Senior Manager of Research

We’re hiring a senior manager of research to help strengthen evidence-informed responses to human trafficking in Canada. This role will lead the development and implementation of our multi-year research agenda, generating insights that inform policy, practice and support for survivors.

Senior Manager of Research

Position: Senior manager of research
Type: Full-time, permanent
Salary range: $80,000-$90,000, with a generous benefits package
Location: Full-time remote from anywhere in Canada; the Centre’s office is located in Toronto
Reports to: Director of Research and Policy
Works closely with: Executive Director; Director, Stakeholder Relations; Manager, Communications; Partnerships team; other departments as applicable.
Apply by: November 24, 2026

About the Centre

Founded in 2016, The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking (the Centre) is a national charity dedicated to ending all forms of human trafficking in Canada. To achieve this, the Centre mobilizes system change by collaborating with diverse partners, including survivor leaders, governments, private sector businesses, front-line service providers, police, and community advocates to advance best practices and eliminate duplicate efforts across Canada. We do this through education and awareness, policy development and advocacy, research and data collection, and knowledge transfer and convening.

On May 29, 2019, the Centre launched the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline, providing a confidential and multilingual service operating 24/7 to connect victims and survivors across Canada with social services and law enforcement if they so choose. As the operator of the hotline, the Centre has a unique perspective on Canada’s existing anti-trafficking safety net and the needs of those most impacted by this crime.

Position summary

The senior manager of research provides senior-level leadership and coordination for the Centre’s research function, helping to shape and implement a multi-year research agenda that advances evidence-informed responses to human trafficking in Canada. This role strengthens the systems, standards, partnerships, and practices that support high-quality research at the Centre. The senior manager leads primary and secondary research initiatives, supports consistent research quality and ethical practice, and translates findings into practical knowledge that can inform programs, partnerships, public education, advocacy, and broader systems-change efforts.

As a senior member of the team, the Senior Manager of Research serves as a subject matter expert on the Canadian and international research landscape related to human trafficking. They build and maintain strong relationships with academic and non-profit research partners. They also provide guidance on ethical, trauma-informed, and survivor-centred approaches to research and lived experience engagement. Working closely with the director of research and policy and relevant colleagues, the role ensures research insights, including those emerging from hotline data and sector engagement, are shared in ways that support organizational learning, strengthen understanding of service gaps and emerging trends, and inform practical opportunities for action.

Key responsibilities

Research

Help shape and implement the Centre’s multi-year research agenda, in collaboration with the Director of Research and relevant colleagues, including through primary and secondary research methods.
Manage and lead primary research projects through all phases, including conception, design, ethics review, implementation, analysis, and report writing.
Conduct and oversee literature reviews, environmental scans, and evidence syntheses to inform organizational strategy, programs, public education, advocacy, and knowledge mobilization.
Serve as a subject matter expert by maintaining a strong understanding of the Canadian and international research landscape related to human trafficking, including emerging trends, evidence gaps, and promising practices.
Work collaboratively with colleagues responsible for hotline operations, data, partnerships, communications, and stakeholder relations to ensure research priorities are informed by frontline insights, hotline data, sector needs, and organizational strategy.
Develop and support consistent use of standards for assessing research quality, while promoting organizational learning and capacity building in evidence-informed practice.
Work with the Partnerships and Communications teams to support knowledge mobilization and dissemination strategies that make research findings accessible, actionable, and useful to diverse audiences.
Present research findings to service providers, governments, funders, community partners, academic audiences, and members of the public.
Develop practical research products, such as reports, summaries, briefing materials, presentations, and tools, that translate evidence into learning, decision-making, and action.
Identify gaps in knowledge, data, and practice and recommend research priorities that advance the Centre’s mission and strengthen Canada’s anti-trafficking response.
Support the Research & Policy Associate with their ongoing research, as required.

Partnership development

In collaboration with the Executive Director and Senior Development Officer, develop and steward relationships with a diverse range of academic and non-profit research partners.
Identify and engage with relevant national and international academic, research, practitioner, and policy networks to strengthen research partnerships and knowledge exchange related to human trafficking.
Represent the Centre in research partnerships, communities of practice, advisory tables, and sector convenings, as appropriate and in alignment with organizational priorities.
Contribute research expertise to collaborative research proposals, partnership agreements, and funding opportunities related to the Centre’s research priorities.

Ethics

Lead the ongoing development and implementation of research ethics practices related to research, lived experience engagement, consultation, and knowledge sharing.
Provide guidance on ethical considerations for primary research involving human participants, including trauma-informed and survivor-centred approaches, informed consent, privacy, data protection, and risk mitigation.
Support staff and partners to apply ethical research practices consistently across projects and engagement activities.
Monitor emerging guidance, standards, and promising practices related to research ethics, community-based research, and lived experience engagement.

