Latest Jobs at Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)

Job Description

• Lead Ghana in Policy Outreach Strategy (35%) Build expertise on the global and local evidence base in 1-2 sectors and cultivate relationships with key local stakeholders in those sectors.
• Work together with the global policy and communications team to lead and/or participate in strategic events for policy purposes, including but not limited to summits, conferences, workshops, technical working groups, and round tables. Support researchers and country management to participate.
• In collaboration with researchers and in support of the country director, represent IPA locally in policy conversations and at events.
• Support research management staff in executing the “Policy Impact Minimum Must Dos” and in identifying and stewarding high potential partner relationships, particularly with senior levels within government or large organizations.
• Cultivate and Manage High Impact Policy Opportunities (50%)
• Lead Ghana in continuously identifying and prioritizing high impact policy opportunities for evidence to be used.
• Cultivate relationships with key local decision-makers in 2-3 sectors (education, financial inclusion, social protection, health, agriculture), particularly those with decision-making authority over identified evidence-to-impact opportunities.
• Launch high impact policy opportunities, including scale-up technical assistance, and either manage small-scale engagements personally with global support, or collaborate with global teams to raise funds for additional staff to realize these opportunities.
• Manage IPA Ghana’s embedded labs program, which supports selected government ministries to collect and use data more effectively for decision making.
• Directly supervise a team of 3-5 to advance these high impact policy opportunities, paying particular attention to their professional growth.
• Develop Research Projects with Policy Embeddedness (15%)
• Identify opportunities and cultivate relationships that lead to developing large-scale policy evaluations with key decision-makers. Support research teams and researchers in development and execution.
• Identify opportunities and cultivate relationships that lead to developing field replications to consolidate research on key policy-relevant research questions. Support research teams and researchers in development and execution.
• Together with the country director, act as lead steward to key partner relationships and support key research partner conversations.
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.
• Maintain compliance with all company policies and procedures.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in economics, development, international relations, public administration, public policy or a closely related field.
• 7 or more years of relevant experience, including at least 3 years of experience working closely with large NGOs and national government officials in Ghana.
• Knowledge of and demonstrated interest in the use of rigorous evidence for international development policy required.
• Expertise in one or more IPA Ghana priority sectors (education, financial inclusion, social protection, health, agriculture).
• Knowledge of government policy making processes, systems for nationwide program implementation and development financing.
• Experience organizing events, such as conferences, workshops or round table discussions.
• Attention to nuance 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 supervise staff and manage projects independently.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability and willingness to travel to various project sites
• Ability to safely and successfully perform the essential job functions consistent with government standards, including meeting qualitative and/or quantitative productivity standards
• Ability to maintain regular, punctual attendance consistent with IPA standards
• Must be able to talk, listen and speak clearly on telephone

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Job Description

• Lead Ghana in Policy Outreach Strategy (35%) Build expertise on the global and local evidence base in 1-2 sectors and cultivate relationships with key local stakeholders in those sectors.
• Work together with the global policy and communications team to lead and/or participate in strategic events for policy purposes, including but not limited to summits, conferences, workshops, technical working groups, and round tables. Support researchers and country management to participate.
• In collaboration with researchers and in support of the country director, represent IPA locally in policy conversations and at events.
• Support research management staff in executing the “Policy Impact Minimum Must Dos” and in identifying and stewarding high potential partner relationships, particularly with senior levels within government or large organizations.
• Cultivate and Manage High Impact Policy Opportunities (50%)
• Lead Ghana in continuously identifying and prioritizing high impact policy opportunities for evidence to be used.
• Cultivate relationships with key local decision-makers in 2-3 sectors (education, financial inclusion, social protection, health, agriculture), particularly those with decision-making authority over identified evidence-to-impact opportunities.
• Launch high impact policy opportunities, including scale-up technical assistance, and either manage small-scale engagements personally with global support, or collaborate with global teams to raise funds for additional staff to realize these opportunities.
• Manage IPA Ghana’s embedded labs program, which supports selected government ministries to collect and use data more effectively for decision making.
• Directly supervise a team of 3-5 to advance these high impact policy opportunities, paying particular attention to their professional growth.
• Develop Research Projects with Policy Embeddedness (15%)
• Identify opportunities and cultivate relationships that lead to developing large-scale policy evaluations with key decision-makers. Support research teams and researchers in development and execution.
• Identify opportunities and cultivate relationships that lead to developing field replications to consolidate research on key policy-relevant research questions. Support research teams and researchers in development and execution.
• Together with the country director, act as lead steward to key partner relationships and support key research partner conversations.
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.
• Maintain compliance with all company policies and procedures.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in economics, development, international relations, public administration, public policy or a closely related field strongly preferred (will accept additional experience in lieu of education for exceptional candidates).
• 5 or more years of relevant experience, including at least 2 years of experience working closely with large NGOs and/or national government officials in an African country, preferably in Ghana.
• Knowledge of and demonstrated interest in the use of rigorous evidence for international development policy required.
• Expertise in one or more IPA Ghana priority sectors (education, financial inclusion, social protection, health, agriculture).
• Knowledge of government policy making processes, systems for nationwide program implementation and development financing.
• Experience organizing events, such as conferences, workshops or round table discussions.
• Attention to nuance 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 supervise staff and manage projects independently.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability and willingness to travel to various project sites
• Ability to safely and successfully perform the essential job functions consistent with government standards, including meeting qualitative and/or quantitative productivity standards
• Ability to maintain regular, punctual attendance consistent with IPA standards
• Must be able to talk, listen and speak clearly on telephone