Manager, Research & Insights

We are hiring a Manager, Research & Insights to serve as a key architect for our next chapter. This is a strategic role that combines applied research expertise with strategic advisory to elevate the organization’s use of insight and foresight in service of greater impact.

Reporting to the Director of Programs, the Manager, Research & Insights will play a pivotal role in helping Canadian Women & Sport generate, analyze, and act on meaningful insights about our work and the broader sport landscape. You’ll bring sharp research acumen, a strategic mindset, and strong communication skills to ensure insight drives our advocacy, programs, communications, and fundraising.

You’ll set the direction for research that strengthens Canadian Women & Sport’s relevance and impact—identifying gaps, shaping learning questions, recommending themes, and guiding methodology rooted in the experiences of women and girls in sport. While primarily overseeing consultants and internal staff, you’ll also contribute directly to planning, interpreting findings, and mobilizing insights for action

Through strategic foresight, trend analysis, and environmental scanning, you’ll help the organization stay ahead of change and inform future-focused decisions. You’ll also steward the Impact Research Committee ensuring our work is grounded in leading practice and raise the visibility of our insights work through thought leadership, media, and sector engagement.

In this role you’ll join a growing team that is deeply committed to producing measurable change while also enjoying the process. We have a supportive, collaborative culture that prioritizes community and connection. We embrace continuous learning and innovation, and we invest in the growth and development of every team member to help them achieve their personal and professional goals. We strive to live our core values in everything we do and take pride in a brand with a strong, and hard-earned reputation within the sector we service.  We look forward to amplifying it further with a skilled and genuinely passionate colleague in this role.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Foresight & Executive Advisory (30%) 

• Serve as a strategic partner to the CEO and Senior Leadership Team (SLT) by generating timely insights and foresight that shape high-stakes decisions.
• Produce trend scans, issue briefs, and strategic memos that inform organizational direction, advocacy efforts, and sector engagement.
• Facilitate internal knowledge sharing and consult across teams to embed insights into program design, advocacy, communications, and fundraising.

Research & Signature Products (25%) 

• Lead the vision and oversight of flagship research products (e.g., Rally Report, Women in Leadership Snapshot, It’s Time), ensuring they are aligned with organizational priorities and sector relevance.
• Identify research themes and direct research questions that reflect emerging trends and strategic needs.
• Design and oversee mixed-methods research that centres diverse lived experiences, surfaces systemic barriers, and advances policy and practice.
• Manage research consultants, assistants, and advisors to produce rigorous, timely, and actionable outputs.

Knowledge Translation & Sector Influence (20%) 

• Collaborate with the MarComms team to translate research into compelling knowledge products, advocacy tools, and digital content.
• Elevate Canadian Women & Sport’s external profile through insight-driven storytelling, conference presentations, media interviews, and expert engagements.
• Represent Canadian Women & Sport publicly and serve as a credible voice on issues of gender equity, sport policy, and systems change.

Impact Measurement & Organizational Learning (15%) 

• Lead implementation of the organization’s impact measurement strategy, aligned with our Theory of Change.
• Partner with program and operations teams to develop KPIs and build systems for real-time impact tracking.
• Analyze organizational data to generate insights on Canadian Women & Sport’s impact and what’s working and why.
• Champion a culture of learning and innovation and build capacity across the team to use data for continuous learning, innovation, and accountability.

People & Vendor Management (10%) 

• Manage a small team of external research assistants and relationships with external research consultants.
• Steward the Impact Research Committee, ensuring research is grounded in leading practice and community accountability.
• Champion a culture of excellence, curiosity, and equity in all aspects of insight generation and knowledge sharing.
• Ensure all research practices reflect strong DEIB principles and community accountability.

Key Outcomes of Success 

• The CEO and senior leaders are equipped to make bold, well-informed decisions faster and with greater confidence.
• Canadian Women & Sport’s reputation as the leading source of gender equity insight and systems change organization is reinforced and expanded.
• Our signature research products influence strategy across the sport sector and support organizational thought leadership.
• Internal teams are using insights effectively to drive innovation, deepen impact, and tell our story.
• The organization’s impact measurement strategy strengthens our advocacy, accountability, and strategic clarity.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Requirements:

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in applied research, strategic planning, evaluation, or policy advising.
• Graduate degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent lived/professional experience.
• Proven track record of directing complex research initiatives and delivering actionable insights.
• Advanced skills in mixed-methods research, evaluation design, and strategic analysis.
• Strong communicator and compelling presenter who can translate complex data into clear, compelling narratives for diverse audiences.
• Strategic mindset with experience advising senior leaders or executives.
• Demonstrated commitment to gender equity, anti-racism, and inclusive research practices.
• Demonstrated experience with, or a strong passion for, sport at any level — whether through participation, coaching, volunteering, or personal interest. A genuine connection to the power of sport to build community, confidence, and leadership is essential.

Strong assets:

• Bilingualism (English & French).
• Familiarity with feminist research methodologies, participatory research models, and/or organizational behaviour principles.
• Experience accomplishing work through others, including agencies, researchers, vendors, consultants, board members, or distributed teams.
• Familiarity with collaboration and productivity tools such as Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Zoom, Airtable, and Submittable.

DETAILS

• This is a full-time, permanent, and remote position with the option of flexible working hours (core hours are 9am to 5pm time zone dependent).
• Working remotely, this position will require occasional partner meetings and events in person.
• Salary range is $70,000-85,000 plus comprehensive health benefits. We determine starting salary based on the candidate’s experience alignment to the role and Canadian Women & Sport’s Core Competency Framework.
• This position requires some travel (minimum two times a year within Canada for team gatherings and as needed for events or project delivery).

SUBMITTING YOUR INTEREST
We prioritize equitable opportunities for all applicants and actively encourage those who identify as equity-deserving, underrepresented, marginalized, and/or oppressed to apply. This includes, but is not limited to, those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, Black, disabled/having a disability, Indigenous, People of Colour, and women or who may experience discrimination based on race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, record of offenses, marital status, family status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by local law. Self-identification by candidates in the process is completely voluntary.

Accessibility is important to us. We welcome and encourage applications from those who identified as disabled and/or having a disability. If you are a qualified candidate with a disability, please email us at info@womenandsport.ca if you require reasonable accommodation to complete this application. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

Candidates should submit their cover letter and resume to the attention of Stephanie Talsma, Director, Programs.