Policy Manager - International Development, United States vacancy at The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab in Massachusetts Institute

Post:Policy Manager - International Development, United States
Organization:The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab
Location:Massachusetts Institute
The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab seeks a Policy Manager to support its mission of
promoting evidence based policy by contributing significantly to the design and execution of J-PAL's policy outreach work. The Policy Manager is a mid-level position based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus in Cambridge, MA. Policy Managers are eligible for internal promotion to Senior Policy Manager after three or four years of work at J-PAL, and such promotions are based solely on their performance and ability.

The Policy Group is a rapidly growing group within J-PAL working to translate research by J-PAL affiliates into actionable poverty alleviation policies around the world. We are looking to hire staff who combine a strong understanding of economics and policy with a passion for working with organizations around the world to inform development policy.

Staff can gain expertise in specific regions of the world (Africa, Europe, Latin America, North America, South Asia, Southeast Asia) and sectors (Agriculture, Education, Environment and Energy, Finance and Microfinance, Health, Labor Markets, Political Economy and Governance).

The Policy Group is invested in the professional development of its staff and provides opportunities for travel, interaction with policymakers, and one-on-one mentoring with senior members of the team. Policy staff have the opportunity to stay current on top development economics research by attending the weekly MIT–Harvard Development Seminar, participating in small group discussions with graduate students and J-PAL directors, and enrolling in classes for credit at MIT. Salaries are competitive for the non-profit international development field with excellent MIT benefits.

Responsibilities include:

    Policy Outreach: Meeting with and building relationships with key partners in governments, NGOs, foundations, and multilateral aid agencies worldwide. Giving presentations on J-PAL's work and research findings, encouraging policymakers to attend J-PAL's courses and run randomized evaluations.
    Policy Analysis: Reviewing academic literature on randomized evaluations in development economics to draw out policy lessons from these field evaluations, conducting literature reviews, undertaking cross-sectoral comparative cost effectiveness reviews of J-PAL's randomized evaluations, and identifying the most cost-effective policies and programs for policy dissemination.
    Policy Publications: Creating policy memos and publications that 'translate' J-PAL's economic research into policy lessons for dissemination to policy makers around the world (see for example the Policy Bulletins and Briefcases under the Publications section on J-PAL's website).
    Program Management: Policy Managers act as Lead Staff on J-PAL's seven Program areas of Agriculture, Education, Environment, Finance, Health, Governance and Labor Markets. In that role they work with Program Chairs (affiliated Professors)in creating review papers that describe the current state of knowledge in the sector, organizing seminars and conferences for policymakers, raising funds for special initiatives, administering Request for Proposals (RFPs),and disbursing funds.
    Regional Liaison: Policy Managers serve as primary liaisons between J-PAL Global and JPAL's regional offices located in Santiago, Chile; Paris, France; Cape Town, South Africa; Delhi, India; and Jakarta, Indonesia.
    Organizational: Helping in recruiting, supervising and mentoring junior staff, organizing regional and thematic conferences, and helping to teach J-PAL's capacity building courses.

Qualifications:

    Education: Master's degree in economics, public policy or a closely related field. Graduate level coursework in microeconomics, econometrics, and development economics is required. A strong technical understanding of economics is necessary to ensure that J-PAL's findings are translated into general policy conclusions in a way that is both simple to follow but also accurate and undistorted. Strong interest in international development policy as demonstrated by coursework and/or study or work abroad is strongly preferred.
    Experience: 4 or more years of relevant experience, including at least 1 year of experience working in one or more developing countries. Applicants with a master's degree who do not have the years of experience for the Policy Manager position are encouraged to apply for the Policy Analyst position and after accumulating experience at J-PAL can be considered for promotion based on performance. All positions at J-PAL require knowledge of and demonstrated interest in international development policy.
    Communication: Attention to detail and advanced writing and 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.
    Time Management: Proven ability to multitask and successfully complete projects on tight deadlines with little supervision. A 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.
    Willingness to travel both within the US and to developing countries around the world.
    Foreign Languages: knowledge of Spanish, French, or other major languages preferred.

Special Note: This position is not eligible for any type of Visa sponsorship via MIT.

For applicants with interest in policy related to the United States and Canada, please see our job posting for Policy Manager - J-PAL North America.

How to Apply

1. Send an email to Thomas Chupein at tchupein@povertyactionlab.org, copying jobs@poverty-action.org, following these instructions exactly: In the subject line, put your full name, first (given) name followed by last (family) name. Please attach in a single PDF: a one page cover letter clearly stating your qualifications for the various responsibilities listed above and reasons for your interest in J-PAL and the policy group, your curriculum vitae (resume), and transcripts of your undergraduate and graduate courses (including course names and grades). Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. In the email body, copy exactly the following position line: 100758 Policy Manager - International Development. Please do not include any text besides the position line(s) in the body of the e-mail. Adding extra text will interfere with the processing of your application.

2. To ensure you are correctly considered for this MIT-based position, please visit: http://jobs.mit.edu/ and then Search Jobs and pick Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab from the 'Select Department' menu to view and apply for this position. You do not need to complete any optional items on the MIT site, your contact information and resume and any other required information is sufficient.

3. Complete the J-PAL/IPA common application indicating that you are interested in applying for a 'Type 4' position.

Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Candidates are requested to apply as soon as possible.

Short-listed applicants will be asked to complete a policy analysis and writing exercise and may subsequently be called in for an interview.How to Apply
http://unjobs.org/vacancies/1375693715306