IPA International Non-profit Vacancies – Project Associate, Stimulating Microenterprise Growth

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Organization: Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)
Duty Station: Kampala,
Uganda
Reports to: Country
Director
About IPA:
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.
About Stimulating MicroEnterprise Growth Project:
Microenterprises are vital in
countries where there are limited formal employment options, both for providing
informal employment and ensuring household economic security for business
owners. Recent work suggests that a structural shift from agriculture to
microenterprises can lead to increased economic returns and security. But once
a business has been started, there appears to be a number of challenges to
growth. Research on business growth suggests only a small number of firms
upgrade into larger businesses, leading to doubts that small businesses
generate general economic growth.
Thus, the key question is what
can be done to help develop businesses? If there are capital constraints, one
option is to provide greater access to capital. Recent experimental work in
microfinance, though, has failed to find increased profits for existing
business. If capital is not always used effectively, perhaps this is because
business owners lack the skills to use the funds well. The majority of studies
on business skills training, however, fail to find an effect on profits and
sales from trainings. It is also possible that individual characteristics such
as ability and patience, along with family pressure to spend on extended
household needs, may make optimal investment into the business difficult.
Relieving capital and skills constraints may thus not have any effect due to a
number of reasons.
The purpose of this study is to
conduct a household follow-up survey in order to expand the data collection for
an existing business development evaluation. The initial evaluation collected a
range of data on business outcomes and has found significant effects of pairing
trainings with microfinance and cash grants on business outcomes. It is,
however, unclear what the effect of these programs has been on household
welfare.  Thus, this follow-up evaluation
will help in understanding the long-term effects of cash grants and finance for
both business and household welfare outcomes).
Job Summary: The IPA
Project Associate will gain first-hand field management experience in an
organization undertaking cutting-edge development research. The work will stretch
your analytical and management skills to the limit and will require full
commitment and long hours in a challenging environment. You will be
contributing to a project at the frontier of microenterprise growth.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:  The Project Associate will mainly perform the following tasks including,
but not limited to:
  • Oversee
    the data collection activities, particularly surveys of households
  • Develop
    and pilot survey instruments
  • Train,
    mentor, build and manage teams to conduct the household surveys
  • Ensure
    all aspects of data quality and assist with data cleaning and preliminary
    analysis
  • Manage
    project budget, including tracking project expenses and adherence to the
    project budget
  • Manage
    relations with the PRIDE Microfinance (a local microfinance institution)
    and ILO
  • Work
    closely with Principal Investigators and the local partners to ensure
    study protocols are followed
  • Perform
    any other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
  • The
    ideal candidate for the IPA Project Associate, Stimulating Microenterprise
    Growth Project should possess a Bachelor’s degree (Master’s preferred) in
    economics, business studies, social science, or related field
  • Excellent
    management and organizational skills along with strong quantitative skills
  • Experience
    managing a large team preferred
  • Exceptional
    interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.
  • Fluency
    in both spoken and written English required
  • Flexible,
    self-motivating, able to manage multiple tasks efficiently, and a team
    player
  • Be
    detail-oriented and able to work independently
  • Good
    understanding and familiarity with randomized controlled trials is a
    strong plus
  • Experience
    living in a developing country preferred
  • Experience
    living in Africa or background in economics/business development is a plus
    but not required
  • Extensive
    knowledge and understanding of database management and/or software
    development is a plus, but not required
How to Apply:
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.
Complete the J-PAL/IPA common application.
Please select the position(s) you are interested in applying for on the ‘Submit
Application’ page. Include two letters of recommendation, statement of purpose
(cover letter), CV, and transcripts. We will consider your application even if
you are unable to obtain reference letters before the deadline, but please be
advised that we will be requiring them should you be invited for an interview.
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.
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