Job Summary

The Senior Consumer Protection Fellow will work within IPA's Financial Inclusion Program as part of the Consumer Protection Research Initiative (CPRI), a global initiative focused on strengthening consumer protection in digital financial services (DFS). The Fellow will bring mid-career regulatory or policy expertise from a financial regulatory authority or closely affiliated institution in a low- or middle-income country, serving as a bridge between CPRI's research team and the realities of supervisory practice. This two-year fellowship is designed to develop the Fellow's rigorous research and data-analytic skills while contributing critical policy expertise to CPRI's portfolio; at the end of the fellowship, Fellows are expected to return to their home institutions equipped with enhanced analytical capabilities and an expanded professional network to advance consumer protection in their home markets.

Responsibilities

Policy Engagement and Research Co-Design

• Contribute policy expertise to the design and framing of CPRI research studies, helping ensure that research questions are grounded in the realities of regulatory practice and supervisory mandates.
• Serve as a bridge between regulatory partners and CPRI's research team, translating policy priorities into actionable research agendas and ensuring study outputs are relevant to supervisors' needs.
• Support the implementation of regulator-driven pilots and studies, helping translate evidence and findings into practical tools and processes for supervisors.
• Participate in the planning and scoping of new engagements, drawing on professional networks and institutional knowledge to identify opportunities for impactful research.

Stakeholder Engagement and External Representation

• Support CPRI's engagements with financial regulators and policy partners, drawing on firsthand experience with regulatory institutions and supervisory processes.
• Represent IPA and CPRI at conferences, workshops, and policy forums, presenting research findings and contributing to public discussions on consumer protection in digital financial services.
• Build and maintain relationships with government partners, communicating evidence and supporting its use in policy decision-making.

Research Participation and Learning

• Participate in the full lifecycle of research activities — from study design, to data collection, to analysis and dissemination — gaining hands-on experience with rigorous research methods under the mentorship of CPRI leadership and academic principal investigators.
• Develop familiarity with IPA's data quality standards, ethical protocols, and research design principles.
• Contribute to data analysis and interpretation, with a focus on drawing out actionable insights for regulatory partners.
• Co-author research deliverables including policy briefs, working papers, presentations, and technical reports.

Collaboration and Knowledge Exchange

• Collaborate with Global and Country Office-based research and policy staff, providing policy guidance and professional mentorship as appropriate.
• Work closely with IPA country teams to support efficient operations and integration of fellowship activities with broader country portfolios.
• Share regulatory and policy expertise with CPRI team members, contributing institutional knowledge that strengthens the initiative's engagement with financial supervisors.

Writing and Dissemination

• Contribute to CPRI publications, including blog posts, policy briefs, and academic working papers, with the goal of building a personal publication record during the fellowship.
• Present research findings at international conferences, workshops, and convenings, building visibility for both CPRI's work and the Fellow's own professional profile.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in economics, public policy, public administration, law, finance, or a related field; candidates with equivalent professional experience in financial regulation or consumer protection policy will also be considered.
• At least 5–10 years of professional experience working in financial regulation, financial inclusion policy, consumer protection, or a related field.
• Experience at a central bank, financial supervisory authority, or policy organization that supports these institutions. (preferred)
• Deep familiarity with the institutional landscape of financial regulation, including understanding supervisory mandates, navigating bureaucratic structures, and framing evidence in ways that resonate with policymakers' priorities.
• Ability to interpret and communicate quantitative findings for policy audiences.
• Citizen of or currently based in a low- or middle-income country.
• Excellent communication and writing skills, including the ability to synthesize technical results for policy audiences.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Commitment to returning to a regulatory, policy, or academic institution after the fellowship period, with a plan for applying skills gained during the fellowship.
• Prior experience with applied research, data analysis, or familiarity with tools such as Stata, R, or Python is an advantage. (preferred — the fellowship is designed to build these capabilities as needed)

Location

The duty station for this role is any IPA Africa Country Office or the Philippines. The Fellow will work in-country, embedded within the local IPA country office. Travel may be expected given the regional and global nature of CPRI's work.

Reports To

Associate Director, Consumer Protection, Financial Inclusion Program (direct); Country Director, IPA Country Office where based (indirect).

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About IPA

Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a research and policy nonprofit that discovers and advances what works to improve the lives of people living in poverty. IPA brings together researchers and decision-makers to design, rigorously evaluate, and refine these solutions and their applications, ensuring that the evidence created is used to improve the lives of people living in poverty. In recent decades, trillions of dollars have been spent on programs designed to reduce global poverty, but clear evidence of which programs succeed is rare, and when evidence does exist, decision-makers often do not know about it. IPA exists to bring together leading researchers and these decision-makers to ensure that the evidence we create leads to a tangible impact on the world. Since its founding in 2002, IPA has worked with over 600 leading academics to conduct over 1,000 evaluations in 52 countries. This research has informed hundreds of successful programs that now impact millions of individuals worldwide.

Safeguarding at IPA

At Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), we are committed to creating a safe and respectful environment for all individuals, particularly children and vulnerable adults. As IPA adheres to strict safeguarding principles, selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards. By joining IPA, you become part of a team dedicated to ethical conduct, social responsibility, and meaningful impact in the fight against global poverty. Together, we work to create a better world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive with dignity and respect.