Policy Manager, Women’s Work, Entrepreneurship, and Skilling Initiative at Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)

IPA is seeking a Policy Manager to lead the execution of policy engagement, policy strategy, and results dissemination for an initiative  that seeks to improve the availability and quality of evidence to inform gender-responsive policy and programming for the COVID-19 crisis. The Policy Manager will work with a range of stakeholders to collaboratively develop data and evidence projects related to women's work, entrepreneurship, time use, youth skilling, and youth school-to-work transitions. In this role the Policy Manager will collaborate with policymakers, researchers, experts, and internal IPA stakeholders to identify decision-maker needs and develop actionable insights to inform policies and programs impacting women and girls during the evolving COVID-19 crisis. Policy Managers will receive guidance from gender experts and local academics in Kenya who are influential in the evidence-to-policy spaces in these contexts.

Responsibilities 

Partner Development, Policy Engagement, Results Dissemination:

• Cultivate relationships with key policy makers/ practitioners and regularly engage with them to identify and assess policy needs and priorities
• In partnership with gender experts, researchers, and other stakeholders, provide technical assistance in the development of our partners’ policy and programmatic responses to data and evidence
• Develop and execute policy impact strategies and dissemination events in Kenya (in partnership with research teams, PIs, and Global Policy & Comms team)
• Convene policy partners, IPA policy and sector leads, technical experts, and donor to participate in existing sector working groups or steering committees focused on using evidence to inform policy in relevant sectors
• Manage the dissemination of results with partners and collaborate with colleagues to plan and participate in policy roundtables
• Support other staff in executing project activities

Project and Research Development

• Identify and develop project opportunities such as diagnostic surveys and impact evaluations in partnership with researchers and global staff based on the needs of key policy partners
• Lead the development of Memoranda of Understanding and protocols that guide relationships with key players in women's work, entrepreneurship and time use, and youth skilling and school-to-work transitions
• Perform related duties as assigned by supervisor
• Maintain compliance with all company policies and procedures

Qualifications 

• Experience and interest in gender-related policy and programming, particularly in small and medium enterprises and women's work, entrepreneurship and time use, and youth skilling and school-to-work transitions
• Experience working with or within government departments or NGOs making or influencing gender policy in Kenya is preferred
• Interest in and understanding of Kenya’s policy landscape, COVID-19 related policies and programming
• Knowledge of and demonstrated interest in the use of rigorous evidence for policy required
• Connections with policymakers and stakeholders in these sectors is a plus
• Knowledge and experience with randomized controlled trials is a plus
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including ability to effectively communicate with internal and external stakeholders informally and in presentations
• Attention to detail and advanced presentation skills for communicating policy lessons from academic papers in ways that policymakers understand. This requires clear, precise, non-technical writing, and confident, effective spoken communication and presentation style.
• Proven ability to multitask and successfully complete projects on tight deadlines with little supervision.
• Willingness to work hard, be self-motivated, and learn will be essential for doing well in this position.
• Ability to work effectively with colleagues across time zones
• Master's degree in gender, economics, development, international relations, public administration, public policy or a closely related field strongly preferred. Will accept additional experience in place of a Master's.
• 5 or more years of relevant experience, including at least 1 year of experience working closely with national government officials or large NGOs.