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Project Manager, Reminders Replication

  • Reports to: Director of IPA's Global Financial Inclusion Initiative
  • Location: Strong preference for New Haven but will consider Washington, D.C., with frequent international travel
  • Deadline to Apply: July 30, 2013
  • Desired Start Date and Duration: ASAP or August 1, 2013; 2 year commitment
Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), is an international non-profit research organization. Based in New Haven, CT, with offices in 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.
Position Summary:
IPA seeks a qualified applicant for the position of Manager of the Reminders Replication project under the Global Financial Inclusion Initiative (GFII).  The initiative, under the direction of Aishwarya Ratan and Professor Dean Karlan at Yale University, houses two research funds dedicated to understanding how poor families manage their financial portfolios and transactions, and evaluating new products and channels that can improve the delivery and usage of welfare-enhancing financial products among the poor. The position reports to the Director of the Global Financial Inclusion Initiative, and works closely with the researchers leading the project. The position offers an opportunity to gain first-hand experience in building and managing a replication effort at IPA. The position will be based out of New Haven, CT with frequent international travel to field project sites.
IPA research has shown that reminders (whether through SMS messages or letters) can be an effective way to increase savings and improve loan repayments in both the developed and developing world, helping people achieve the financial goals they set for themselves. The reminders replication project aims to build off of existing research about the role of reminders, especially text message reminders, in improving financial behavior, and will set a comprehensive research agenda to explore all aspects of the theory, from the role of psychological factors like attention and habit formation to understanding the source of increased savings.
This project will build a portfolio of experiments (with ten or more partners and project sites around the world) that test the impact of reminders in various settings, specifically relying on low-cost data collection through the administrative records of partner institutions that may be banks, microfinance organizations, retail or telecommunication companies. The final result will be a robust and thorough package of prescriptions for financial institutions keen to use text messaging (or other reminders) to improve the financial capabilities of their clients. The first field site will be with a partner bank in the Philippines.
The Manager will lead the development and growth of the project, including fundraising, research design, partner outreach, project implementation and management with partner financial institutions. Given the interest in using various mobile phone-based platforms for setting up cost-effective reminder services, the Manager will be expected to be familiar with technological platforms that use SMS broadcasting and information exchange for various applications. 
Responsibilities:
Project Development
  • Developing the project’s research agenda with the lead researchers, with the goal of designing and implementing multiple evaluations to test the full set of questions that unpack the theory behind the use of reminders;
  • Pitching the replication project to interested financial institutions across countries and engaging partners to implement the study;
  • Initiating the development of new projects including engaging with researchers on the technical design and funding support for projects;
  • Working with technology providers as partners to design and customize the technological platform used for SMS and other digital reminders;
  • Developing an international network of stakeholders, including financial institutions, NGOs, technology providers, donor organizations and policymakers to use the learnings from the replication project for scaled impact.
Research Management
  • Planning and managing numerous impact evaluations occurring simultaneously in multiple countries;
  • Overseeing project implementation, data management and analysis, reports and budgetingwhile ensuring adherence to IPA research protocols;
  • Liaising between field staff, data collection teams, partner organizations, Principal Investigators and IPA headquarters;
  • Recruiting and managing additional support staff, including a data analysis project associate, as necessary.
Qualifications:
  • This is a leadership position with IPA that requires both strong technical and management skills.
  • Masters or PhD in economics, finance, business administration, public administration, public policy, or a related field; those with training in computer science or information technology and sufficient exposure to economics will also be considered;
  • Fluency in English, with strong oral and written and communication skills;
  • At least 3-5 years of experience in consumer banking, retail or telecom companies, or economic development programs preferred but not required;
  • Experience in economics or social science research, with a strong background in randomized controlled trials, data management, econometrics, and knowledge of STATA;
  • Ability to represent IPA in public forums and to present results and pitch research ideas to partners, donors, and policymakers;
  • Ability to travel frequently internationally and on short notice to field sites for project development with partners and research project oversight;
  • Excellent management and organizational skills; exceptional attention to detail; flexibility; self-motivation; and an ability to manage multiple tasks efficiently.
Application Instructions:
Please follow the application instructions below.  Any applications or CVs submitted outside this process will not be considered.  Note, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview. Applicants will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
 Please send an email to microsavings@poverty-action.org and copy jobs@poverty-action.org, following these instructions exactly:
  • In the subject line: Copy exactly the following position line: 100884IPAUSA, Reminders Replication Project Manager
  • Attachments: Please attach ONLY your CV and cover letter
  • In the email body:  Put your full name, first (given) name followed by last (family) name
IPA is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer
All persons shall have the opportunity to be considered for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, alienage or citizenship status, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.
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 .
DISCLAIMER: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work to be performed by the Project Manager. 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-info@poverty-action.org.