Job Summary
As a Senior Policy and Project Development Associate, you will work with the Senior Policy Manager in engaging with Northwestern University Principal Investigators and the Global Poverty Research Lab to help incorporate evidence in decision making of the Philippines Socioeconomic Panel Survey, as well as develop new projects and disseminate evidence. You will serve as a key liaison with provincial and national government partners, help shape new research and policy opportunities, and lead strategic dissemination of evidence.
This position will be responsible for working closely with the PSPS Provincial Governments in a) understanding existing data use and b) identifying improvement paths of data generation and use. Frequent and prolonged travel to Western Visayas are expected. The SPA will also lead in supporting the development of new projects leveraging the PSPS data across various priority sectors of the country office.
Responsibilities
Policy Outreach
- Conduct strategic mapping and assessment of administrative data systems of local government units (primarily at the provincial level), including identifying decision processes where improved data and evidence use can generate policy impact.
- Conduct evidence-use assessments to diagnose capacity gaps, recommend targeted interventions, and identify opportunities for IPA to strengthen partner data systems.
- Develop and recommend improvement pathways for data generation, data governance, and use of evidence — including identifying where impact evaluations and other analytic approaches can be embedded.
- Serve as the focal point for partner engagements, leading meeting preparation, shaping agendas, guiding junior staff contributions, and ensuring strategic and timely follow-through.
- Support in developing training materials and knowledge products for workshops, trainings and events.
Project Development
- Initiate project development efforts for PSPS projects with funders, partner organizations, and PIs;
Coordinate with Principal Investigators exploring research opportunities in the Philippines, including mapping research interests, identifying potential local partners, and advising on feasibility. - Support in research, coordination and tracking of funding opportunities to fund the Philippines Socioeconomic Panel Survey (PSPS), PSPS-Substudies and NWU PIs
- Active contribution in drafting proposals for selected funding opportunities in close collaboration with the Policy Manager and IPA Business Development (BD) team; Assist in preparing budgets during the proposal stage to ensure alignment with technical scope and donor requirements;
- Ensure accurate proposal documentation and compliance through proper use of Salesforce and IPA BD procedures.
- Provide advisory support to other projects, including offering technical guidance, reviewing project strategies, and ensuring alignment with evidence and best practices.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in economics, political science or similar;
- Minimum of five years of work experience in policy research, international development, program management, or related fields
- Strong understanding of impact evaluation methodologies and applied research.
- Knowledge of the policy and governance landscape of the Philippines.
- Willingness to travel to western visayas for partner meetings and field activities when necessary
- Willingness to spend longer periods of time in western visayas (+two weeks)
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to clearly present information in a structured, non-technical, and insightful way
- Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to multitask
- Strong understanding of impact evaluation methodologies and applied research
- Knowledge of the policy and governance landscape of the Philippines
- Experience with data management software (e.g., Stata, R and other common data collection and analysis tools)
- Experience with quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis
- Strong professional writing skills
- Strong client-facing and presentation skills
- Fluency in Filipino and English
- Experience working with local government units in the Philippines
Location
Manila, Philippines (with frequent travel to Western Visayas)
Reports to
Associate Policy & Project Development Manager
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 the 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.
