Jobs Kenya

Website: Website http://www.poverty-action.org/

  • Monitoring & Evaluation/Right-Fit Evidence Coordinator, Kenya Regional Technical Coordinator/Manager, Kenya Policy Manager, Kenya

    Monitoring & Evaluation/Right-Fit Evidence Coordinator, Kenya Regional Technical Coordinator/Manager, Kenya Policy Manager, Kenya

    Innovations for Poverty Action’s Right-Fit Evidence Unit is seeking a Coordinator to take a lead advisory role to a portfolio of partner organizations on how to develop and implement adaptive Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) systems. In the first year, the Coordinator will work on a joint program involving implementers working issues surrounding youth employment, SME finance and technical and vocational training. The position may expand to other engagements as the Right-Fit Evidence Unit grows in Kenya.
    The position is based in Nairobi, Kenya, will report directly to the Right-Fit Evidence Engagement Manager based in the United States, and will receive additional oversight and support from IPA Kenya’s country management team.
    Responsibilities 
    The M&E/RFE Coordinator will be the primary on-the-ground staff member delivering technical Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning support to an ambitious program of grants, all of which will be touching on youth workforce development in one way or another. The Coordinator will work closely with implementers from the private, public, and nonprofit sector, in order to build their capacity in using adaptive and learning-oriented M&E. With oversight from the Engagement Manager, the Coordinator will:

    Design and facilitate regular learning workshops in which implementers are taking stock of the results achieved so far, adapt their programming, and draw new priority questions for M&E
    Provide technical advice to partners on the development and maintenance of M&E plans, the design of indicators, data collection methods, and data management, working both with administrative and survey data
    Train client team members in how to collect, analyze and summarize M&E data
    Support clients to draft theories of change (ToCs) for project activities, by reviewing program documents and relevant literature. Assist clients to identify M&E questions to test the assumptions in their ToCs, and to design cost-effective approaches to rigorously test these assumptions
    Assist clients to prepare materials for regular MEL workshops and meetings, including the coordination of an ambitious annual cross-partners learning event
    Help draw cross-implementer lessons relevant to the donor’s own learning agenda and the sector as a whole
    Play a role in the development and performance of new engagements for the Unit

    Qualifications 

    Bachelor’s degree in economics, public policy, social science, or a related field.
    2-5 years of relevant work experience, including experience in MEL (public/NGO sector) or organizational performance (private sector)
    Superior analytical, quantitative and conceptual thinking skills
    Strong client facing and presentation skills, and ability to build relationships of trust with stakeholders at various levels.
    Ability to present information in a structured and insightful way, both in writing and orally
    Self-starter, entrepreneurial mindset, versatility and willingness to learn.
    Experience working in developing countries
    Strong proficiency in Excel for data management and analysis
    Passion for making data-driven decision making a reality in the development sector

    Preferred additional qualifications

    Master’s degree in economics, public policy, social science, or a related field
    Experience in management consulting or other professional services
    Demonstrated ability to coach and train others in statistics, data analysis or MEL methodologies
    Experience with programs relating to youth workforce development and/or private sector development
    Familiarity with the concepts surrounding the Theory of Change and the core tools of MEL (both quantitative and qualitative research methods)
    Familiarity with SurveyCTO, Open Data Kit or similar survey software, SMS or Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology
    Ability to use Stata, R or similar statistical software

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  • Monitoring & Evaluation/Right-Fit Evidence Coordinator, Kenya

