Research Manager, Delhi-Based – Inclusion Economics India Centre at IFMR/Krea University

Employer: Inclusion Economics India Centre at IFMR/Krea University
Location: Delhi, India

Who We Are:

Inclusion Economics India Centre is an initiative affiliated with Inclusion Economics at Yale University, founded and based out of the Yale Economic Growth Center and MacMillan Center. Inclusion Economics India Centre is based at, and accountable to, the Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR) Society, with strategic oversight from Krea University. Inclusion Economics India Centre collaborates with the Inclusion Economics at Yale University team to enable inclusive economies and societies through research and policy engagement.

Drawing upon economics, political science, and related fields, we conduct cutting-edge research to understand how policy can promote inclusive, accountable economies and societies. Our core research focuses on gender as it relates to labor economics and broader economic empowerment; political economy and governance; education and environmental economics. We also aim to build a culture of evidence and increase data literacy in the public sector, strengthening leaders’ ability to identify and implement evidence-informed policies. Throughout the research life cycle, we engage closely with policy counterparts to ensure we address questions of immediate relevance, and we regularly communicate data-driven insights with policy counterparts and the general public.

We are driven by values of

Inclusive Opportunity – We study how policies can promote inclusion and strive to practice this value by creating opportunities for individuals from all walks of life. We collaborate with, and seek to learn from, each other.
Rigor – We take a rigorous approach to research and the entire research environment – from asking initial questions, to engaging with the right policy counterparts to create impact, to communicating final results.
Curiosity – we approach problems with open-minded curiosity and consider a wide range of approaches – which we then pursue with discipline and rigor. We innovate, drawing upon other fields and developing new approaches beyond traditional economic tools.
Integrity – We respect each other and those we work with, uphold ethical standards, are honest, admit our mistakes, and are committed to constant improvement.
Challenge Accepted Paradigms – Bold research and policy engagement allows us to speak to the challenges of supporting the world’s poor and vulnerable. We are willing to look through new lenses to rethink the status quo.

The Role:

We are hiring a Research Manager, to support a portfolio of several research projects in India. The position will allow the selected candidate an opportunity to gain first-hand research management experience on projects at the forefront of economic research and public policy. The Research Manager will manage at least one randomized control trial involving top academics from internationally acclaimed universities. The Research Manager will be responsible for supervising a research team, budgeting and financial management, procurement and other operational tasks, reporting, contracts/grants management, as well as contribute to research design and implementation, of the assigned project/portfolio. This position requires a self-starting candidate with proven management experience and familiarity with applied economics research who can work with multiple stakeholders, to deliver on the project objectives. They should be willing to work in a dynamic organisational environment, and bring in high levels of integrity and commitment to the work we do. The candidate should be able to effectively navigate India’s institutional landscape and appropriately represent Inclusion Economics India to outside stakeholders.

The selected candidate will have the opportunity to join a team of leading economists and public policy experts at Yale and other reputed universities, to work on cutting-edge development research and gain first-hand experience working with policy partners, implementing surveys and field experiments, and conducting rigorous data analysis.

Responsibilities:

Mentor, manage and oversee staff on the projects. Recruit and onboard staff, as determined by project requirements and funds. Contribute to the growth/feedback process of direct reportees and be their first point of contact when guidance is required.
Support the implementation of research projects, including overseeing day-to-day field-based activities by supervising a team of Research Associates and other operations staff, in collaboration with relevant policy partners and India and Yale-based teams
Supervise a field-based team to manage project activities, including intervention implementation, and contribute to field-based scoping, survey design, and survey testing. Monitor field-based data collection to ensure the highest data quality standards are upheld. Some of these activities require frequent travel to our field offices in various states in India.
Manage all assigned administrative requirements of the projects, including financial management, budgeting, procurement, contract set-up and compliance, grant reporting, deliverable tracking, etc.
Work closely with research staff and lead investigators to ensure project budgets accurately reflect program design, and budgets are updated and executed appropriately. Integrity and efficiency in all financial matters is very important.
Coordinate with project teams to ensure timely submission of financial reports and projections, and sub-grantee/contract reports and deliverables in the portfolio to keep projects running smoothly.
Coordinate with other project staff and Research Managers to contribute to organisational initiatives as and when called upon.
Manage relationships with funding organizations and partner institutions; work with partner institutions to coordinate project administration and logistics.
Contribute to Inclusion Economics India’s overall management and strategic vision by identifying additional sources of funding and potential partner organizations for the expansion of our research portfolio.
Contribute to grant applications as needed.
Flexibility in working hours to accommodate coordination across teams in multiple time zones and to implement research activities.
Other tasks, as required

Basic Qualifications:

Master’s degree in relevant field such as economics or public policy/administration. Significant coursework in economics is highly preferred
3 to 5 years of management experience in international development or related field
Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
Proven analytical skills and knowledge of common statistics software packages (e.g. STATA, R)
Proven ability to manage multiple tasks and propose solutions in a timely manner with minimal supervision
Excellent attention to detail
Capacity to maintain an organized and structured work style in a fast-paced environment
Strong interpersonal skills, and willingness to interact with a wide range of individuals ranging from Research Associates to academics, donors, research institutions, etc.
Ability to work in a multicultural environment
Willingness to visit research project sites as necessary

Preferred Qualifications:

Working knowledge of Hindi
Experience with research grants management, budgeting, and project management
Solid understanding of research project design and processes, experience with RCT’s
Experience with Python (pandas + scrapy), Git, database management

This position will be based in Delhi, India, with frequent travel throughout the country.

How to Apply:

If you are interested in this position, please fill out our Screening Questionnaire; you will be asked to upload a single PDF containing your CV, cover letter, writing sample, and academic transcripts. Label your file “Last name, First name – Research Manager”.

To view other open positions, visit the Inclusion Economics Opportunities page.