Research Manager (Remote) at GiveDirectly (GD)

Research
Worldwide
June 29, 2023
Remote
Application deadline closed.

Job Description

GiveDirectly (GD) provides cash grants directly to people living in extreme poverty. GD has raised over $800M since launching in 2011, delivered cash to more than 1.2 million recipients, and launched offices in 11 countries. We’re continuing expansion across the Global South. Over the past decade, GD has also supported large-scale, experimental research, expanding the evidence that cash has a positive short and long-term impact on recipients. As a result, GD has been celebrated as one of the most innovative non-profit companies by Fast Company, while the growing cash transfer movement (and GD’s leading role within it) has been featured in the New York Times Magazine, This American Life, Foreign Affairs, and The Economist.

About this role

The Research Manager will have the opportunity to work in a dynamic research team to provide methodological, research and evidence-based support to GD fundraising, as well as support project monitoring and evaluation design, implementation, analysis, reporting and dissemination. In addition, the Research Manager will benefit from exposure to intellectual exchange and networking with the various internal and external stakeholders linked to GiveDirectly’s work. The Research Manager will work closely with the Research Director.

Responsibilities:

  • Support GD Fundraising and Field Operations teams funding bids through engagement with research partners (where relevant) and project funders and supporting the development of appropriate project monitoring and evaluation plans for instance, choice of indicators, sampling techniques, and evaluation design.
  • Design quantitative surveys and qualitative interview guides in collaboration with the data and country teams and perform cognitive testing and piloting of data collection instruments.
  • Work with Field Operations to develop and support ongoing monitoring and evaluation and initiate evaluations of non-experimental GD projects.
  • Perform data quality checks for ongoing GD internal research and project evaluations.
  • Conducting primary data analysis for internal and externally funded non-RCT projects and providing statistical and analytical support to Field Operations teams.
  • Write high quality reports and support internal and external stakeholders by critically reviewing reports.
  • Conducting literature reviews as requested and keeping abreast of findings from relevant research.
  • Support the current Research Manager in preparing, maintaining, and updating GD’s research knowledge databases.
  • Undertake other administrative duties related to GDs research projects, such as participating in internal meetings, arranging and facilitating research brown-bag sessions, coordinating dissemination of internal research and country program reports, and maintaining research documents.

Core competencies and experiences

  • At least a Masters degree in Economics is required with graduate-level coursework on econometrics, impact evaluation, and economic development.
  • At least 3 years of experience in research and development work, preferably in countries where GiveDirectly works.
  • A strong understanding of economic development and the drivers of poverty reduction;
  • Demonstrated experience in quantitative research methods and data analysis.  Demonstrated expertise with relevant software tools (R, Stata, SurveyCTO).  Experience in experimental / quasi-experimental research studies (e.g. RCT, RDD, PSM designs) would be an advantage but is not essential.
  • Demonstrated experience in qualitative research – competent in qualitative research design, interview guide development, undertaking interviews / Focus group discussion.  Expertise in qualitative analysis, integration of qual and quant in design and analysis would be an advantage but is not essential.
  • Communication – be equally comfortable having a technical conversation with program specialists and Field Operations teams as you are describing an evaluation in straightforward terms to a donor who has neither program nor contextual knowledge. Experience communicating project evaluation in a clear and compelling manner with a range of internal and external audiences — both verbally and in writing  is crucial in this role.
  • Research stakeholder management – speak the language of researcher and project management specialists to design and conduct high quality evaluations, predict and over risks and deliver on time and to budget.
  • Project management – experience in multiple large-scale projects, project risk management, stakeholder communications, and maintaining project tracking systems.
  • Knowledge synthesis – experience conducting literature searches (e.g. through Google Scholar alerts, research circulars, Twitter) and summarizing complex academic papers and non-academic reports into key findings / talking points in straightforward, non-technical language.
  • Alignment with GiveDirectly Values and active demonstration of our core competencies: emotional intelligence, problem solving, project management, follow-through, and fostering inclusivity. We welcome and strongly encourage applications from candidates who have personal or professional experience in the low-income and/or historically marginalized communities that we serve.