    Monitoring & Evaluation/Right-Fit Evidence Coordinator, Kenya

    Innovations for Poverty Action’s Right-Fit Evidence Unit is seeking a Coordinator to take a lead advisory role to a portfolio of partner organizations on how to develop and implement adaptive Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) systems. In the first year, the Coordinator will work on a joint program involving implementers working issues surrounding youth employment, SME finance and technical and vocational training. The position may expand to other engagements as the Right-Fit Evidence Unit grows in Kenya.
    The position is based in Nairobi, Kenya, will report directly to the Right-Fit Evidence Engagement Manager based in the United States, and will receive additional oversight and support from IPA Kenya’s country management team.
    Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a global research and policy nonprofit that discovers and promotes effective solutions to global poverty problems. As its core business, IPA brings together researchers and decision-makers to design, rigorously evaluate, and refine these solutions and their applications, ensuring that the evidence created is used to improve the lives of the world’s poor. IPA has conducted hundreds of randomized evaluations across sectors, learning both whether programs work, and how they can work better.
    Complementing this core business, the Right-Fit Evidence Unit at IPA is a newer effort aimed at helping organizations build strong and tailored Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) systems, which balance the need for information on impact with operational data to support management decisions. In close collaboration with IPA’s sector programs and country office teams worldwide, the unit will provide to consulting and direct services implementers, donors, and governments, with the goal of helping them figure out what reliable data and evidence to gather, how to do it in a cost-effective way, and how to make the promise of data-informed programmatic decisions a reality.
    Responsibilities 
    The M&E/RFE Coordinator will be the primary on-the-ground staff member delivering technical Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning support to an ambitious program of grants, all of which will be touching on youth workforce development in one way or another. The Coordinator will work closely with implementers from the private, public, and nonprofit sector, in order to build their capacity in using adaptive and learning-oriented M&E. With oversight from the Engagement Manager, the Coordinator will:

    Design and facilitate regular learning workshops in which implementers are taking stock of the results achieved so far, adapt their programming, and draw new priority questions for M&E
    Provide technical advice to partners on the development and maintenance of M&E plans, the design of indicators, data collection methods, and data management, working both with administrative and survey data
    Train client team members in how to collect, analyze and summarize M&E data
    Support clients to draft theories of change (ToCs) for project activities, by reviewing program documents and relevant literature. Assist clients to identify M&E questions to test the assumptions in their ToCs, and to design cost-effective approaches to rigorously test these assumptions
    Assist clients to prepare materials for regular MEL workshops and meetings, including the coordination of an ambitious annual cross-partners learning event
    Help draw cross-implementer lessons relevant to the donor’s own learning agenda and the sector as a whole
    Play a role in the development and performance of new engagements for the Unit

    Qualifications 

    Bachelor’s degree in economics, public policy, social science, or a related field.
    2-5 years of relevant work experience, including experience in MEL (public/NGO sector) or organizational performance (private sector)
    Superior analytical, quantitative and conceptual thinking skills
    Strong client facing and presentation skills, and ability to build relationships of trust with stakeholders at various levels.
    Ability to present information in a structured and insightful way, both in writing and orally
    Self-starter, entrepreneurial mindset, versatility and willingness to learn.
    Experience working in developing countries
    Strong proficiency in Excel for data management and analysis
    Passion for making data-driven decision making a reality in the development sector

    Preferred additional qualifications

    Master’s degree in economics, public policy, social science, or a related field
    Experience in management consulting or other professional services
    Demonstrated ability to coach and train others in statistics, data analysis or MEL methodologies
    Experience with programs relating to youth workforce development and/or private sector development
    Familiarity with the concepts surrounding the Theory of Change and the core tools of MEL (both quantitative and qualitative research methods)
    Familiarity with SurveyCTO, Open Data Kit or similar survey software, SMS or Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology
    Ability to use Stata, R or similar statistical software

  • Field Officer – Youth Employment Project (YEP)

    Field Officer – Youth Employment Project (YEP)

    Reporting To: Associate Field Manager
    Start Date: 2nd December 2019
    Location: Nairobi, Mombasa, Kwale , Kisumu, Nakuru, Migori, Kiambu, Kitui, Turkana, Nyandarua, Kilifi, Kakamega, Bungoma, Machakos and Kisii.
    Duration: 1 Month
    Eligibility: Position open to local Kenyan hires only.
    About the Project: IPA is evaluating a nationwide focused Youth Employment Project (YEP). IPA has been tasked with developing and implementing all aspects of baseline and follow-up surveys of two impact evaluations on jobs and youth employment.
    As part of this project, data will be collected, and impact evaluations will be carried out in order to analyse the impact of different interventions included under different components. This study will inform policy and the literature on entrepreneurship in developing countries.
    About the Position: The Field Officer under the general supervision of the Associate Field Manager and within the limits of Innovations for Poverty Action-Kenya policies will implement survey field activities and functions.
    Below is a list of some of the general duties and responsibilities of the Field Officer, to be carried out as needed according to the determination of the Associate Field Manager.
    Duties and Responsibilities:

