Research and Evaluation Lead at The Pharo Foundation

Position Summary:

The Research and Evaluation Lead ("RE Lead") is a senior position in the Research and Evaluation ("RE") Department. Reporting directly to the Chief Research and Evaluation Officer (“CREO”), the RE Lead will be primarily responsible for executing strategic priorities, managing the day-to-day tasks of the research, monitoring, and evaluation staff, improving communications within the team, and will have broad oversight across various Foundation programmes.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Broadly, the RE Lead will play a critical role in building an integrated, efficient, and impactful global RE department.
• Coordinate Country Representatives, Directors, and other key management, in the design and implementation of the next generation of impact-oriented Foundation programmes. 
• Design and oversee impact evaluations of the Foundation's current and future programmes.
• Draft presentations and programme/research summaries for both internal and external audiences.
• Occasionally represent the Foundation to external stakeholders and partners.
• Day-to-day decision-making, programme management, and initiative implementation.
• Assist the CREO in developing and overseeing the operating budget for RE activities.
• Manage and oversee the recruitment and training of RE staff members across multiple countries.
• Establish or update the Foundation’s internal guidelines for data collection and impact evaluation.
• Determine appropriate timelines, staffing, and budgetary needs for each initiative or programme; ensure that progress is on target; and identify/resolve any barriers that may arise.
• Help lead cross-functional internal meetings and strategic discussions.
• Willing to travel across the region, as required by the RE department.

Technical Competencies:

• Superior execution skills — an ability to take novel ideas, break them down into next steps, and then ensure that each step is implemented in a precise, efficient, and timely manner.
• Excellent communication, writing, and presentation skills — including an ability to summarise key discussions, decisions, experiences, and observations into a succinct set of points and instructions to drive progress forward, as well as present in front of large audiences, and write research summaries.
• Strong interpersonal skills — an ability to work effectively with management, staff, and stakeholders in different countries and cultural contexts.
• Creative and entrepreneurial self-starter, with a focus on execution and results.
• Able to anticipate needs in advance, find opportunities for improvement, and proactively implement potential solutions.
• Solid understanding of economics, statistics, and econometrics, with a genuine interest in learning about the latest findings in the field of development economics.
• Excellent data skills (proficiency in statistical analysis software such as R and/or Stata is preferred).
• Strong judgement and accountability — an ability to make good decisions in a diplomatic and accountable manner, with a commitment to confidentiality.
• Experience in planning, budgeting, and project management.
• Superior attention to detail.

Required Qualifications and Experiences:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Economics, International Development, Political Science, Public Policy, or a related field.
• Minimum of five (5) years of professional experience designing and executing complex projects and/or handling large responsibilities, in a high-pressure environment.
• Strong track record of success in academic studies, as well as the professional workplace.