Responsibilities 

• Refine the Financial Inclusion Program’s vision, scope, and research agenda in collaboration with FIP’s academic advisory group
• Work closely with FIP’s research network and IPA teams to identify and develop policy-relevant opportunities for new projects contributing to FIP’s priority research agenda
• Build relationships to expand FIP’s research network with a focus on diversity and inclusion, and representation of researchers from countries where the research takes place
• Represent IPA and share evidence at high-level external policy and research functions
• Develop and maintain relationships with key partners in the sector, including academics, funders, governments, financial service providers, fintechs, NGOs, and policy partners.
• Spearhead fundraising efforts to support core sector activities and new research studies
• Lead the team in producing evidence summaries, policy brief, blog posts, and other communications materials to share findings and highlight new projects and sector trends
• Lead global policy outreach and policy relationships in the sector, and coordinate with IPA teams for local policy outreach in individual countries
• Hire and manage global staff, and support IPA country office staff, particularly in countries where FIP is a priority sector, engaging with IPA partners to implement the Sector Program’s research and policy objectives in those countries
• Design, fundraise for, and manage the administration of research funds to allocate funding to high-quality research projects which contribute to one or more elements of the Program’s priority research agenda.
• Ensure smooth administration of the Program, including financial and administrative oversight, project management, and grant reporting.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Economics, Business, International Development, Finance, Public Policy, or related fields.
• At least seven years of relevant work experience (three minimum with a Ph.D.) in research and evaluation and/or policy design and implementation in financial inclusion, or related fields
• Strategic thinker with strong vision for how to develop key partnerships that will lead to groundbreaking research and position IPA as a major voice in the sector
• Excellent communication, client management and presentation skills
• Demonstrated ability to raise funds; experience in proposal writing essential
• Familiarity with quantitative research, impact evaluations and randomized trials, as well as with private sector development policies and issues facing small and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries
• Demonstrated ability to maintain high-level relationships with both western and developing country partners, including donors, international development practitioners, or academic researchers
• Experience managing staff and successfully working across teams
• Project and grant management experience, including budget management, grant reporting, and coordinating diverse and diffuse co-workers
• Demonstrated project management skills, including budgeting, attention to operational and research details, and ability to manage multiple projects efficiently
• Notable experience with field research or program implementation in developing countries a plus.
• Experience building a program and/or team a plus
• Experience organizing policy events as well as producing policy resources and publications a plus
• Ability to speak Spanish or French a plus.

Compensation:
IPA’s compensation structure is designed based on the labor market for the specific geographic location where the employee is located.  We are offering the following salary ranges for this position:
–  Director is classified as “D2” on IPA’s global job structure.
–  For US-based employees the starting annual gross salary is $120,000 with a maximum of $145,000
– The salary for locations outside of the US will vary depending on IPA’s salary scale ranges for that specific location.

Actual base salary may vary based upon, but not limited to, relevant experience, base salary of internal peers, business sector, and geographic location.