    Data collection on SurveyCTO: Assist with translations, piloting surveys and actual data collection.
    Ensure proper respondent screening for eligibility and administration of informed consent.
    Providing feedback during debriefs on field operations and survey instruments that will inform and monitor improvements in project operations.
    Ensure data integrity is maintained always and minimize errors in survey administration
    Completion of scheduled activities each day in a timely manner including keeping logs of work accomplished and call backs as assigned by SFO and and the YEP management.
    Interact with community members with the highest level of integrity and understanding.
    Assist in daily electronic devices maintenance and storage
    FO will be required to attend an intensive one-week training prior to data collection and thereafter as needed.
    Other tasks as assigned by the SFO/AFM/FM/RM.

    Qualifications and Experience:
    Required:

    Bachelor’s degree or Diploma in social sciences, public policy, or related fields.
    2-3 years of field research experience. Extensive experience in implementing data collection.
    Previous experience in translation and survey administration.
    Demonstrated experience in data collection at various levels (planning, piloting and collecting)
    Excellent management and organizational skills.
    Flexible, self-motivating, able to manage multiple tasks efficiently and team player
    Effective communication skills with fluency in English and Swahili
    Previous tablet-based survey experience / computer literate.

    Desired:

    Experience in conducting data collection
    Experience in developing work plan, survey tracking and reporting.
    Demonstrated ability to work in demanding environment.

  • Research Associate – Trade Credit

    Research Associate – Trade Credit

    Reporting To: Research Manager
    Start Date: ASAP
    Duration: One Year
    Eligibility: Position open to local Kenyan hires only
    About the Project: This study will measure the impact of offering trade credit to a group of retailers who currently have very limited access to financial services. We will address the commercial viability of this intervention from both the lender’s and borrower’s perspective, tracking repayment behaviour on the one hand, and assessing the impact on business development at the retail level on the other.
    The project will shed light on the potential of trade credit to foster the development of small businesses in a developing country context.
    About the position: The Research Associate under the general supervision of the Research Manager and within the limits of Innovations for Poverty Action-Kenya (IPAK) policies and procedurescoordinates the facilitation of field activities, data support for the project, and functions within IPAK.
    Below is a list of some of the general duties and responsibilities of the Research Associate to be carried out as needed according to the determination of the Research Manager.
    Duties and Responsibilities:

    Assist with overall project management, monitoring and implementation.
    Track progress of project activities and regularly inform Research Coordinator/Manager of progress.
    Coordinate field logistics, including the implementation of phone and in-person surveys with large samples of respondents.
    Manage, support and train a team of field staff.
    Implement systems to manage, clean, and analyze data related to project activities.
    Ensure smooth and timely data flow between various project activities.
    Assist with survey programming (e.g. SurveyCTO).
    Monitor indicators of staff performance (especially productivity and back-check verifications).
    Implement research protocols to ensure quality of all data collection activities.
    Prepare summary statistics and other analyses related to project outcomes.
    Keep track of project expenses and prepare financial reports.
    Work closely with IPA Kenya country office team and Principal Investigators/project implementers.

    Qualifications and Experience:
    Required:

    Bachelor’s degree in management, international development, public policy, or related fields.
    Excellent project management and organizational skills; meticulous attention to detail.
    Prior work experience (2-4 years) conducting field research collecting quantitative data.
    Ability to manage and clean complex datasets using STATA.
    Excellent financial management skills.
    Demonstrated ability to manage field teams and data collection at various levels (planning, piloting, collecting, transcribing, back-checking, financial budgeting and reporting).
    Flexible, self-motivating, able to manage multiple tasks efficiently, and team player.
    Demonstrated ability to manage high-level relationships with partner organizations and policy makers.
    Strong communication skills with fluency in English and Kiswahili.

    Desired:

    Familiarity with randomized controlled trials.
    Knowledge of statistics.

