Research Manager - J-PAL Southeast Asia

J-PAL Southeast Asia, based at the Institute for Economic and Social Research at the University of Indonesia (LPEM-FEBUI) seeks a qualified applicant for the position of Research Manager (RM) to oversee a portfolio or research projects in J-PAL SEA’s multiple sectors, including financial inclusion, gender, social protection, and labor, while help design and drive forward strategic Research Vertical and organization-wide initiatives. Projects include evaluating interventions in digital financial services to improve productivity and well-being, specific innovations to support women’s access to finance and education, and policies to improve financial inclusion in Indonesia. The Research Manager will work alongside several renowned researchers in the J-PAL network.

The Research Manager will be leading stakeholder engagement to develop research collaboration with partners, contributing to the design and implementation of assigned projects, mentoring and supervising the research team, managing budgeting and operational tasks, overseeing reporting processes, and handling contracts and grants management. If necessary, the Research Manager will be directly involved in implementing surveys and field experiments and conducting rigorous data analysis with a team of Research Associates (RA). He/she should have proven management experience and familiarity with applied economics research and be capable of working with multiple stakeholders to achieve project objectives, and be prepared to thrive in a dynamic organizational environment and demonstrate high levels of integrity and commitment to our work.

The candidate will report directly to the Senior Research Manager and/or Associate Director of Research, and will collaborate with Principal Investigators (PIs) of several studies that are currently being developed and/or implemented in Indonesia, and mentor a team of 3-4 RAs. The Research Manager will be based in Jakarta, but can expect to travel to rural and urban project sites across Indonesia.

In addition to providing an opportunity to be exposed to development research and develop expertise in randomized evaluation design and implementation, this position offers the opportunity to influence the shape and scope of research support provided by J-PAL Southeast Asia and gain direct experience in collaborating with existing and new policy partners. This includes, but not limited to, strengthening the capacity of research staff and improving onboarding experiences, creating a menu of services to deepen relationships with stakeholders, tapping into new collaboration opportunities in Indonesia and within Southeast Asia, as well as exploring innovations to enhance the effectiveness of research operations in Indonesia. Furthermore, as part of our strategy to scale evidence-informed programs and increase the impact of our research, we are expanding our outreach to local governments and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. While randomized evaluations remain central to our work, we recognize that the path to meaningful scale often involves complementary efforts such as capacity building, technical assistance, and support in program design and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL). These present valuable opportunities for the Research Manager to contribute beyond traditional RCTs, particularly in shaping strategic partnerships and strengthening implementation capacity.

Responsibilities include:

• Research and Relationship management:
  • Lead engagement with potential partners, including government, CSOs, or private sector organizations, to explore collaboration on exploratory research, pilot study, or randomized evaluations in the assigned sector
  • Directly oversee and provide mentoring to in-country Research Associates and their respective projects
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with researchers working on randomized evaluations in the Southeast Asia region
  • Collaborate with PIs, potential partners, and J-PAL SEA management team on the development, conceptual design and implementation of randomized evaluations
  • Contribute to building systems that facilitate good research practices by our affiliates, including data security and confidentiality, registering trials, making data sets public
• Budget Management
  • Work with the J-PAL SEA management team and PIs to develop budgets and coordinate all aspects of grant submission to donors
  • Monitor anticipated and actual costs charged to project budgets, regularly communicate these to PIs, and identify and prevent potential overruns
• Reporting and Communication
  • Establish and maintain processes and systems for effective communication, including reporting, with Research Associates, PIs and J-PAL SEA management
  • Provide routine verbal and written updates on project activities to stakeholders, including PIs and J-PAL SEA management
  • Coordinate the preparation of summary reports and dissemination materials
  • Proactively identify and conduct, in coordination with J-PAL SEA management, outreach activities
• Organizational
  • Support tasks that advance the mission of J-PAL SEA, including recruiting and onboarding, and mentoring junior staff, building external relationships, and helping with conferences to spur new research collaborations and disseminate research results. 
• Key Learning Opportunities:
  • Intensive training in RCT methodology and development research
  • Hands-on experience with actual research projects in Indonesia and the SEA region
  • Mentorship from Senior Research Manager and J-PAL SEA Senior Management Team
  • Exposure to project management in development contexts
  • Skills development in data analysis, research design, and academic writing
  • Lead and/or support the design and implementation of a capacity-building plan to enable Research Associates and support staff to independently conduct RCTs, with emphasis on intervention design and execution, and primary data collection
  • Deepen understanding of how research can inform real-world programs and policies through engaging in outreach to government and CSR actors, and supporting program design and MEL efforts

Qualifications:

• Desired:
  • Education: Master’s degree (or higher) in Economics, Finance, Business, Development or related field. Well-qualified Bachelor’s candidates with significant related work experience will also be considered. Strong interest in international development policy as demonstrated by coursework and/or professional experience.
  • Experience: This position requires a minimum 3 years of relevant experience in research and management. Experience in managing multi-stakeholder relationships and quantitative data analysis skills (e.g., using Stata) is a strong advantage.
  • Communication: Excellent oral and written communication skills in English. Indonesian language skill is preferred.
  • Time Management: Proven ability to multitask and successfully complete projects on tight deadlines with little supervision. A willingness to work hard, be self-motivated, and learn will be essential for doing well in this position.
  • Willingness to travel: Position may require travel throughout the region to meet with senior policymakers in government agencies, NGOs, foundations and international development organizations as well as follow-up work to promote research projects and other policy and capacity building initiatives.
  • Languages: High-level of proficiency (fluent or native) in both Indonesian and English.
  • Strong leadership and relationship-building skills. Previous experience managing staff is a plus.
• Preferred Qualifications:
  • Econometric Analysis
  • Academic research experience
  • Familiarity with experimental research design and varied data collection methods
  • Project management and financial management