Policy Manager – J-PAL South Asia

The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of 261 affiliated professors at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.

Research
At J-PAL, we believe investing in rigorous research is essential to finding solutions to the world’s greatest challenges. Working with implementing partners, J-PAL’s affiliated professors conduct randomized impact evaluations to test and improve the effectiveness of social programs.

J-PAL affiliates have led more than 1,000 randomized evaluations across a diverse range of topics, from clean water to microfinance to crime prevention. The research group at J-PAL helps create the infrastructure necessary to support our affiliates’ research around the world.

Research staff forge relationships with implementers on the ground and contribute to the design of survey instruments, data collection, statistical analysis, and data publishing. Together, affiliated professors and research staff have established J-PAL as a leader in running high-quality impact evaluations.

We also create practical research resources and make them accessible to all. We focus on tools designed to help researchers develop and carry out randomized evaluations, and to support those teaching the method to others.

Our comprehensive resource library features evaluation manuals, templates and examples of different analysis and survey tools, coding tools for STATA, guidelines on ethics and transparency, and sample lecture slides and case studies. J-PAL also provides affiliated professors with grants and technical assistance to promote research transparency.

In addition to generating research resources, J-PAL staff serve as “matchmakers,” helping connect affiliates with implementing partners to catalyze new research and innovation. Our funding initiatives for affiliated professors support randomized evaluations that seek solutions to policy challenges in governance, post-primary education, healthcare delivery, and child health, among other topics.

In this way, J-PAL research contributes to the ecosystem of knowledge and evidence on key questions in social policy and international development.

Policy

The Policy team at J-PAL South Asia (J-PAL SA) at the Institute of Financial Management and Research (IFMR) disseminates findings of J-PAL’s research; develops relationships with government, civil society, and academic stakeholders; catalyses scale-ups and replications of effective projects; and assists in conceptualizing new research projects. The team works closely with the global J-PAL office based at MIT to align the regional strategy with broader organizational objectives.

J-PAL SA seeks a Policy Manager to contribute to its mission of promoting portfolio of evidence-based programs being scaled-up by Government partners in India. J-PAL SA has been working with several state governments in India to embed evidence-based solutions within existing Government systems to reach millions of households and individuals. Across these different partnerships, J-PAL SA has played a critical convening role followed by a knowledge and learning role that provides continued support to partners for the successful at-scale implementation of these solutions.

Education: Master’s

Start Date (Earliest) 15 September 2021

Length of Commitment: Three years or more

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Support J-PAL’s Policy Team in its mission of promoting evidence-informed scale-up’s: This will entail understanding, summarizing and supporting the dissemination of J-PAL evidence in various sectors; coordinating and communicating with the global policy sector-leads; and working with government, civil society partners, and donors to promote scale-up of evidence-based programs:
Identification of evidence-based solutions ready to be scaled up: Work closely with the policy team for identification of evidence-based solutions that meet the contextual needs of the Government partners and policy priorities, cultivate buy-in from governments, coordinate with partners and donors, and actively fundraise for technical support.

Support scale-ups:
i.   Engage regularly with government and non-government partners, research projects on scale-ups and researchers to identify ways in which the scale-up team can support the different partners and inform the pipeline of solutions emerging from new research.
ii.   Develop frameworks and models for supporting governments and other partners to implement an evidence-based policy or program, including implementation toolkits and technical assistance partnerships.
iii.   Write reports by distilling data and presenting it in an easy-to-understand manner for different kinds of audience, and be comfortable analysing and interpreting data (especially data related to monitoring and evaluation of programs).
Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain relationships with key partners in governments, NGOs, foundations, and multilateral aid agencies in the region.
Knowledge Management:
i.   Capture learnings on success and failures in scaling-up programs with quality and generating tools and knowledge products for internal and external sharing.
ii.   Advance the learning agenda on scale-ups for J-PAL SA, Global and other regional offices by supporting development of new products and content to share lessons and knowledge.

Others:
People Management: Manage and mentor P&T Associates and/ or Sr. P&T Associates, giving them support to perform better and prioritizing their learning and skill development.
Cross-vertical collaboration: Participate in cross-vertical collaboration opportunities such as providing systematic support to an ongoing research project, capacity building of internal staff, etc.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Master’s degree (preferably in economics, public policy, business, finance/financial services, or international development). A strong technical understanding of economics and/or evaluation is necessary to ensure that J-PAL SA’s findings are translated into general policy conclusions in a way that is both simple to follow but also accurate and undistorted.

Experience: This position requires three or more years of relevant experience in addition to a relevant Master’s degree. Experience working in livelihoods, finance, with MSMEs/financial services and programmes is highly preferable. Experience of working with state/central governments in India, and previous managerial experience, will be an added advantage.
Understanding Randomized Evaluations: Demonstrate a keen understanding of the value of randomized evaluations and their usefulness for policy decisions.

Skills and Competencies
Communication: Attention to detail and excellent writing and presentation skills for communicating policy lessons from academic papers in ways that policymakers understand. This requires clear, precise, non-technical writing, and creativity in presentation.
Proven ability to handle several different projects/tasks at one time, successfully complete tasks assigned, and meet deadlines.
High level of attention to detail.
Strong interest in international development policy, South Asia development, and/or programme evaluation as demonstrated by coursework and professional experience.
Language: Fluency in English (written and oral).

How to Apply
Complete the J-PAL/IPA common application. After completing a brief registration, choose the POLICY job category, then select “Policy Manager – J-PAL South Asia”
On the documents page, please upload a PDF files for cover letter, CV, transcripts for Policy Manager position with the filename “Policy Manager_ SA_Last Name_First Name”, and click submit.
In addition, we require two letters of recommendation. If you think your references will not be submitted before the application deadline, please submit your application without the recommendation letters. However, please be advised that we will be requiring them should you be invited for an interview.
Short-listed applicants will be asked to complete a written test and may subsequently be called in for an interview.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Master’s degree (preferably in economics, public policy, business, finance/financial services, or international development). A strong technical understanding of economics and/or evaluation is