Senior Programme Officer – Human Rights Research & Documentation at Kenya Human Rights Commission

Overall Purpose

KHRC seeks to hire a Senior Program Officer, Human Rights Research and Documentation, to advance its Strategic Plan for 2025-2035 and its mission of empowering people to claim their rights and resist impunity. The role centers on building KHRC’s legacy in research and thought leadership in the human rights and governance sector. The officer will strengthen research, produce influential knowledge products, and lead critical conversations that drive change.

As research and documentation are the anchors for all our strategic goals and interventions, the officer will, in consultation with the Research and Documentation Oversight team, lead the implementation of “KHRC’s Political and Human Rights Research and Documentation Framework”, with the expected outcome of producing transformative human rights research and documentation that foster sovereignty and thought leadership in governance processes.

Required Qualifications
The ideal candidate should possess the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in law or political science and public policy.
• Those with degrees in law must be advocates of the High Court of Kenya, with a practicing certificate and in good standing.
• A minimum of 4-6 years of related experience, preferably in the NGO sector.
• Expertise in formulating and leading strategic research, policy/legislative work and advocacy on governance and human rights issues will be an added advantage.
• Demonstrable experience in qualitative and quantitative research methods, including experience in developing human rights-based indicators.
• A solid understanding of and deep commitment to human rights discourse and its application in the promotion of democracy and the rule of law.
• A solid understanding of and engagement with national, regional, and international human rights mechanisms.
• Ability to network with or develop a broad array of partnerships with both state and nonstate actors.
• Demonstrable experience working with or coordinating partners with community and national-level organizations and networks.
• Good understanding of programmes and project management.
• Willing to take initiative and work independently with minimal supervision.