allies with the evidence needed to advance equality, accountability, and justice worldwide.
The aims of the research programme are to:
* Generate and maintain credible, high-quality evidence on the legal, social, and policy conditions affecting people and communities of diverse SOGIESC, to support informed advocacy, policy engagement, and public understanding
* Ensure that ILGA World’s advocacy and movement-strengthening work is grounded in data and analysis, by providing timely, relevant, and accessible research that responds to evolving global, regional, and national contexts
* Maintain, expand, and strengthen ILGA World’s core research tools and knowledge products, including the ILGA World Database, the ILGA World Monitor, and flagship reports such as Laws on Us and Our Identities Under Arrest
* Make patterns of discrimination, criminalisation, and structural inequality visible, with particular attention to intersectionality and the lived realities of trans, gender-diverse, intersex, and LBQ communities
* Support movements, civil society organisations, and decision-makers by translating complex data into usable knowledge that can inform advocacy strategies, policy reform, and accountability efforts
* Collaborate with a broad range of stakeholders, including ILGA regions, member organisations, academic institutions, UN mechanisms, and allied movements, to strengthen the relevance, reach, and impact of ILGA World’s research
* Uphold rigorous ethical standards, data protection, and responsible research practices, ensuring that research is conducted and used in ways that are respectful, inclusive, and accountable to the communities it concerns.
The Research Manager supports and reports to the Director of Programmes, in the implementation of the Research Programme and is part of the organisation’s managers team. Specific to this position, this includes:
* Support the implementation of ILGA World’s research strategy by leading the design, coordination, and delivery of high-quality research and advocacy projects, applying rigorous methodologies and upholding ILGA’s ethical standards, data protection policies, and values
* Develop and oversee annual research operational plans and project plans, including budget management, timelines, and monitoring across multiple research streams, ensuring alignment with ILGA World’s strategic priorities, organisational goals, and timely delivery of impactful outputs
* Oversee and ensure coherence across all areas of the Research Programme, including multilateral, thematic, and national research support, integrating feminist, decolonial, intersectional, and anti-oppressive approaches throughout all research activities
* Lead the production of high-impact, accessible research by analysing complex datasets and leveraging flagship resources such as Our Identities Under Arrest, the ILGA World Database, and the ILGA World Monitor to inform and strengthen advocacy initiatives grounded in lived realities of diverse SOGIESC communities
* Build and strengthen ILGA World’s research capacity by establishing effective systems, tools, repositories, and best practices, including maintaining and expanding access to research resources for ILGA members and partners
* Collaborate closely with ILGA colleagues across programmes to coordinate activities, contribute to shared organisational objectives, and develop evidence-based materials, briefings, and advocacy tools for policymakers, stakeholders, and allies
* Oversee the translation, formatting, and dissemination of research outputs to ensure accessibility, consistency, and adherence to ILGA World standards across diverse audiences and contexts
* Establish and strengthen strategic partnerships with academic institutions, NGOs, research organisations, consultants, and external researchers to co-design and co-produce research aligned with ILGA World’s priorities, including effective use of the ILGA World Database
* Design and deliver capacity-building initiatives, including workshops and training sessions at ILGA regional and world conferences, to enhance research skills and promote evidence-based advocacy within member organisations and communities
* Contribute to resource mobilisation by conceptualising advocacy-related research funding proposals and preparing high-quality narrative reports for donors and internal operational needs, documenting ILGA World’s research impact and contributions
* Work closely with the communications team to translate complex research findings into clear, compelling narratives for public dissemination, and serve as a spokesperson for ILGA World’s Research Programme by providing expert commentary and analysis to media and other stakeholders
* Lead and manage the Research Team by setting strategic direction, supervising work plans, supporting professional development, and fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing team culture that delivers consistent, high-quality results
* Represent ILGA World at conferences, coalitions, and key global and regional events, presenting research findings, strengthening alliances, and advancing ILGA World’s leadership within the global LGBTI and human rights sectors
General
* Actively contribute to promoting and achieving the organisation’s objectives
* Engage and collaborate with the management team to strengthen a shared organisational culture and management ethos that reflects ILGA World’s values, balancing organisational priorities with individual and movement needs
* Ensure that all activities are carried out with full regard to ILGA World policies
* Work as a part of the ILGA World staff team
* Perform other duties as required.
Relationships with colleagues
ILGA values creative and inclusive approaches to work and management that have been achieved through cross-service area working and the participation of staff at all levels in the organisation. Staff have line management arrangements and specific key relationships, which are detailed in their job descriptions, but they will also need to work collaboratively with their colleagues in order to achieve their agreed targets and outcomes to the required standards.
