Innovations for Poverty Action Tanzania Jobs

Innovations for Poverty Action Research Coordinator, Vacancies in Tanzania

Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a non-profit research organization that works with development partners and academic researchers to create and evaluate approaches to solving development problems, to communicate what works and does not work in development, and to scale up successful projects in a variety of fields, including microfinance, agriculture, education, and health. IPA operates from its headquarters in the United States and from country offices around the world, including one in Tanzania.

Responsibilities

Ensure the success of research projects in Tanzania

Supervise all research associates and other project staff

Act as the primary liaison with researchers and project partners

Mentor research staff on economic and research concepts, data management, and data analysis

Champion best research and project management practices and ensure adherence to general research design, sample selection, data management, and data analysis

Promote inter-project best practices and take a lead in sharing best practices with projects through formal and informal training opportunities

Oversee project financial management, including the creation and monitoring of project budgets

Ensure that project deliverables, such as reports and financial statements, are submitted to donors and partners on time

Disseminate results of studies via presentations and reports to academic and non-academic audiences (donors, partners, etc.)
With the Country Director, develop new research studies by coordinating with donors, principal investigators, and partner organizations

Qualifications

A proactive work ethic with a demonstrated interest in the vision and mission of Innovations for Poverty Action.

A Bachelor's Degree in economics, social sciences, public policy, or related field is required

Masters Degree in a quantitative social science, such as economics, statistics, or public policy is strongly preferred

Excellent management and organization skills, along with keen attention to details

Demonstrated ability to successfully manage a complex plan with quick-moving parts

Experience supervising data collection, teams of field workers, survey design and implementation, and data management is required

Background in RCTs is strongly preferred;

Demonstrated understanding of research and economic concepts is required

Superior knowledge of programming (Stata) and digital data collection platforms (preference for Open Data Kit, Survey CTO) is required

Application Instructions

Complete the J-PAL/IPA common application. After completing a brief registration, choose the Research job category, then select “Research Coordinator, Tanzania." Most applications for research positions require you to include at minimum two letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose (cover letter), CV, and transcripts.
Note that you are able to submit your application before your references complete their recommendation letters; however, you must include their contact information before submitting your application.
Given the volume of applications received, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Disclaimers

Innovations for Poverty Action is an EO Employer-MF/Veteran/Disability. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other protected class. IPA will endeavor to make a reasonable accommodation to a qualified applicant with a disability unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business. If you believe you require such assistance to complete this form or to participate in an interview, please contact us at jobs@poverty-action.org or via phone at 1-203-772-2216. Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work to be performed by the specified position.
Please direct questions to jobs@poverty-action.org.

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Innovations for Poverty Action -Senior Research Vacancies in Tanzania

Associate, Incentivizing Mobile Money as a Financial Savings Instrument among Young Women in Tanzania
This study aims to advance learnings on how to incentivize mobile savings among young female cash transfer beneficiaries, and to test an innovative savings product, what we call an instant bonus Savings account. Rather than paying interest over time, building on findings from behavioral economics on the way human decision makers experience loss aversion and savings, it offers interest as an upfront lump sum bonus, which will be forfeited if users fail to save a Pre-specified amount in a given time.
To implement this, we are partnering with a large non-profit that is providing 12,000+

adolescent girls and young women at risk for HIV with quarterly unconditional cash transfers for 18 months if they complete a 10hour behavioral module on preventing HIV/AIDS. To facilitate the transfers, each participant will receive a mobile phone and Tigo SIM card (donated by Tigo).
All transfers will be sent via Tigo Pesa.
For our study, we will recruit roughly 3000 participants from a subset of these cash transfer beneficiaries.

Responsibilities

Effective Cooperation

Provide daily coordination between the research team and counterparts, ensuring that concerns are effectively communicated between parties, flagging emerging issues that may be of potential concern to parties, and ensuring that effective and productive collaboration is maintained;

Interact with the government of Tanzania, local authorities and other partners on evaluation and intervention related issues;

Help ensure that targets are met on time, and that all activities are carried out in accordance with the study design.

Impact Evaluation Field Coordination and Supervision

Overseeing the enrollment of the sample population, in coordination with the implementing partner

Developing and piloting the survey instruments, including programming questions onto a mobile phone/tablet and managing the translation of the survey into local languages;

Hiring, training, and managing field teams who will conduct the interviews and implement the intervention monitoring;

Managing all field logistics, procuring equipment, and ensuring the study and the intervention have approvals from local authorities;

Overseeing all the data collection and ensure strict application of security measures on the field

Overseeing all aspects of the intervention administration (including working closely with Tigo)

Ensuring all data quality protocols are followed including auditing enumerators and performing daily checks of the incoming data; correcting the errors of staff iteratively to ensure the data is of the highest quality;

Managing the data from collection to delivery of a final, cleaned dataset;

Managing the budget including tracking all expenses to ensure costs are within project funds;

Writing regular progress reports and leading project meetings to ensure deadlines are met.

Data analysis and reporting

Assist in the analysis of the intervention, recruitment, and survey data, and the writing of project reports and policy memos;

Prepare written reports with feedback and analysis on the piloting and fielding of survey and other measurement instruments;

Qualifications

A bachelor's degree in economics, social sciences, public policy, or related field is required. MA/MSc strongly preffered.

Excellent management and organization skills, along with keen attention to details

Demonstrated ability to successfully manage a complex plan with quick-moving parts

Knowledge of and experience working with a statistics software package is required (Stata is strongly preferred)

Experience managing logistics and budgets for complex/dynamic projects is preferred

Strong interest in economic and quantitative research

Flexible, self-motivating, able to manage multiple tasks efficiently, and team player

Demonstrated ability to manage high-level relationships with partner organizations

Fluency in English, with strong communication skills in both; working knowledge of Kiswahili is preffered

Disclaimers

Innovations for Poverty Action is an EO Employer-MF/Veteran/Disability.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other protected class.
IPA will endeavor to make a reasonable accommodation to a qualified applicant with a disability unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business.
If you believe you require such assistance to complete this form or to participate in an interview, please contact us at jobs@poverty-action.org or via phone at 1-203-772-2216.
Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work to be performed by the specified position. The statements are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all possible duties, tasks, and responsibilities.
Management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet organizational needs as necessary.
Please note that IPA will never request any form of payment from an applicant. Applicants are encouraged to confirm the information listed above with IPA prior to releasing any extensive personal information to the organization. Please direct questions to jobs@poverty-action.org.

Please note that only qualified applicants will be contacted by the hiring manager.

Closing Date: 10th July 2017