  • Senior HR Associate – Field Office, Kenya

    Senior HR Associate – Field Office, Kenya

    Duration: 1-Year Contract (Renewable)
    Eligibility: Position open to local Kenyan hires only
    About Innovations for Poverty Action: Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is an international non-profit research organization dedicated to discovering and promoting effective solutions to global poverty problems.
    IPA works in partnership with development partners and academic researchers to create and evaluate approaches potential solutions to poverty problems using randomized evaluations in the fields of health, education, microfinance, governance and agriculture.
    We also mobilize and support these decision makers to use these solutions to build better programs and policies at scale.
    About the Role: The Senior HR Associate, under the general supervision of the HR & Admin Manager and within the limits of Innovations for Poverty Action-Kenya policies and procedures, will be responsible for managing the administration of the human resources policies, procedures, and programs in IPA Kenya field offices in coordination with the Nairobi office.
    The incumbent will deputize the HR manager and provide day to day administrative support to the HR manager. S/he will performthe following general duties and responsibilities as needed according to the determination of the Human Resource Manager:
    Duties and Responsibilities

    Work hand in hand with the Human Resource Manager to regularly update IPAK policies and streamline procedures as needed.
    Ensure adherence and compliance to the organization HR policies and procedures and interpretation of current policies to new staff.
    Support the Human Resource Manager in developing the HR strategies and facilitating the implementation of the same.
    Coordinate and consult with HRM/Senior Management on any disciplinary cases that are reported.
    Assist with the drafting of letters related to disciplinary issues.
    Actively participate in recruitment, selection and interviews for all local hires and provide necessary guidance related to these processes.
    Staff benefits management- Medical, WIBA and other related benefits (including claims resolution, reimbursement process, changes and enrollment and payments of the premiums).
    Preparing, monitoring and renewing of staff contracts.
    Carrying-out induction process (on-boarding) for newly employed staff and the clearing process (offboarding) for outgoing staff including exit interviews.
    Supporting the gathering of all documents related to monthly payroll adjustments, preparation of monthly staff payroll details and making all the appropriate deductions.
    Creating and updating staff details on replicon system.
    Update all leave related days on replicon on monthly basis ensuring that they are up to date.
    Ensure all IPAK staff fill in and submit their timesheets as required on monthly basis as well as making follow ups with supervisors on timesheet approvals.
    Performance Management – Performance planning, evaluation tracking and coordination for all field offices and ensuring all the documents are filed.
    Provide local HR support required in the field offices
    Overseeing the HR department in the absence of the Human Resource Manager.

    Qualifications, Skills and Experience

    Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management or any other business-related course.
    Higher diploma in Human Resource Management or its equivalent.
    A Certified Human Resource Professional (with CHRP certificate or currently enrolled) and an active member of the Institute of Human Resource Management.
    At least 5 years solid generalist experience in a busy Human Resource Department.
    Sound leadership skills.
    Proactive with excellent anticipatory skills.
    Effective analytical and problem-solving skills.
    Effective interpersonal and communication skills.
    Previous experience in providing remote support is highly desirable.
    Flexible, motivated and ability to persistently complete tasks.
    Ability to operate in a dynamic environment and communicate with various levels of staff.
    Strong work ethic, team player and demonstrated experience in supervising junior staff.
    Well organized and keen to detail.
    Person of high integrity and confidentiality.
    Strong computer skills in Microsoft packages, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
    Willingness to travel across IPAK field offices in Kenya.

  • Country Director

    Country Director

    The Country Director position provides a unique opportunity to be closely involved in cutting-edge policy-relevant research and work with top academics.  The Country Director will work with IPA senior Global, Regional, and Program leadership, as well as key stakeholders to set the strategic direction and oversee multiple simultaneous impact projects.  The position requires close interaction with academic researchers, donors, local government agencies, and other NGOs. The Country Director, assisted by the IPA Kenya Senior Management Team, will provide oversight of all project and office operations. 

    Responsibilities 

    Country Office Planning and Management

    Collaborate with Chief Global Programs Officer and Regional Director to develop IPA Kenya’s strategic plan;
    Collaborate with Regional Director to develop sub-initiative priorities, strategies and application plans;
    Lead strategic project management, financial management, external relations, business development, fundraising, Human Resources, and operational aspects of research projects;
    Develop and execute project management plan to support strategic planning, resource allocation, and policy engagement;
    Develop and lead project strategy metrics, goal and target setting, data collection, data management, data analysis, and reporting;
    Lead IPA’s policy impact in Kenya  including evidence dialogue, dissemination, and research collaborations;
    Ensure data collection is complaint  with IPA’s research protocols and data quality standards;
    Oversee internal and external project audits.