* ILGA World is working under a flexible workplace regime – this position can be implemented remotely and we do not support the relocation to Geneva, Switzerland
* The successful candidate is required to have the legal authorisation to work in the country in which they are based and wish to work from
* The position is advertised at 100% of a full-time position
* ILGA World remunerates under a three-tiered salary matrix structure. The annual salary being offered for the post ranges between 65,800 CHF and 94.000 CHF for the 100% position, depending on location
* In addition, ILGA World offers 32 days between public holidays in the country of work and annual leave and contributions to health care costs
* ILGA World operates under a flexible working system that – among others – includes flexible working hours
* The weekly working time is 40.5 hours on a 100% position.
Education and qualifications
* A master’s university degree — or equivalent — in international human rights law or a related field, combined with 10 years of relevant work experience, or
* A first-level university degree in combination with 12 years of relevant and qualifying experience, or
* 15 years of relevant and qualifying experience in lieu of a master’s or first-level degree
Experience
* A minimum 10-year relevant and appropriate experience in research management, preferably within an international multilateral and/or non-governmental organisation, or academic setting
* At least 5 years or more of managing global teams, with a demonstrated ability to foster collaboration and support the work environment in a virtual/online space
* Proven track record in leading research teams and projects, including experience with both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies
* Experience in synthesising and presenting research findings in accessible formats for diverse audiences, such as policymakers, advocacy groups, and community stakeholders
* Demonstrated experience working in multicultural and international programmes
* Managing large budgets and grants partnerships
* Working with a wide range of stakeholders, including academic institutions and think-tanks
* Drafting successful funding proposals for research projects
* Developing and coordinating a research network.
Technical requirements
* Advanced skills in legal research, including knowledge of legislative and policy analysis across different jurisdictions
* Demonstrated knowledge of multilateral institutions, including the United Nations human rights mechanisms
* Knowledge in quantitative research, including familiarity with data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, SPSS) to support policy research with relevant quantitative data insights
* Proficiency in managing and coordinating research tools. database and platforms
* Working and building partnerships with member organisations, stakeholders, governments, multilateral institutions, and allied civil society movements
* Demonstrate rooted connections with researchers, academic institutions and think tanks
* Knowledge of the research funding landscape and well-networked with funders.
Other requirements
* Strong communication skills, able to communicate clearly and effectively
* Tailoring language, tone, style, and format to the audience
* Ability to work in proficient English (mandatory) and ideally Spanish. Other UN languages – more specifically, French, Arabic, Russian or Mandarin — are also welcome
* Adherence to, and alignment with, the ILGA World Code of Conduct.
ILGA World strongly encourages applications from individuals from, and living in, the Global South, and particularly from candidates who identify as women or non-binary, and/or are lesbian, bisexual, intersex, or trans.
Should there be well-founded reasons why this was not possible, you may submit the application form as well by e-mail to recruitment (a) ilga (dot) org. Rename this file SURNAME_Name_research_manager.docx (for instance: SMITH_John_research_manager.docx) before you submit it.
Should you have questions in regard to this call, please reach out to recruitment (a) ilga (dot) org.
Key dates
19 January 2026: Call for candidates
16 February 2026, 23:59 CET: Deadline for applications (check against your time zone)
9 March – 27 March 2026: Shortlisted candidates are invited for interviews
27 March 2026:Offer is made
2 April / 1 May 2026: Successful candidate takes up position (if notice period allows)
ILGA World is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
ILGA World is committed to social justice, regardless of any individual or group characteristics, including gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, sex characteristics, race, age, disability, ability, economic status, national origin, religion, ethnicity, and historical, cultural and geographic experiences, nonetheless recognising the unique challenges faced by individuals with each of these characteristics and by those with intersecting identities.
We offer fair treatment to allcurrent and potentialemployees, interns and contractors and aim to ensurethat allsuchindividuals receive equal treatment (including access to employment, training and opportunities for promotion, as relevant) regardless of anypersonal attribute as listed above.
ILGA World promotes gender and equality mainstreaming, and it actively promotes equality in all policies and actions. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
ILGA World strongly encourages applications from individuals from, and living in, the Global South, and particularly from candidates who identify as women or non-binary, and/or are lesbian, bisexual, intersex, or trans.
Only qualified candidates will be contacted.
If more than one applicant is considered to be equally qualified for the position, priority will be given to applicants coming from marginalised and/or underrepresented groups.
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