Skills and qualifications

Graduate degree in a relevant field such as social sciences, public policy, criminology, public health, social work, gender studies, evaluation, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Significant experience leading applied research projects, including project design, qualitative and/or quantitative methods, data analysis, and report writing.
Strong knowledge of research ethics, particularly in relation to research involving human participants, trauma-informed practice, privacy, consent, and work with communities affected by violence, exploitation, or systemic inequities.
Demonstrated ability to interpret complex research and translate findings into clear, practical products for different audiences, including internal teams, community partners, funders, policymakers, and the public.
Experience developing or maintaining partnerships with academic institutions, community-based organizations, non-profit partners, funders, or sector networks.
Excellent writing, presentation, facilitation, and knowledge mobilization skills, including the ability to prepare reports, briefing materials, presentations, and other evidence-informed products.
Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities, timelines, contributors, and deliverables.
Strong judgment, discretion, and comfort working with sensitive subject matter, confidential information, and data that may involve victims, survivors, and vulnerable communities.
Ability to monitor and synthesize emerging research, practice, and policy developments relevant to human trafficking and translate them into organizational learning and strategic insight.
Knowledge of human trafficking, gender-based violence, victim services, labour exploitation, migration, public policy, or related fields is an asset.
Applicants must be legally entitled to work in and reside in Canada

Attributes

Strategic and systems-oriented thinker who can connect research evidence to practice, advocacy, policy, and organizational priorities while staying grounded in the Centre’s research mandate.
Collaborative relationship-builder who can work respectfully with survivors, community partners, researchers, service providers, governments, and colleagues across departments.
Clear and thoughtful communicator who can make complex information accessible without losing nuance.
Ethical, reflective, and trauma-informed in approach, with a strong commitment to dignity, consent, equity, and accountability.
Organized and self-directed, with the ability to strengthen and coordinate a growing research function in a remote environment.
Comfortable working in complexity, identifying emerging issues, and helping colleagues understand how research can inform practical and strategic decisions.
Curious, rigorous, and committed to continuous learning, quality improvement, and evidence-informed social change.

Why work with us

Impactful work: We are a mission-driven team that is passionate about creating social change to end all forms of human trafficking in Canada.
Inclusive and supportive culture: We celebrate and value diversity and embrace the value that unique perspectives, talents, and experiences bring to our work. When asked how they would describe the Centre, the top three answers from our team are “supportive,” “collaborative,” and “open.”
Opportunities for growth: We are committed to supporting the professional development of our team, including an annual professional development budget so staff can learn and grow at the Centre.
Great benefits: We offer a competitive benefits package for staff and their dependents that prioritizes well-being and work-life balance, including highly competitive health insurance and an RRSP program.
Employer matching RRSP program: We match up to four percent of RRSP contributions for all full-time staff.
Paid time off: We offer four weeks of vacation and ten paid sick days per year, with policies that provide flexibility for extenuating life circumstances.
Remote working environment: We are a 100% remote workplace. Team members are provided with the equipment they need to succeed and are eligible for reimbursement of up to $300/year for costs associated with creating a comfortable and functional home office environment.
Flexibility: Our team can live and work from anywhere in Canada and can work outside Canada for up to three months with prior approval. Staff who are not required to do shift work are eligible for year-round flextime, as well as seasonal flextime between June and August so team members can take up to an additional five Fridays off during the summer months.

Recruitment process

We are committed to a fair, equitable, and transparent recruitment process. The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking does not use artificial intelligence to screen, assess, or select applicants. All applications are reviewed by members of our hiring team.

Candidates selected for an interview will be contacted directly. All candidates who participate in an interview will be notified of the outcome of the recruitment process.

How to apply

We strongly encourage applications from survivors of human trafficking, as well as people from equity-deserving communities. Apply, even if you do not meet every single requirement.

Please submit a resume and cover letter highlighting what has led to your interest in working within the anti-trafficking sector and what you can bring to this role. Submit applications to hr@ccteht.ca by November 24th, 2026, with “Senior Manager of Research” in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and interviews may be conducted before the posting closes. Early applications are encouraged.

Please include your full name in the file names of any attachments using the following format: LastName_FirstName_DocumentType (e.g., Smith_Jane_Resume.pdf and Smith_Jane_CoverLetter.pdf).

Applicants must be eligible to work and reside in Canada. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking is committed to equitable hiring practices and follows the Ontario Human Rights Code in all recruitment and employment decisions.

We are happy to support the accessibility needs of applicants at any stage of the hiring process. If you require accommodations to support your full participation, please contact us — we will work with you to ensure a respectful and inclusive experience.