    Financial Management

    Oversee project budgets management and reporting, financial risk control procedures, projections for multiple grants, and contracts;
    Ensure compliance to donor reporting, rules, regulations, and requirements (e.g. USAID and DFID);
    Ensure financial compliance to Kenya Government and NGO board statutory requirements;
    Oversee internal and external financial audits.

    External Relations

    Manage, maintain and deepen relationships with core external academic researchers/ principal investigators (PIs) who work and partner with IPA in Kenya and expand this network of PIs;
    Develop and maintain high-level relationships with Government of Kenya, national and international NGO partners;
    Identify and cultivate relationships with new partnerships in sectors that are prioritized by IPA Kenya’s policy engagement;
    Represent IPA Kenya on a  global, national, and local level;
    Represent IPA Kenya with government and NGO partners;
    Oversee capacity building of local development partners in evidence-based policy making and impact evaluations;
    Manage relationships with and provide services to external academic researchers.

    Business Development and Fundraising

    Collaborate with Regional Director and program teams project resources, financial management, human resources, and operations for proposal development;
    Engage government partners to identify potential research projects;
    Identify and cultivate fundraising opportunities;
    Identify and cultivate research project opportunities, particularly through proactive reach out to external academic researchers/ principle investigators.

    Human Resources and Operations

    Manage Deputy Country Director, Senior Policy Manager, Finance Manager, and Human Resources Manager;
    Oversee Research Managers, Senior Research Associates and Field Managers;
    Oversee office operations, human resources, and information technology functions;
    Ensure compliance to Kenyan labor and immigration laws;
    Act as primary point of contract for emergency and crisis management;
    Ensure Nairobi and field offices safety and security protocols are maintained;
    Develop systems to strengthen staff capacity.

    Qualifications 

    Master’s degree in international affairs, international public policy, development economics, or field work related to international economic development with a minimum of 8 year relevant work experience; or
    Bachelor’s degree in international affairs, international public policy, development economics, or field work related to international economic development with a minimum of 10 year relevant work experience;
    Project Management Professional training certificate, strongly desirable.

    Experience

    Project management; strongly desired
    Report writing, strongly desired
    Quantitative research skills/ experience and a familiarity with randomized controlled trials, strongly desired;
    Experimental economics, education, health, water and sanitation and agricultural research, strongly desired;
    Engaging multiple stakeholders including international and local academic researchers, donors, national and local government officials, NGO partners, enumeration teams, and study participants, strongly desired;
    Working knowledge of human resource and operations, strongly desired
    Working with multiple donors;
    Worked as Deputy Country Director or Country Director, strongly desired;
    Experience leading diverse  team of 200+ in dynamic work environment;
    Experience building staff capacity;
    Experience living and working in Kenya.

    Attributes

    Leadership
    Strategic Goal Setting
    Innovation
    Problem solving
    Relationship Building
    Collaboration
    Adaptability
    Analytical
    Prioritizing
    Navigating Ambiguity

  • Field Officer

    Field Officer

    Reporting To: Research Associate
    Start Date: 07th January, 2019
    Location: Nairobi, Eastern, Central, Nyanza, Western, Coast and Rift Valley
    Duration: 4 Months
    Deadline to Apply: 13th November,2018
    Eligibility: Position open to local Kenyan hires only
    About the Position: The Field Officer under the general supervision of an Associate and within the limits of Innovations for Poverty Action-Kenya policies and procedures is responsible for data collection at health facilities and interaction with health providers.
    Below is a list of some of the general duties and responsibilities of the Field Office to be carried out as needed according to the determination of the Associate.
    Duties and Responsibilities:

    Visit selected health facilities in Nairobi and other counties;
    Interact regularly with health care staff;
    Adhere to instructions and to interact fluidly with people from a variety of different backgrounds
    Meet regularly for daily debriefs with an Associate to communicate field experience.
    Handling and being responsible for fieldwork material and equipment.
    Maintain confidentiality of study procedures and data, as per protocol

    Qualifications and Experience:

