Associate Director of Policy - J-PAL Africa

Location: This position can be based in either Accra, Ghana or Nairobi, Kenya

The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of more than 1,100 top researchers at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts innovative research and builds powerful partnerships to solve the world’s greatest challenges. J-PAL was launched at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2003 and is directed by Nobel laureates Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo , along with Ben Olken. It has over 500 research, policy, scale, training, and operations staff across Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East, North America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

J-PAL Africa leads J-PAL’s work in sub-Saharan Africa. We conduct randomized evaluations, build partnerships for evidence-informed policymaking, and help partners scale up effective programs.

J-PAL Africa’s policy team analyses and disseminates research results and builds partnerships with practitioners and policymakers to ensure that policy and programmes are informed by scientific evidence, and effective programmes are scaled up. In recent years, the policy team has grown significantly across a range of sectors. We have helped embed rigorous evidence in education, are actively supporting the scaling of access to safe water, and have developed unique high-level government partnerships that are committed to using evidence to inform policy, such as with the Government of Benin . 

J-PAL Africa now seeks an Associate Director of Policy to help drive the next chapter of J-PAL Africa’s mission of reducing poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by rigorous evidence.

The Associate Director will co-lead the Policy & Communications team, working closely with the Director of Policy and J-PAL Africa leadership to shape and deliver the organization’s evidence-to-policy strategy across Sub-Saharan Africa. 

This role will oversee a diverse portfolio of policy engagements, while identifying, designing, and supporting the scale-up of other high-impact programs in partnership with governments and other stakeholders. The Associate Director will also play a key role in strengthening partnerships, mobilizing resources, and leading and mentoring a high-performing team. We are looking for a strategic, entrepreneurial leader with strong relationship-building skills and a deep commitment to evidence-informed policymaking with experience in Sub-Saharan Africa. 

The J-PAL Africa team provides supportive management structures and offers flexibility for accelerated growth by supporting proactivity and encouraging top performers to expand and develop their portfolio.

Job Requirements

• Education: You have a Master's degree with significant coursework in public policy, public administration, international development, international affairs, economics, or a related field and have demonstrated academic interest in rigorous evidence about poverty alleviation.
• Experience: You have at least 7 or more years of relevant and substantial work experience. This experience should include experience working in a low- or middle-income country, applying rigorous evidence to program or policy design and implementation, and engaging with policy makers in governments with evidence-informed development interventions. Ideally you have either worked for or with governments and collaborated with coalitions of organizations and people, including researchers, to scale evidence-informed programs. You have experience getting things done even in contexts where you lack direct control and are adept at using advice, influence, and support to enable the work of others. 
• Mindset and management: You are hypothesis-driven, thrive in navigating situations and workstreams with no ‘one right answer,’ adept at identifying and weighing trade-offs relating to time, funding, and other scarce resources, and able to juggle multiple projects simultaneously. You are passionate about international development policy and the rigorous research that informs it. You are self-motivated, humble, work hard, and enjoy collaborating in teams. 
• Research: You have demonstrated ability to read and analyse rigorous quantitative research, including randomized evaluations, as well as interpret and share policy lessons from randomized evaluations.
• Leadership: You have demonstrated leadership and programme management experience, including contributing to team strategy, hiring, and training staff.
• You have experience leading policy outreach,including strategically identifying and mobilizing appropriate policymakers and developing and maintaining these relationships. Ideally you have experience in identifying, designing, and supporting opportunities for scaling up effective programmes/policies and using scientific evidence to inform policy decisions.
• Organization: You are a strategic thinker. You can handle managing multiple projects at once with little supervision, meet deadlines, and effectively manage your time, as well as others’. You are a strong upward communicator and manager, proactively sharing updates, escalating concerns, and teeing up recommendations or decisions on which you need engagement.
• Successful fundraiser: You have experience managing grants, including budget management, proposal/ report writing and donor relationships.
• Travel: You are willing to travel extensively.
• Communication: You are a strong communicator, able to communicate clearly in writing and orally with diverse audiences from around the world. You have advanced writing and oral presentation skills in English, particularly the ability to communicate technical research to policymakers in a non-technical manner. You have experience organising, managing, and presenting at training / dissemination events.

Advantageous

Professional level of French, both in writing and oral skills.

Responsibilities include

• Co-lead the Policy & Communications team at J-PAL Africa, working in close partnership with the Director of Policy to set and drive the team’s strategic vision, priorities, and ways of working.
• Act as a key thought partner to the Director of Policy, supporting decision-making, team structuring, and the evolution of J-PAL Africa’s policy strategy across portfolios.
• Lead J-PAL Africa’s evidence-to-policy agenda across Sub-Saharan Africa by identifying, shaping, and supporting opportunities for evidence-informed policymaking and the scale-up of effective programs.
• Strengthen how J-PAL works with governments and partners by refining and innovating approaches to increase the uptake and use of rigorous evidence in decision-making.
• Identify and cultivate high-impact partnerships and opportunities, including matching policymakers with relevant evidence, technical assistance, and implementation support.
• Mobilize resources by leading and supporting fundraising efforts for pilots, scale-ups, and broader policy initiatives.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders across the evidence-to-policy ecosystem, including governments, implementing partners, donors, and J-PAL’s network of affiliated researchers.
• Lead and manage a high-performing Policy team, including recruitment, onboarding, mentorship, and performance management, ensuring delivery against strategic priorities.
• Oversee external engagement and communications, shaping how J-PAL Africa communicates its work and influence to external audiences.
• Willingness to travel regularly throughout sub-Saharan Africa as projects progress and needs evolve.

This is a three year position with the potential for extension and will be based in sub-Saharan Africa, with a preference for location in Accra, Ghana or Nairobi, Kenya.

An application which does not comply with the above requirements will be regarded as incomplete. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and will likely be required to undergo an assessment process before interview rounds. 

As the cost of employment is being paid for from externally derived funds, this appointment is subject to the availability of funding. 

Important Note: Length of Commitment: Three years, with the possibility of extension.