Country: United States of America
Closing date: 12 Dec 2014
Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), is an international non-profit research organization. Based in New Haven, CT, with offices in New York, NY, Washington, D.C. and worldwide, IPA works with development partners and academic researchers to create and evaluate approaches to solving development problems, to communicate “what works” in development and to scale up successful projects in a variety of fields, including health, education, microfinance, governance and agriculture.
The Global Financial Inclusion Sector Program comprises both IPA’s Global Financial Inclusion and US Household Finance Initiatives. With more than 40 projects underway since its creation in October 2010, IPA’s Global Financial Inclusion Initiative (GFII) works to identify innovative programs that enhance low-income households’ access to and usage of improved financial products, services, and tools. The initiative is focused on three key areas of research and evaluation in financial inclusion: savings, digital payments and financial capability. GFII is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Citi Foundation. IPA’s US Household Finance Initiative (USHFI) shares GFII’s focus on research and evaluation in financial inclusion, with additional emphasis on using insights from behavioral economics to design and test innovations in financial products and services to help low- to moderate-income households in the US to pay down debt, save more, and better manage their finances.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The Program Director manages and oversees all activities under the Global Financial Inclusion (GFI) Sector Program at IPA. The Director provides leadership and strategic guidance for the current execution and future growth of IPA’s research and policy work on financial inclusion internationally and in the U.S.
The Program Director directly manages a $7 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support the Savings and Payments Research Fund. S/he also supports the management of the Financial Capability Research Fund supported by the Citi Foundation, the U.S. Household Finance Initiative supported by the Ford Foundation and other donors, as well as project-specific grants from other donors such as Metlife Foundation, MIF and Google.org. The GFI Sector Program currently supports research on improving savings, payments, credit and financial capability among poor households. The Director leads the development of research agendas in these areas, and directs the selection and development of projects and programs in this sector.
Core responsibilities include the following:
- Developing the Sector Program’s vision, scope, systems, and implementation plan with the academic leads, donors, and IPA senior staff
- Being an intellectual equal among parties including the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation, senior academics, IPA and JPAL leadership in setting the Sector Program’s research and policy agenda
- Representing IPA in key speaking roles at high-level external policy and research conferences and meetings with key stakeholders in the financial sector
- Managing a team of several research and policy staff and building relationships with IPA country offices and IPA partners to implement the Sector Program’s research and policy objectives
- Guiding the procedures through which research projects are proposed, designed, vetted, funded and implemented; liaising with the Program’s Executive Committee and Policy Advisory Group to review research proposals for technical quality and policy relevance
- Guiding the development of the Sector Program’s researcher and practitioner network and engagement; interfacing with senior researchers in determining key research questions and priorities for the initiative; engaging with in-country researchers from South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa to bring a discussion of current evidence into local research and policy debates
- Potential for producing original research and policy outputs, in collaboration with the Program’s Academic lead and the Program team
- Overseeing the policy agenda and communication activities that stem from project results; leading global policy outreach for the Program and its Funds/Initiatives through high-quality dissemination events and materials, and coordinating with relevant counterparts for local policy outreach in individual countries
- Spearheading new fundraising efforts to support core Sector activities as well as on a per-project basis
- Education and/or Work Experience Requirements:
- Master’s Degree in Economics, Public Policy, Business or International Development, or Ph.D. in Economics or Public Policy
- 6-10 years of work experience in development/development research; microfinance or financial services sector preferable
- Strategic thinker with strong vision for the growth of the financial inclusion sector both domestically and internationally
- Demonstrates excellent analytical, communication, client management and presentation skills; experience in proposal writing a plus
- Experience with retail banking or microfinance organizations engaged in savings mobilization
- Familiarity with asset-building and economic development programs in the US
- Demonstrated ability to raise funds; experience with US contracting processes (USAID, CFPB, Dept. of Treasury, etc.) a plus
- Experience with new technology channels for financial service delivery
- Demonstrated project management skills, including budgeting, attention to operational and research details, and ability to manage multiple projects efficiently (including while traveling)
- Strong hiring, team-building, and people management skills in overseeing a growing team
- Deep familiarity with quantitative research and randomized trials
- Experience with field research in developing and developed countries
- Experience authoring and publishing peer-reviewed academic research in a relevant field a plus
- Experience developing policy events as well as producing policy resources and publications
How to apply:
Application Instructions:
- To apply, please click here.
- Complete the J-PAL/IPA common application. Please select the position(s) you are interested in applying for on the 'Submit Application' page. Statement of purpose (cover letter), CV and reference. We will consider your application even if you are unable to obtain reference letters before the deadline, but please be advised that we will be requiring them should you be invited for an interview.Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview.
Innovations for Poverty Action is an EO Employer-MF/Veteran/Disability. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other protected class.
IPA will endeavor to make a reasonable accommodation to a qualified applicant with a disability unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business. If you believe you require such assistance to complete this form or to participate in an interview, please contact us at jobs@poverty-action.org or via phone at 1-203-772-2216.
DISCLAIMER:\*The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work to be performed by the***Program Director***. The statements are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all possible duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet organizational needs as necessary. Please note that IPA will never request any form of payment from an applicant. Applicants are encouraged to confirm the information listed above with IPA prior to releasing any extensive personal information to the organization. Please direct questions to**jobs@poverty-action.org**.*
Please note that only qualified applicants will be contacted by the hiring manager.
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