    Diploma or Bachelors’ degree
    Age 20- 35 years
    Excellent verbal communication skills with fluency in the local languages spoken in the study areas i.e. Luo, Luhya, Embu, Kalenjin, Kamba, Kikuyu, Maasai, Meru and Mijikenda (Added advantage to candidates who can speak more than one local language).
    Well organized, detail-oriented, excellent listening skills.
    Proven ability to exercise discretion in dealing with confidential or sensitive matters;
    Willing and able to traverse various study regions by public transport;
    Ability to work independently under supervision and as part of a team
    Ability to work comfortably in the specific study regions
    Ability to recall detail and apply existing knowledge to new situations.
    Proven capacity to be punctual and reliable.
    Capability to exercise honesty, trustworthiness and HIGH INTEGRITY.

  • Research Associate Job – Tax Compliance Project

    Research Associate Job – Tax Compliance Project

    Reporting To: Research Manager
    Start Date: ASAP
    Location: Nairobi
    Duration: 7 Months
    Deadline to Apply: 10th October, 2018
    Eligibility: Position open to local Kenyan hires only.
    Project Summary: The Tax Compliance project is working on research activities with a view to build evidence on effective and sustainable approaches to increase revenue collection and improve tax compliance.
    The studies aim to evaluate innovative solutions to increase tax compliance for small and medium firms and expect that these studies will provide rigorous and independent evidence on the impact of alternative innovations with a view to build evidence on effective and sustainable approaches to increase revenue collection and improve tax compliance.
    Results rising from these studies could then inform the implementation of broader initiatives that would replicate at a larger scale the most successful interventions.
    Position Summary: The Research Associate will be based in Nairobi, Kenya while field visits will be in Nairobi and other select regions. The Research Associate will take a lead role in collecting data in the field, managing a field team, managing large databases, piloting survey instruments and the interventions.
    The Research Associate will work independently and maintain regular communication with the PI. The position requires excellent interpersonal and organization skills. It also requires proficiency with Stata. Familiarity with other data management and statistical packages is a plus.
    The position offers an opportunity to gain first-hand field management experience in an organization undertaking cutting-edge development research.
    Duties

    Assisting in the development and piloting of survey instruments and conducting pre-tests and pilots.
    Coordinate, and occasionally conduct, qualitative and quantitative interviews with selected firms and businesses
    Working closely with partners and liaising between all stakeholders to ensure all project interests are aligned and accounted for.
    Manage relationships with staff at the partner organization, including regular follow-ups and meetings
    Ensuring all data quality protocols are followed including auditing staff and performing regular data checks on collected data
    Design forms for electronic data collection (using Survey CTO) and manage survey data;
    Ensure all aspects of data quality by overseeing the implementation of data quality protocols including daily quality checks and data security and sharing;
    Take a lead on data cleaning, preliminary analysis (as directed by the PI and RM) as well as data management on the project;
    Writing regular progress reports and leading project meetings to ensure deadlines are met.
    Work closely with the Research Manager and Grants Manager in managing donor deliverables and assist with donor reporting and proposal writing for new grants;
    Manage project staff hiring; prepare project staff hiring adverts, work with the HR department on screening and assist in conducting project interviews;
    Maintain regular communication with the Principal Investigators, keeping them updated on the progress. And will also maintain and constantly update the project log;
    Overall finance oversight on the project including financial tracking, reporting and budget management;
    Other duties as assigned by the supervisor

    Job Qualifications

    A Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree preferable.
    Excellent management and organizational skills along with strong quantitative and qualitative skills
    Assertive personality and demonstrated ability to manage high-level relationships with partner organizations and government entities
    Demonstrated experience managing research projects required.
    Fluency and excellent communication skills in English
    Flexible, self-motivating, able to manage multiple tasks efficiently, a team player
    Familiarity with randomized controlled trials.

  • Policy Manager/Senior Policy Manager

    Policy Manager/Senior Policy Manager

    The (Senior) Policy Manager will lead Kenya’s policy impact strategy, focusing on creating and managing high impact policy opportunities to use evidence in decision-making. Reporting to the Country Director with dotted line functional oversight from the global policy and communications team and substantial collaboration with Kenya research teams, this position will pioneer IPA’s policy outreach and impact work in Kenya, building and deepening relationships and identifying and creating evidence-to-impact opportunities.

