Advisor, Right-Fit Evidence at Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)

Responsibilities

Under the guidance of a project manager specific to each project, you will lead the implementation of RFE advisory engagements, working closely with them and with other teams within IPA’s country office to develop tailor-made solutions for their data and evidence needs, and support their implementation. This includes the following responsibilities:

• Strategic and technical contribution: provision of advice and tools to advance partners’ learning goals in their programs, such as:
  • Co-creating prototyping and iterative learning plans to improve early-stage program activities
  • Designing learning-oriented process evaluations
  • Assisting clients to identify M&E questions to test the assumptions in their theory of change, and to design cost-effective approaches to rigorously test these assumptions
  • Providing technical advice, to partners on the development and implementation of M&E plans, the design of indicators, data collection methods, and data management
• Research design and analysis: Take part in the design, implementation, and analysis of data collection and other evaluative work that sometimes complement RFE’s advisory work (including in this first engagement mentionned above)
• Project management: Lead work planning and project management to ensure effective and timely implementation of our work
• Stakeholder communication: Maintain strong communication and partnership with key stakeholders, including direct stakeholder management with leadership staff from partner organizations
• Workshop design and facilitation: Design and facilitate various kinds of external MEL-related workshops
• Professional deliverables: Own the preparation and presentation of various types of advisory and analytical deliverables, maintaining the highest standards of communication efficiency
• Contribution to the development of new RFE engagements: Take part in scoping meetings, contributing to the design of methodologies, and writing concept notes or proposals

Contribution to the development and refinement of RFE service offerings: Continuously improve the work that we do with our partners

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, public policy, social science, or a related field
• 2-5 years of relevant work experience, including experience in M&E (public sector), organizational performance/R&D/operational research (private sector), or experience in management consulting/other professional services
• Superior analytical and conceptual thinking skills
• Experience with quantitative data collection and analysis (including Excel)
• Experience with qualitative research
• Strong client-facing and presentation skills
• Ability to present information in a structured and insightful way, both in writing and orally
• Self-starter, entrepreneurial mindset, versatility, and ability to learn at a fast pace
• Fluency in English
• Passion for making data-driven decisions a reality in the international development sector.

Preferred Additional Qualifications

• Master’s degree in economics, public policy, social science, or a related field
• Experience with prototyping or human-centered design
• Familiarity with the concepts surrounding the Theory of Change and the core tools of M&E
• Exposure to agriculture or livelihoods programming
• Experience living and working in East Afric