Research Associate, E-Savings  

 

Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) seeks a Research Associate (RA) to support IPA-Tanzania, on the project “E-Savings.” This project will rigorously evaluate the role of intra-household bargaining on the take-up, usage, and effects of e-savings accounts offered to women in Tanzania. The RA will support completion of a baseline survey and intervention delivery to selected participants across multiple regions in Tanzania.

The Research Associate will report directly to the IPA-Tanzania Research Coordinator and work closely with Principal Investigators and implementing partners. The position offers an opportunity to gain first-hand field management experience with an organization undertaking cutting-edge development research and design work. The work will develop your analytical and management skills and require your full commitment in a challenging environment. This position will be based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and may require travel to other regions in Tanzania.

 

Responsibilities

 

• Working closely with the research team to maintain integrity of the research design and communicate any issues early and clearly in order to problem solve;
• Managing the day-to-day research activities, from planning to implementation, and monitoring quality. This includes recruiting, training, and supervising field-based enumeration teams;
• Refining and programming survey questionnaires and data collection tools;
• Monitoring and reporting on intervention take-up;
• Measuring and enforcing adherence to data quality protocols to ensure the collection of high-quality data;
• Assisting in data cleaning, documenting of data cleaning procedures, preliminary analysis, and ensuring ready access to multiple data sources by the research team;
• Providing timely updates and responses to partner organizations, and participating in meetings with key stakeholders;
• Maintaining accurate records of interviews and safeguarding the confidentiality of subjects
• Monitoring project expenditures and timeline;

 

Qualifications

 

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, international development, public policy or related field required; Master’s degree preferred
• 3-5 years of relevant work experience required; specific experience managing field staff in developing countries and/or supporting rigorous field research preferred
• Excellent project management and organizational skills; meticulous attention to detail
• Fluency in English and Kiswahili; excellent verbal and written communication skills
• A strong understanding of research methods and prior training/experience in conducting both qualitative and quantitative research
• Proficiency in Stata or similar data analysis software and MS Office
• Flexible, independent, self-motivating, ability to manage multiple tasks efficiently and work under pressure
• Demonstrated interest in access to finance, women’s economic empowerment, and digital financial services
• Ability to work in a diverse, multi-cultural environment

 

Application Instructions

Complete the J-PAL/IPA common application. After completing a brief registration, choose the Research job category, then select “Research Associate, E-Savings”.  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.

 

About IPA

Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a research and policy nonprofit that discovers and promotes effective solutions to global poverty problems. IPA brings together researchers and decision-makers to design, rigorously evaluate, and refine these solutions and their applications, ensuring that the evidence created is used to improve the lives of the world’s poor. In recent decades, trillions of dollars have been spent on programs designed to reduce global poverty, but clear evidence on which programs succeed is rare, and when evidence does exist, decision-makers often do not know about it. IPA exists to bring together leading researchers and these decision-makers to ensure that the evidence we create leads to tangible impact on the world. Since its founding in 2002, IPA has worked with over 600 leading academics to conduct over 830 evaluations in 52 countries. This research has informed hundreds of successful programs that now impact millions of individuals worldwide.

The deadline for submitting the application is 31 January, 2021

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