Research Manager, Global Poverty Research Lab

Department: Kellogg GPRL
Salary/Grade: EXS/7

Job Summary:

The Global Poverty Research Lab (GPRL) at The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University is committed to addressing the challenges of overcoming poverty and improving well-being in the developing world. As part of this work, GPRL is committed to aggregating global evidence by conducting rigorous meta-analysis and delivering open, usable synthesis for policymakers, funders, and practitioners.

GPRL is comprised of a team of Research Managers who support the Principal Investigators (PIs) in the development and management of research projects in applied development economics research. Under the direction of GPRL leadership, this Research Manager will be primarily responsible for evidence advisory projects considered complex by the inclusion of large budgets spanning multiple investigators, teams, sites, and subcontracts.

The Research Manager will lead rapid evidence reviews and evidence synthesis to inform program design and cost-effectiveness recommendations for bilateral donor agencies. ensuring completion of contract requirements and client specifications for assigned projects.

Additional tasks will include overseeing day-to-day operations of GPRL Pillar 4 work, including identifying & securing needed resources; creating, implementing, monitoring, and updating project plans; facilitating meetings with appropriate parties; tracking tasks/deliverables to ensure timelines, milestones and/or goals are attained; monitoring and reporting progress as appropriate; and resolving or escalating issues timely.

Please note:

Supervisor provides objectives and deadlines. Work is reviewed for fulfillment of objective and deadlines and overall compliance with policy and procedures. EE completes some activities without direction, informing supervisor only of potentially controversial matters, and/or far-reaching implications.

Specific Responsibilities:

Technical

• Provides complex technical and evidence-based advisory leadership in determining research priorities & the plan, design & execution of research projects, ensuring that programs of investigation meet specified objectives.
• Leads and contributes to rapid evidence reviews and evidence syntheses that generate actionable cost-effectiveness recommendations for bilateral donor agencies.
• Plans, develops & implements new processes & protocols to support research studies & maximize/extend study capabilities.
• Oversees completion of study activities per protocol.
• Ensures that study and project activities are completed in compliance with appropriate rules & regulations & reviews study progress, and recommends revisions, amendments, and/or other project changes as necessary to better meet the needs of sponsors.
• Reviews scientific literature & evaluates & recommends applicable techniques & procedures.

Administrative

• Analyzes, evaluates & interprets data and evidence to determine relevance to research and program design.
• Synthesizes findings from large bodies of literature to produce policy-facing reports and cost-effectiveness recommendations for donor decision-makers.
• Translates complex research findings for non-technical government and donor audiences.
• Assists PI in developing statistical methods & models to analyze & report data based upon study requirements.
• Prepares results & may co-author research papers and policy-facing reports for presentation & publication & disseminates information via seminars, donor briefings, and external events.
• Leads development of donor proposals and grant submissions to obtain financial support; contributes analytical content and project design to multi-partner funding applications involving bilateral donors, foundations, and research institutions.
• Acts as a liaison between bilateral donor agencies, collaborating research organizations, and academic institutions;
• Cultivates and manages long-term partnerships with senior staff at bilateral aid agencies to support program development and fundraising objectives.
• Manages ongoing relationships with bilateral donor agencies and academic and implementing partners, serving as a primary point of contact for external stakeholders.
• Ensures that all study documents associated with current local, state, & federal regulatory guidelines, requirements, laws & research protocols are completed in a timely manner.

Finance

• May create &/or manage research study budget, which may include deciding on & approving expenditures of funds based on the budget.
• Monitors accounts.
• Ensures appropriate allocation & compliance.
• Coordinates & participates in budgetary negotiations with industry sponsors.

Supervision

• Trains, directs, assigns duties to & may supervise lab RAs, students, and interns.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major such as international development, economics, public policy, or related; OR an appropriate combination of education and experience and 5 years' research study or other relevant experience required; OR

• Successful completion of a full course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a master's or higher degree in a major such as international development policy, economics, public policy, or related; OR an appropriate combination of education and experience and 3 years' research study or other relevant experience.

• Supervisory or project management experience required.

• Must complete NU's IRB CITI training before interacting with any participants & must re-certify every 3 years.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Demonstrated ability to synthesize large bodies of evidence and translate findings into actionable policy recommendations for non-technical audiences.

• Strong project and stakeholder management skills; experience coordinating across multiple institutional partners and managing competing deadlines.

• Familiarity with cost-effectiveness analysis concepts and their application to development program design and evaluation.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including experience preparing materials for senior government and donor audiences.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in international development policy, economics, public policy, or a closely related field.

• Experience conducting or contributing to rapid evidence reviews, evidence syntheses, or systematic reviews of impact evaluations.

• Experience working with or advising bilateral donor agencies.

• Prior experience in a bilateral donor agency, international development research organization, or government advisory role.

• Experience contributing to large-scale randomized evaluations or causal impact studies in low- or middle-income country contexts.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Sophisticated understanding of development economics research methods, including randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental designs, and evidence quality assessment.
• Demonstrated capacity to manage senior external relationships with government officials, foundation program officers, and academic researchers simultaneously.
• Experience leading or contributing to multi-partner grant and proposal development for international development research programs. Proficiency in Spanish a plus.

Target hiring range for this position will be $70,000 - $75,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits:

At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid vacation and holidays; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

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