Research Manager - J-PAL South Asia

Job Details: 

Research management and support:

• Lend expertise to strategic planning and execution across the evaluation lifecycle of projects in the designated portfolio, typically involving projects across multiple sectors.

• Ensure compliance with J-PAL’s research protocols across all project activities to maintain the integrity and the quality of research.

• Collaborate with PIs on the design and implementation of data collection plans, while providing deep local context and cultural sensitivity to the PIs. Ensure effective and efficient implementation of field activities by research project staff, in keeping with the timeline and scope of work.

• Hire and onboard local team members for effective execution of research activities.

• Designate roles and responsibilities for each project team member (including Finance Managers), manage project timelines.

• Oversee a team, with a minimum of 3 direct reports, including, Senior Research Associates and Research Associates. 

• Provide guidance and oversight to Research Associates on research activities, including field planning, data collection, data management, power calculations, and preliminary analysis. 

• Mentor Senior Research Associates and Research Associates to build technical and managerial competence and prioritize their learning and skill development.

• Assist in preparing detailed budgets and work plans in coordination with finance team/PIs.

• Schedule check-in dialogues with team members, liaise & communicate with external stakeholders, internal team and set up management reporting.

• Report regularly to PIs and J-PAL SA senior management on project progress. Flag potential problems such as delays, overspending, data quality issues or threats to validity and recommend solutions.

• Prepare Institutional Review Board applications and modifications in close collaboration with the PIs. Ensure systematic documentation on project history, progress, deviations and key decisions.

• Provide support on identifying funding opportunities, preparing research proposals, survey implementation and monitoring, data management, donor report writing, dissemination and policy outreach.

• Liaise with academics, officials, policymakers, donors, partner organizations as a project representative.

• Maintain and expand current knowledge of the field of expertise of thematic areas for portfolio of projects, through continuous literature reviews and landscape analysis, and communicate new developments and resulting impact to team members.

• Represent J-PAL in meetings and conferences.

Contribution to the organization:

• Support on new research project development.

• Contribute to creation of technical resources and public goods for internal learning as well as for an external audience.

• Proactively participate in cross-vertical organizational initiatives

Qualifications:

• Masters in development economics or a field related to international economic development.

• At least three years of project management experience.

• Extensive experience conducting social science or economic field research or experience conducting field research in developing countries required (India preferred).

• Background in randomized control trials is strongly preferred.

• Extensive experience supervising data collection, teams of field workers, survey design and implementation, and data management.

• Experience with data management and econometrics. Advanced knowledge of Stata (strongly preferred) and/or any statistical package is preferred, as well as data collection software such as Survey CTO.

• Strong quantitative, analytical and financial management skills required.

• Experience interacting with partners, government officials and other key stakeholders in a developing country context.

• Experience with presenting research findings at public forums, including to non-research focused audiences is preferred.

• Strong attention to detail, with a quality-focused mindset.

• Ability to work independently and problem-solve, as well as enlist the support of other teams within the organization.

• Strong written and oral communication skills and complete fluency in English is required.

• Demonstrated experience in writing project proposals and/or grants, preferably for international field research. 

Behavioral Requirements:

• Position applies judgment to initial or escalated consultations and/or reviews and has an enhanced understanding of key requirements to deliver on J-PAL’s mission through practices, procedures and policies.

• Leadership of local or virtual teams, demonstrating natural authority.

• Ability to drive and adapt to change, particularly in the face of uncertainty.

• Ability to be independent but collaborative when needed, innovative and adaptive (flexible and eager to learn).

• Strong communication skills, as well as listening and interpretation skills

• Ability to prioritize effectively and successfully handle multiple projects simultaneously

• Ability to reference existing practices, policies and stakeholders, and their knowledge and experience to review unique and complex situations and, through specific consultation, to propose solutions to issues.

How to Apply