Senior Gender Economist at International Center for Research on Women (ICRW)

Primary Role: The Senior Gender Economist will conceptualize, lead and provide technical oversight to multiple research and evaluation projects focused on gender, economic empowerment and livelihoods. The successful candidate will lead and contribute to projects across sectors and topics, including agriculture, climate change, labor markets, environment, unpaid care and trade. S/he will undertake qualitative and quantitative research and evaluation, through a gender lens. S/he will also contribute to and lead conceptual and business development opportunities and contribute actively to the Gender, Economic Empowerment and Livelihoods portfolio and ICRW more broadly. Travel of at least 20-25% will be required.

Primary Duties

Research, Monitoring and Evaluation : Designs rigorous implementation, and evaluation research studies. Works in multi-disciplinary teams to lead, design, supervise, and undertake quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research. Undertakes systematic literature reviews and policy analysis. Analyzes primary and secondary data using appropriate methods, writes incisive products for diverse audiences, including research reports, peer-reviewed publications, and other outputs, such as policy briefs, videos and reader-friendly blogs. Develops conceptual models and M&E frameworks to guide research and program evaluation. Applies a gendered lens in design and implementation of research projects.

Project Management: Serves as project director, overseeing and contributing to development and management of project implementation (including workplans and budgets), supervision of project staff and consultants, liaising with ICRW support units and managing partner and donor relationships. Liaising with the ICRW regional offices engaged in multicounty research projects.

Technical leadership: Serves as study PI, including developing, revising protocols and tools as needed, submitting for renewal of institutional and local ethical review/approval, ensuring compliance with ethical protocol and procedures during conduct of research, regular and as-needed reporting to ethical review boards, proper closeout and reporting after all data collection is complete; Leads analysis of program evaluation findings, including developing analysis plans, updating codebooks, coding, developing code summaries, and overseeing small technical team (assigning and reviewing work). Leads policy advocacy efforts related to women’s economic empowerment.

Knowledge management : Generates learning ideas and lead development of products for dissemination to diverse audiences using various platforms, including virtual presentations and written reports/briefs. Develops and oversees the implementation of project learning agenda generate gender-transformative research, policies and interventions.

Business Development: Develops areas of research and proposals that complement and build on ongoing research efforts and contribute to achieving ICRW’s overall strategic objectives. Works closely with colleagues to conceptualize and design proposals and projects, as well as to disseminate findings. Identifies potential funding sources and actively cultivates potential opportunities with donors and funders.

Representation: Maintains professional expertise and recognition outside of ICRW through publishing and speaking in relevant gender, livelihoods, and economic empowerment forums. Authors publications and represents ICRW in the media and partner organizations; serves on coalitions and builds policy advocacy efforts in line with current research program. Represents ICRW Africa in cross country learning events and expert panel meetings

Undertakes other tasks as assigned by the Director of the Regional Office, based on team and institutional priorities.

Education & Experience

• Ph.D. or Masters degree in Economics or a related discipline (Political Science, gender Sociology, Social Demography, etc.).

• Minimum eight (8) years of post-master’s or six (6) years of post-Ph.D. Experience conducting research and evaluation internationally, with a focus on developing countries.
• Experience in climate and environmental sciences
• Extensive experience in the design and implementation of formative, operations and evaluation research in gender, economic empowerment and livelihoods
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary research teams
• Experience providing training, capacity building and technical assistance for research and programming related to gender, economic empowerment and livelihoods
• Experience in policy advocacy and stakeholder engagement
• Experience leading research projects funded by USAID, DfID, European Union and UN donors highly desired

Skills

• Expertise in gender, economic empowerment and livelihoods
• Quantitative data analysis skills, to include expertise with one or more of the following analytical software packages: SPSS, STATA, AtlasTi, NVivo.
• Ability to review quantitative and/or qualitative studies for quality assurance
• Knowledge of qualitative analysis a plus
• Ability to effectively manage and juggle multiple projects, including staffing, workplans, deliverables, timelines and budgets
• Peer reviewed publications in gender and feminist economics
• Demonstrated successful project management skills, along with maturity, diplomacy, and independence to work effectively with in-country partners, donors and project staff
• Strong strategic sense for fund-raising, committed to developing an innovative research and program base
• Strong networking and negotiation skills in order to identify, cultivate and sustain viable relationships with donors and other partners as well as communicate knowledgeably about project concepts, progress and impact
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrated supervisory and mentorship skills
• Membership of relevant professional organizations (IAFFE, WIEGO, SEEP) preferred
• High-level of fluency in English is required and proficiency in another language highly preferred