Research and Public Policy Project Manager - J-PAL Europe

J-PAL is seeking a Research and Public Policy Project Manager to support the development of impact evaluations related to public policy in Côte d’Ivoire. This initiative builds on the work initiated as part of the Certificate in Public Policy Evaluation, developed jointly with ENSEA. 

About ENSEA

Founded in 1961, the École Nationale Supérieure de Statistique et d’Économie Appliquée (ENSEA) in Abidjan is a national public higher education and research institution dedicated to training statisticians for African countries. To date, it has trained over 4,500 statisticians from more than twenty African countries and Haiti. The quality of its training and the influence of its activities in the field of statistics enabled it to be awarded the UEMOA ‘Regional Centre of Excellence’ label in 2005 and the World Bank’s ‘African Centre of Excellence’ label in 2015. Since 2020, ENSEA has been recognised as a Centre of Excellence with regional impact by the French Development Agency (AFD). Named the best public administration in Côte d’Ivoire in 2017, ENSEA in Abidjan is a member of the Francophone University Agency (AUF) and the Network of African Schools of Statistics (RESA).

About J-PAL

The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is an international research centre working to reduce poverty by providing policymakers with evidence-based findings from its scientific research. With a network of over 1,000 affiliated and visiting professors at numerous universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomised impact evaluations to answer the most critical questions in the fight against poverty. 

About the J-PAL / ENSEA collaboration

Since September 2023, ENSEA and J-PAL Europe have been developing an ambitious training partnership aimed at building capacity in the field of impact evaluation and providing resources and to support the use of rigorous research in public policy decisions in Côte d’Ivoire. The impetus for this project arose from discussions with the Ivorian government on how best to support the implementation of a recent law on public policy evaluation.

A key component of this collaboration has been the establishment of a continuing professional development certificate for Ivorian civil servants on public policy evaluation and the contribution of randomised evaluations. Launched in January 2024, the programme has already trained over 150 civil servants from nearly 20 ministries. It combines theoretical instruction on the main technical aspects of randomised evaluations with practical sessions where participants consider the design of an impact evaluation for their own projects. Beyond the certificate, this collaboration also targets students and aims to launch a new Master’s degree in public policy evaluation at ENSEA in late 2026.

As the first phase of the certificate programme draws to a close, J-PAL is seeking to recruit a Research and Public Policy Project Manager to develop new research partnerships between the government and academic researchers. Drawing on the network of trained civil servants and the identified evaluation opportunities, this person will help transform promising evaluation ideas into concrete projects, working at the interface between research and public policy. The Project Manager may also be required to support the Ivorian government in institutionalising the production and use of evidence, thereby supporting the implementation of the 2022 law on public policy evaluation.

Responsibilities

• Developing new research projects and partnerships, involving tasks such as:
  • Identifying and mapping promising evaluation avenues arising from the training.
  • Collaborating with ministries and other public institutions to develop new joint research avenues
  • Connecting project leaders with academic researchers (both in Côte d’Ivoire and abroad, drawing in particular on the J-PAL network) to establish research partnerships
  • Providing support to identify and apply for research funding
  • Offer technical assistance to civil servants who have completed the training in the design of evidence-based programmes.
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships, in particular by working with
  • The Ministry of Planning and Development and other key government partners (such as the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Employment and Social Protection, which are the most widely represented in the training programme).
  • The French Development Agency (AFD) and other bilateral organisations interested in research related to public policy in Côte d’Ivoire (e.g. the Hewlett Foundation, the Jacobs Foundation)
  • The Ivorian academic community, in particular the teaching staff at ENSEA or researchers at CAPEC and other research centres.
  • The network of visiting and affiliated researchers at J-PAL, particularly those interested in research in Côte d’Ivoire
  • Alumni of the Certificate in Public Policy Evaluation, by helping to build a community of practice across ministries
• Offer technical assistance to the Ministry of Planning and Development, and other relevant ministries, to institutionalise the production and use of evidence. This could include: 
  • Identifying potential funding mechanisms for impact evaluation in Côte d’Ivoire
  • Establishing an impact assessment support unit to assist civil servants wishing to use rigorous data for the evaluation or design of public policies
  • Jointly designing events and other initiatives aimed at promoting better dissemination of relevant evidence.

Qualifications

Your technical expertise, interpersonal skills and organisational abilities, your demonstrated interest in public policy evaluation, and your commitment to poverty reduction and development make you an ideal candidate for this role.

Education: A Master’s degree is required in economics, political science or a related discipline, including courses in microeconomics, econometrics and project evaluation. Candidates holding a Master’s degree in another discipline may be considered if they have an excellent understanding of quantitative research methods, including randomised evaluation methods. A PhD is an advantage but not required.

Experience: a minimum of five years’ experience in relevant roles, preferably with practical experience in conducting randomised impact evaluations (PhD years are counted where applicable). This includes, in particular, experience in:

• data analysis and familiarity with the academic literature in economics;
• managing field research (budget and team management, a good understanding of data collection and analysis);
• writing academic reports and securing funding;
• collaboration with partner organisations and managing relationships with high-level partners;
• disseminating research findings and using them to inform public policy.
• In addition, you have experience in project development, including identifying opportunities, establishing strategic relationships, and developing and managing external partnerships (experience of working with government is an advantage), as well as relevant experience in communications;
• in-depth knowledge of the Ivorian context. This includes a good understanding of the structure of public administration and the broader socio-economic context, as well as the ability to operate effectively within the Ivorian institutional and professional culture.

Skills: Excellent project management skills. Excellent written and oral communication skills in French and very good communication skills in English. Good knowledge of quantitative research and randomised impact evaluations, as well as a proven ability to manage relationships with high-level partners and researchers.

Organisation: Ability to think strategically and manage several projects simultaneously in a self-directed manner, meeting deadlines whilst delivering high-quality work. 

Attitude: Eager to learn. Deep interest in international development policy, the research that informs it and the training that supports it. Highly motivated and able to work in a team and with colleagues of diverse nationalities and cultures. This role requires strong interpersonal skills to liaise between the Ivorian, European and American teams within the project. 

Location: ENSEA, Abidjan