Open To Work
Virginia Wanjiku
Development Professional
Nairobi
Summary
Purpose-driven development practitioner and researcher with a strong foundation in gender equity, social justice, and inclusive policy. Experienced in designing and executing field research, facilitating participatory processes, and translating evidence into actionable insights. Adept at working across interdisciplinary teams and multicultural contexts to drive sustainable development and amplify underrepresented voices. Committed to ethical research, data-driven advocacy, and creating equitable systems that empower communities.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
Work History
Youth Researcher
International Center for Research on Women
2024.05 - 2026.04
- Ensured 95% compliance in the implementation of research protocols through continuous quality checks through informed consent and research ethics protocol.
- Supported data collection efforts, reaching over 200 participants across 3 counties for KII, IDI & FGD Interviews, improving data accuracy by 20%.
- Provided technical support in qualitative data analysis through transcription and coding on Nvivo.
- Project: BEHIND THE SCENES (BTS) Young Women and Gender-Based Inequalities in Africa's Creative Sector. Project: Early Childhood Development and Participatory Learning Project.
Research Assistant
Tangaza University
2025.08 - 2026.01
- Recorded, transcribed, and organized all interview data with accuracy and confidentiality.
- Analyzed qualitative data using NVivo, generating clear, theme-based insights.
- Reviewed and synthesized relevant literature to strengthen study findings.
- Contributed to timely study completion through flexible, multi-task research support.
Field Research Assistant
MASDEV Consultancy
2025.10
- Collected and submitted high-quality field data with 100% adherence to study protocols, sampling plans, and ethical guidelines.
- Consistently achieved daily and overall data collection targets while ensuring over 95% data accuracy and timely submissions.
- Strengthened respondent trust by clearly communicating study objectives, securing informed consent, and safeguarding participant rights.
- Project Name: Enhancing - Informed Decision - Making for an Informed Childcare Ecosystem in Kenya.
Image Annotator
Sapien
2024.02 - 2024.09
- Successfully labelled and annotated over 5,000+ images, achieving >95% accuracy across multiple projects.
- Contributed to a team-wide target completion rate of 100%, consistently meeting or surpassing individual quotas for both daily and weekly assignments.
- Maintained top-tier quality scores by consistently adhering to detailed annotation guidelines and exceeding weekly QA benchmarks by 10-15%.
Volunteer
World Food Programme
2023.09 - 2024.05
- Supported onboarding and engagement of over 50 youth in digital economy initiatives.
- Contributed to quarterly program reviews, identifying 3 critical operational gaps and proposing solutions later adopted by the team.
- Streamlined administrative workflows, reducing participant follow-up time by 45%.
- Empact Alumni
Research Assistant
Bright Path Consulting & Rainforest Alliance
2021.07 - 2023.03
- Interviewed 80+ tea farmers across four regions through Surveys-to-go, collecting key data on GHG emissions and agricultural practices.
- Delivered insights that contributed to the sustainability reporting of Rainforest Alliance's climate-resilient agriculture project.
- Conducted 120+ field interviews on potato farmers, leading to key findings on the adoption of 'Wrap and Plant' technology.
- Played a key role in tool refinement through pre-testing, improving response clarity by 40%.
- Collected dietary preference data from 150+ households in different social classes, informing food security strategies.
- Maintained an organized data repository, enabling faster turnaround for analysis by 3 days.
- Working with the Rainforest Alliance and The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)
Field Officer / Research Consultant
African Institute for Development Policy
2022.09 - 2022.11
- Led data verification for over 300 entries via ODK, maintaining a 98% data accuracy rate.
- Successfully recruited 98% of targeted participants within the set timeframe, contributing to timely project delivery.
- Authored weekly debriefing reports that informed real-time project adjustments for the TEAM-UP project.
Research Assistant
Kenyatta University
2021.02 - 2021.07
- Carried out field surveys with 100+ farmers in Nyandarua County, aiding evaluation of nematode-resistant practices.
- Presented field insights at 2 project review meetings, influencing research adaptation strategies.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Agricultural Economics and Rural Development
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
Skills
- Qualitative methods
- Quantitative methods
- Scoping reviews
- Ethical compliance
- Literature synthesis
- Transcription
- Coding (Nvivo)
- Survey tools (ODK)
- Data visualization (Canva)
- Data visualization (Flourish)
- Fieldwork planning
- Stakeholder engagement
- Team leadership
- Reporting
- Technical writing
- Advocacy
- Storytelling with data
- Public speaking
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Convidence
- Rayyan
- Google Scholar
- EBSCO
- Conflict resolution
- Delegation
- Learning design
- Policy interpretation
- Gender equity
- Human rights
- Sustainable development
- Governance
Websites
References
Available upon request.
Training
- Research Methods, Leaders of Africa (LOA), Currently ongoing
- Scoping Review, International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), 2024-06-01
- Research Ethics, World Health Organization, 2024-04-01
- Predictive Analytics Essential Training, LinkedIn, 2024-03-01
- Digital Customer Service, Generation Kenya, 2021-01-01
- Digital Customer Care, Ajira Digital, 2020-05-01
- Certificate in IT and Computer Literacy, INTEL, She Will Connect, 2015-11-01
Timeline
Field Research Assistant
MASDEV Consultancy
2025.10
Research Assistant
Tangaza University
2025.08 - 2026.01
Youth Researcher
International Center for Research on Women
2024.05 - 2026.04
Image Annotator
Sapien
2024.02 - 2024.09
Volunteer
World Food Programme
2023.09 - 2024.05
Field Officer / Research Consultant
African Institute for Development Policy
2022.09 - 2022.11
Research Assistant
Bright Path Consulting & Rainforest Alliance
2021.07 - 2023.03
Research Assistant
Kenyatta University
2021.02 - 2021.07
Bachelor of Science - Agricultural Economics and Rural Development
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology