Housing Finance Company of Kenya was incorporated as the premier mortgage Finance Institution in Kenya licensed under the Banking Act with the CDC and the GoK owning 60% and 40% respectively.

Housing Finance started operations with the main objective of implementing the government’s policy of promoting thrift and home ownership by lending ...

Research Manager

Job Type

Full Time

Qualification

BA/BSc/HND

Experience

5 - 7 years

Location

Nairobi

Job Field

Research

Principle Accountabilities

Research Strategy & Leadership

Develop and drive the departmental research agenda aligned to digital and innovation strategy.

Define research priorities based on business needs, product pipelines, and emerging market opportunities.

Provide methodological oversight to ensure consistency, rigor, and institutional continuity.

Guide and mentor junior research staff where applicable.

Field Research & User Insights

Oversee and conduct field visits, ethnographic studies, interviews, and usability testing.

Identify critical customer pain points, behavioral patterns, and unmet needs.

Ensure appropriate participant recruitment and stakeholder engagement.

Escalate key insights and strategic implications to senior leadership for prioritization and action.

Desk Research & Market Intelligence

Lead trend analysis on local and international digital banking developments, fintech innovations, and competitor activity.

Monitor regulatory developments impacting digital products and innovation initiatives.

Interpret macroeconomic, technological, and regulatory trends to inform strategic positioning.

Synthesis, Analytics & Evidence Generation

Lead thematic and quantitative analysis of research findings.

Oversee the development of user personas, customer journey maps, and opportunity frameworks.

Ensure structured documentation and maintenance of institutional research databases.

Translate raw data into strategic insights and business cases for decision-making.

Communication & Executive Reporting

Prepare and present insight reports, dashboards, and executive summaries to senior management.

Convert complex research outputs into clear, actionable strategic recommendations.

Support board or executive-level innovation reporting where required.

Ensure adherence to reporting standards and quality assurance processes

Continuous Improvement & Capability Building

Introduce improved research methodologies, tools, and analytics capabilities.

Promote a culture of evidence-based decision-making within Innovation and Digital teams.

Stay updated on emerging research practices, digital tools, and innovation frameworks.

Principal Outputs for this role

Strategic research agenda aligned to innovation priorities.

Executive-level research briefs and insight reports.

Market intelligence updates and competitor benchmarking reports.

Structured and reliable research database.

Actionable recommendations influencing product design and digital transformation

Key Competencies and Skills

Strategic Thinking & Insight Generation

Advanced Analytical & Critical Thinking

Research Leadership & Methodological Expertise

Digital & Innovation Awareness

Executive Communication & Influence

Stakeholder Management

Decision Support & Business Acumen

Adaptability & Continuous Learning

Minimum Qualifications, Knowledge and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Economics, Data Science, Business Analytics, Information Systems, Social Research, Sociology, or related discipline.

Postgraduate qualification (MBA, MSc, or equivalent) is an added advantage.

Professional certification in Research Methods, Data Analytics, Business Intelligence, or Digital Transformation is desirable.

Strong proficiency in Excel, Power BI/Tableau, and research tools.

Experience

Minimum 5–7 years relevant experience in research, analytics, innovation, digital strategy, or customer insights.

Demonstrated experience leading research initiatives or managing research projects.

Experience within financial services, fintech, digital platforms, or innovation environments is highly desirable.

Experience presenting insights to senior stakeholders.

• Develop and drive the departmental research agenda aligned to digital and innovation strategy.
• Define research priorities based on business needs, product pipelines, and emerging market opportunities.
• Provide methodological oversight to ensure consistency, rigor, and institutional continuity.
• Guide and mentor junior research staff where applicable.
• Oversee and conduct field visits, ethnographic studies, interviews, and usability testing.
• Identify critical customer pain points, behavioral patterns, and unmet needs.
• Ensure appropriate participant recruitment and stakeholder engagement.
• Escalate key insights and strategic implications to senior leadership for prioritization and action.
• Lead trend analysis on local and international digital banking developments, fintech innovations, and competitor activity.
• Monitor regulatory developments impacting digital products and innovation initiatives.
• Interpret macroeconomic, technological, and regulatory trends to inform strategic positioning.
• Lead thematic and quantitative analysis of research findings.
• Oversee the development of user personas, customer journey maps, and opportunity frameworks.
• Ensure structured documentation and maintenance of institutional research databases.
• Translate raw data into strategic insights and business cases for decision-making.
• Prepare and present insight reports, dashboards, and executive summaries to senior management.
• Convert complex research outputs into clear, actionable strategic recommendations.
• Support board or executive-level innovation reporting where required.
• Ensure adherence to reporting standards and quality assurance processes
• Introduce improved research methodologies, tools, and analytics capabilities.
• Promote a culture of evidence-based decision-making within Innovation and Digital teams.
• Stay updated on emerging research practices, digital tools, and innovation frameworks.

• Strategic Thinking & Insight Generation
• Advanced Analytical & Critical Thinking
• Research Leadership & Methodological Expertise
• Digital & Innovation Awareness
• Executive Communication & Influence
• Stakeholder Management
• Decision Support & Business Acumen
• Adaptability & Continuous Learning
• Strong proficiency in Excel, Power BI/Tableau, and research tools.

• Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Economics, Data Science, Business Analytics, Information Systems, Social Research, Sociology, or related discipline.
• Postgraduate qualification (MBA, MSc, or equivalent) is an added advantage.
• Professional certification in Research Methods, Data Analytics, Business Intelligence, or Digital Transformation is desirable.