    Responsibilities

    Lead Kenya in Policy Outreach Strategy (35%)

    Build expertise on the global and local evidence base in 1-2 sectors and cultivate relationships with key local stakeholders in those sectors.
    Work together with the global policy and communications team to lead and/or participate in strategic events for policy purposes, including but not limited to summits, conferences, workshops, technical working groups, and round tables. Support researchers and country management to participate.
    In collaboration with researchers and in support of the country director, represent IPA locally in policy conversations and at events.
    Support research management staff in executing the “Policy Impact Minimum Must Dos” and in identifying and stewarding high potential partner relationships, particularly with senior levels within government or large organizations.

    Cultivate and Manage High Impact Policy Opportunities (50%)

    Lead Kenya in continuously identifying and prioritizing high impact policy opportunities for evidence to be used.
    Cultivate relationships with key local decision-makers in education and at least one other sector (financial inclusion, peace & recovery, health, agriculture), particularly those with decision-making authority over particular evidence-to-impact opportunities.
    Launch high impact policy opportunities, including scale-up technical assistance, and either manage small-scale engagements personally with global support, or collaborate with global teams to raise funds for additional staff to realize these opportunities.
    Identify and help launch opportunities for policy relevant right-fit monitoring and evaluation opportunities in Kenya, and either manage small engagements personally with global support, or collaborate with global teams to raise funds for additional staff.

    Develop Research Projects with Policy Embeddedness (15%)

    Identify opportunities and cultivate relationships that lead to developing large-scale policy evaluations with key decision-makers. Support research teams and researchers in development and execution.
    Identify opportunities and cultivate relationships that lead to developing field replications to consolidate research on key policy-relevant research questions. Support research teams and researchers in development and execution.
    Together with the country director, act as lead steward to key partner relationships and support key research partner conversations.

    Other

    Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.
    Maintain compliance with all company policies and procedures.

    Qualifications

    Senior Manager

    Master’s degree in economics, development, international relations, public administration, public policy or a closely related field.
    7 or more years of relevant experience, including at least 3 years of experience working closely with large NGOs and/or national government officials.

    Manager

    Master’s degree in economics, development, international relations, public administration, public policy or a closely related field strongly preferred. Will accept additional experience in place of master’s.
    5 or more years of relevant experience, including at least 1 year of experience working closely with large NGOs and/or national government officials.

    Both

    Knowledge of and demonstrated interest in the use of rigorous evidence for international development policy required.
    Expertise in education and/or one other priority sector (financial inclusion, peace & recovery, health, agriculture) strongly preferred.
    Attention to detail and advanced presentation skills for communicating policy lessons from academic papers in ways that policymakers understand. This requires clear, precise, non-technical writing, and confident, effective spoken communication and presentation style.
    Proven ability to multitask and successfully complete projects on tight deadlines with little supervision.
    Willingness to work hard, be self-motivated, and learn will be essential for doing well in this position.
    Ability to supervise staff and manage projects independently.

  • Country Director, Kenya

    Country Director, Kenya

    Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Kenya Country Director. Established in 2006, the IPA Kenya office employs nearly 500 staff members and manages a large number of complex research projects. IPA Kenya is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, with offices in Busia and Siaya. IPA Kenya has an established strong presence in the local research environment with governmental, International Organizations, Private and NGO partners. This position provides a unique opportunity to be closely involved in cutting-edge policy-relevant research and work with top academics in the field of experimental economics, education, health, water and sanitation and agricultural research.
    The Country Director will work with IPA Global and key stakeholders to set the strategic direction of the office and oversee multiple simultaneous impact evaluations in a range of sectors. The position requires close interaction with academic researchers, donors, local government agencies, and other NGOs. The Country Director, assisted by the IPA Kenya Senior Management Team, will provide overarching oversight of all project and office operations, including finance, human resources, operations and research. The position requires experience in research, partner management, grants and contracts management.
    Responsibilities
    Oversee and initiate high-quality research

