Job Description

Senior Policy Associate - J-PAL Global

Organization:

 J-PAL Global

Country:

• Chile
•  
• Egypt
•  
• France
•  
• India
•  
• Indonesia
•  
• South Africa
•  
• United States of America

Education:

• Bachelor's
•  
• Master's

Start Date (Earliest):

 1 July 2021

Length of Commitment:

 Two years

The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of over 200 affiliated professors at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.

The Policy & Communications Group plays a key role in translating research by J-PAL affiliates into actionable poverty alleviation policies around the world. Staff connect the dots between economics and policy and are passionate about working with organizations to form partnerships for evidence-informed development policy. 

J-PAL is recruiting Senior Policy Associates to contribute to its mission of promoting evidence-informed policy. The position will be open to all international candidates with the possibility of remote work, but with a preference for candidates to be based in Cambridge, MA at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology or one of J-PAL's Regional Offices in Africa (Cape Town, South Africa), Europe (Paris, France), Latin America & the Caribbean (Santiago, Chile), the Middle East and North Africa (Cairo, Egypt), South Asia (Delhi, India), or Southeast Asia (Jakarta, Indonesia).

Responsibilities

Your work provides the foundation and direction for J-PAL’s growing policy efforts. As a Senior Policy Associate, your primary tasks will involve communication, analysis, and specialization. We look for Senior Associates to take on more responsibilities and leadership on their teams and discrete projects over time at J-PAL. We look for staff to demonstrate leadership abilities and interest, and portfolio assignments are based on prior experience.

Evidence Communication and Dissemination (40%): Write publications that “translate” economic research into lessons for policymakers around the world. Senior Associates will have the opportunity to support senior staff to create materials for policy outreach, including publications, evaluation summaries, presentations, grant proposals, policy memos, blogs, social media content and newsletters and website content among other sector-specific work. Senior Associates have the opportunity to help organize events and further their communication skills by presenting at conferences and participating in meetings with policymakers and partner organizations. Senior Associates also have the opportunity to work with senior staff on specific research tasks, and are expected to see these projects through from start to finish with limited supervision.

Topic Specialization (35%): Develop in-depth knowledge of one or more of J-PAL’s sectors (Agriculture, Crime, Violence, & Conflict, Education, Environment & Energy, Finance, Firms, Gender, Health, Labor Markets, and Political Economy & Governance) and provide evidence support to policymakers. Senior associates may also have the opportunity to support the administration of a sector-specific, competitive research fund by processing grant proposals, coordinating with researchers, and supporting partnership development between implementing groups and research affiliates to spark new research projects.   

Other (25%): Have the opportunity to support J-PAL’s overall mission in a number of ways. These can include performing internal tasks such as knowledge management, supporting recruitment and hiring, supporting work on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and undertaking professional development opportunities. Associates may also serve as  liaisons between J-PAL Global and one of J-PAL’s regional offices covering Africa, Europe, Latin America, North America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, support cost-effectiveness analyses, or assist with other broad J-PAL projects.

Professional Development

The Policy & Communications Group invests in your professional development. As a Senior Policy Associate, you will learn, engage, travel, and grow.

Learn: J-PAL  supports a culture of learning, with opportunities to attend weekly MIT–Harvard Development Seminars and take classes for credit with MIT’sgenerous tuition assistance program. All J-PAL staff are also eligible to take the innovative online MITx MicroMasters credential in Data, Economics, and Development Policy (DEDP) free of charge.

Engage: Senior Associates have the opportunity to work with J-PAL affiliated researchers , as well as interact with J-PAL’s partners, including decision-makers  and practitioners, alongside senior staff. As core content creators, Senior Associates’ publications are distributed to development stakeholders worldwide.

Travel: Senior Associates have the opportunity to present at J-PAL’s regional offices, attend policy events worldwide, and participate in a unique “Associate-to-Field” international experience supporting on-the-ground research during their time at J-PAL.

Grow: Senior Associates can expect to join a peer group eager to build institutional knowledge and pass on lessons learned. Senior Associates receive one-on-one mentorship from senior staff.   Promotions to Policy Manager are based on performance, ability, and educational qualifications.

Benefits

As a member of the MIT community, you benefit from more than just your salary.

J-PAL hires highly qualified staff and rewards them accordingly. Total compensation packages are competitive for the non-profit international development field with excellent MIT benefits, including comprehensive health insurance, a 401(k) match and pension-based retirement plan, tuition assistance, commuter benefits, MIT community discounts, a generous vacation policy, and more. We like working at MIT and think you will too.

Qualifications

Your technical expertise, strong communication and organizational skills, passion for translating research into action, and interest in international development make you an ideal candidate for Senior Policy Associate.

Education: You hold a bachelor’s (master’s preferred) with significant training in economics, including intermediate-level economics and econometrics Do you have a demonstrated academic interest in international development and public policy and/or international experience? Even better.

Experience: Up to four years of relevant work experience. Do you have less than two or less years of relevant experience? Consider applying for our Policy Associate position.

Skills: You are comfortable working in or learning computer applications, including Google Suite, Salesforce, and Foundation Connect. Knowledge of Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, French, Portuguese, Spanish, or other languages spoken in our regions of work are a plus.

Communication: You are detail-oriented and have advanced writing skills. You understand how to communicate policy lessons from technical academic research in ways that policymakers and practitioners understand. You are precise, clear, and creative.

Organization: You are a strategic thinker. You can handle multiple projects at once, meet deadlines, and effectively manage your time with little direct supervision.

Cultural competencies: You are comfortable and adept at working in a diverse and multicultural work environment, with colleagues, partners and policymakers from around the world. You display cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Attitude: You love learning. You are passionate about international development policy and the rigorous research that informs it. You are agile, adaptable, self-motivated, hard-working, and collaborative.

How to Apply

Ready to join a team of supportive, engaging, and fun colleagues? Apply now.

All candidates should apply through the MIT human resources system. This applies to those interested in being based at any J-PAL office (in Chile, France, Egypt, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and the United States). Please note that because this position is not eligible for sponsorship, candidates must be authorized to work in the country where they will be based.

To apply, please submit a short application via MIT’s human resources system. Visit https://hr.mit.edu/careers, search for job ID 19122 (Senior Policy Associate) and complete an application. 

Please upload a single PDF document of the following components into the “Resume” field on the MIT portal:

1. Cover letter (outlining why you are interested in J-PAL Global and why you are qualified for this role; please also mention in the letter the country in which you would like to be based and have authorization to work)
2. Resume/CV
3. Transcripts (unofficial transcripts accepted)

Note: Incomplete applications will not be considered; please be sure to include all three components (cover letter, resume, transcripts) in a single PDF in the “Resume” field.

Applications are due on January 11th, 2021. Late applications will not be considered. We will begin reviewing applications on January 12th, 2021. Short-listed applicants will be asked to complete a writing and technical exercise and a Skype interview. Finalists will be called for an in-person interview. The process can last 2-3 months. Due to the volume of applications we receive, we will not be able to follow up individually with all applicants. 

For applicants who successfully advance to the final stage, we will require two recommendation letters. Letter writers should e-mail the recommendations from their professional or academic email address to global_policy_applications@povertyactionlab.org with the subject line “Recommendation Letter_ApplicantLastname_ApplicantFirstname.

For more information about working at J-PAL, please visit this webpage.

MIT is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin.