Country Director, Kenya at Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)

About the job

IPA is a research and policy nonprofit organization that discovers and promotes effective solutions to global poverty problems. 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. Since our founding in 2002, IPA has worked with over 575 leading academics to conduct over 650 evaluations in 51 countries. This research has informed hundreds of successful programs that now impact millions of individuals worldwide.  Established in 2006, the IPA Kenya office employs nearly 500 staff members in the Nairobi headquarters, Busia, and Siaya field offices and manages approximately 30 long-and short-term complex research projects. IPA Kenya is widely recognized for our strong local research presence and our evidence to impact partnerships with our governmental, International organizations, private, and NGO partners.

The Country Director position provides a unique opportunity to be closely involved in cutting-edge policy-relevant research and to ensure that research is applicable to and used by Kenyan policymakers and practitioners. The Country Director will set and lead the strategic direction of the IPA Kenya team, working with external partners, funders, and researchers to improve lives with evidence throughout Kenya. The role will work across IPA senior Global, Regional, and Program leadership set strategy and lead a high functioning team. The position requires an experienced external facing leader with a deep understanding of rigorous evidence and its use in policy and practice. Reporting to the Country Director is a strong operations and research management team. The ideal candidate will also have a strong leadership and management track record.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in international affairs, international public policy, development economics, or fieldwork related to global economic development with a minimum of 8-year relevant work experience; or
• Bachelor’s degree in international affairs, international public policy, development economics, or fieldwork related to global economic development with a minimum of 10-year relevant work experience.

Desired Experience

• An experienced external facing leader with a deep understanding of rigorous evidence and its use in policy and practice.
• The ideal candidate will also have a strong leadership and management track record and a demonstrated track record of working with policymakers and development partners in Kenya.
• Project management experience, strongly desired
• Report writing, strongly desired
• Quantitative research skills/ experience and familiarity with randomized controlled trials strongly desired.
• Engagement with multiple stakeholders, including international and local academic researchers, donors, national and local government officials, NGO partners, and study participants, strongly desired.
• Working knowledge of standard human resource and operations processes, strongly desired
• Working with multiple donors, including foundations, multi-, and bi-lateral.
• Previous roles as Deputy Country Director or Country Director in a nonprofit strongly desired.
• Experience leading a diverse team of 300+ in a dynamic work environment.
• Experience building staff capacity.
• Experience living and working in Kenya.

Desired Attributes

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