Deputy Director: Policy & Research

About the role

The Deputy Director: Policy & Research will lead the Research Department of the Commission for Gender Equality, supervising research staff and overseeing the execution of research programmes. The role supports the CGE’s mandate to monitor and evaluate government policies that promote gender equality across public, private and civil‑society sectors.

Key responsibilities

• Supervise research staff and manage the execution of research programme activities in close collaboration with the Head of Research Department.
• Ensure the Research Department enables the CGE to monitor implementation of gender‑related government policies.
• Implement CGE programmes related to departmental operations.
• Conduct fieldwork and gather research data for gender‑focused projects.
• Review research projects and related activities, contributing to the Annual Plan of Action.
• Present research findings at workshops, seminars and public debates on gender issues.
• Provide inputs to internal and external policy processes on gender‑related matters.
• Perform additional tasks assigned by the Head of Department.

Required profile

• South African citizen with a valid driver’s licence.
• Master’s degree in Social Sciences, Humanities or a related behavioural science field.
• At least five years of research experience on social and gender issues, with a record of professional report writing and publications.
• Willingness to travel extensively across the country for field research.

Required skills

• Project management and analytical abilities.
• Strong research methodology expertise (qualitative, quantitative or mixed‑methods).
• Computer literacy and experience with data‑gathering tools.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including report writing and presentation.