Associate at Busara Center

Key Accountabilities/Responsibilities

CORE PROJECT RESPONSIBILITIES: Associates will work directly with academic researchers and advisory clients to perform a variety of tasks including, but not limited to:

• Engage in multiple large-scale research and advisory projects at a given time
• Plan, manage, and execute external and internal engagements independently from start to finish with limited supervision
• Incorporate the latest research in qualitative and quantitative methods, behavioral science, psychology, economics, and development to provide creative solutions to engagements
• Manage and conduct qualitative and quantitative research and data analysis
• Design, launch, and analyze effective quantitative and qualitative instruments with coordination among project staff (Analysts, Project Leads, Data and Programming, and Operations teams)
• Serve as a point of contact for clients and partners. Effectively manage the needs of stakeholders through proactive communication and troubleshooting
• Contribute to project on-boarding and off-boarding for knowledge management
• Manage project timelines, deliverables, reports, and staffing
• Contribute to the creation of proposals, concept notes, and pitch decks for new business opportunities and knowledge sharing. Present at conferences, networking events, or client meetings
• Contribute to the design, execution, and dissemination of Busara internal research projects
• Work closely to lead or support other Associates to fulfill engagement requirements
• Perform any other duty as may be assigned by the project supervisor

CORE ORGANIZATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES: In addition to project responsibilities, Associates also have the following organizational responsibilities to ensure a healthy and functioning organization.

• Work with the Associate team to conduct goal-setting exercises, objectives and key results, and team building events
• Contribute to skills-building workshops for Associate teams
• Assist with internal initiatives where necessary
• Serve as mentors to Analysts and Project Lead team members, when requested

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

• A Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Social Sciences, or related fields
• Strong qualitative, quantitative, research, and data analytic skills
• 2+ years previous work experience in leading and managing projects
• Experience managing large-scale research and consulting projects in the Global South
• Demonstrated ability to manage high-level relationships with partner organizations
• Strong quantitative skills including knowledge of and experience working with data analysis software (STATA, Python, R)
• Experience managing and mentoring staff
• Ability to quickly understand and adapt to new contextual situations
• Excellent management and organizational skills
• Flexible, self-motivated, able to manage multiple tasks efficiently, and a team player
• Interest and experience working in a fast-paced working environment
• Fluency and excellent communication and writing skills with a mastery of English
• Ability to execute projects while sustaining a global focus and vision for institutional planning and decision making

Desired Qualifications

• A Master’s degree in Economics, Social Sciences or related fields
• Interest in education and/or labor focused research
• Familiarity with randomized controlled trials and/or quasi-experimental designs
• Technical understanding of qualitative research techniques
• Strong academic behavioral science background
• Knowledge of the application of behavioral science to real-world problems