    Oversee project design and budgeting during the proposal stage to ensure evaluations meet IPA standards and costing structure
    Manage relationships with and provide services to Principal Investigators (academic researchers)
    Ensure that IPA research, including data collection is implemented according to IPA’s research protocols and data quality standards and Principal Investigator’s direction
    Provide research management for IPA project teams
    Oversee the management of project budgets and donor reporting with support of the Finance Manager, in coordinating with IPA’s global Grants team on all ongoing research grants and studies
    Build systems and structures to build staff capacity and ensure overall data quality; including spearheading skills training for staff
    Work to incorporate best practices and lessons learned in research and operations by other IPA offices and research affiliates
    Ensure project audits are systematically carried out while ensuring remedial action is taken as required/proposed

    Policy Impact

    Responsible for leading IPA’s policy impact in Kenya; including evidence dialogue and dissemination as well as research collaborations for policy and oversight of the development of a policy engagement plan.
    Develop and maintain high-level relationships with partners in the Government of Kenya, including Ministries of Health, Education, Agriculture, and the Office of the President
    Cultivate relationships, studies, and new partnerships in sectors that are prioritized by IPA Kenya’s policy engagement
    Engage government partners to identify research questions of interest and priority to key leadership and cultivate potential research projects in those areas

    Develop and implement IPA Kenya’s strategic plan, in line with IPA’s global plan and mission.

    Identify priority research questions and key concerns for policy makers and initiate and manage the development of corresponding new research proposals
    Develop new relationships in order for the country office to maximize its impact
    Lead and initiate project development with researchers, funders and partner organizations
    Ensure a balanced country office structures that can be supported by incoming revenues

    Ensure sound operations of IPA Kenya

    Oversee and manage a team of Research Managers, (Senior) Research Associates and Field Managers, whose responsibilities include project design and implementation, data collection, data management and analysis, and reports
    Oversee and manage Finance Manager, Human Resources Manager and Deputy Country Director
    Coordinate office and country-wide meetings and trainings, in coordination with the Research Managers
    Develop and oversee office administration, including human resources, information technology, project budgets and accounting; and hiring of long-term IPA staff in the country program

    Oversee finances for IPA Kenya

    Ensure proper compliance with financial procedures, approve expenditures, make accurate projections and ensure overall compliance
    Strengthen finance systems to ensure the systems are robust for country program growth and compliant with strict donor requirements (e.g., USAID, DFID)
    Ensure IPA Kenya complies with the Kenya Government and NGO board Statutory requirements.

    Mitigate and manage risks

    Set security standards and parameters for work and ensure that IPA Kenya staff follow security measures
    Monitor security concerns for IPA operations and act as primary contact in crisis management
    Take steps to mitigate risk and to safeguard the organization’s reputation
    Oversee safety and security and ensure organizational legal compliance
    Manage work permit applications and renewals for international staff

    Manage external relations

    Represent IPA Kenya in national and local government agencies and partner organizations, including presentations on IPA’s work in Kenya and globally
    Strengthen local presence of IPA in Kenya
    Manage relationships with current and potential IPA partner organizations.
    Oversee capacity building of local development partners in evidence-based policy making and rigorous impact evaluations
    Work closely with IPA Kenya’s regional partner, J-PAL Africa, on research, policy and capacity building.
    Oversee targeted dissemination, encourage scale up of successful projects

    Qualifications

    Strong oral and written communication skills in English is required.
    Master’s degree in international affairs, international public policy, development economics, or field related to international economic development
    A minimum of 8 years of relevant work experience
    Previous J-PAL/IPA work experience or experience developing new RCTs or working with researchers on RCTs highly desired.
    Successful experience leading teams of similar size (300 full time staff)
    Experience living and working in Africa /Kenya is desired
    Knowledge of human resource and financial management
    Experience with budgeting and project planning
    Passion for connecting rigorous research to policy makers and practitioners and communicating what works and what does not work in development
    Ability to lead a large and complex country program and oversee rigorous impact evaluations
    Commitment to leading a diverse team and building staff capacity
    Ability to communicate effectively across cultures with multiple stakeholders including international and local academic researchers, government officials, NGO partners, enumeration teams, and study participants
    Excellent management and organizational skills and ability to work independently
    Flexible, self-motivating, able to manage multiple tasks efficiently, and a team player
    Quantitative research skills/ experience and a familiarity with randomized controlled trials is preferred