Research/Executive Intern - J-PAL Middle East and North Africa

Background on J-PAL MENA

J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab) is a global research center that works to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. J-PAL has a regional office in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, which is based at The American University in Cairo, Egypt. J-PAL MENA works with governments, NGOs, and other partners to conduct randomized evaluations and build capacity for evidence-informed policymaking in the region. The office’s research focuses on a range of topics, including education, health, labor markets, and governance with the aim to inform decision-making and promote effective interventions to address poverty and improve lives across the MENA region. 

The Egypt Impact Lab  

The Egypt Impact Lab is J-PAL MENA’s flagship initiative with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development and four strategic government partners: the Ministry of Social Solidarity, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency, the National Council for Women, and the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development. EIL’s work will revolve around top government development priorities and focus on strengthening the impact of national initiatives, including Hayah Karima and National Family Development Program, guided by our strategic government partners. EIL will aim to work on three pillars:

• Pillar I: Generating evidence on priority questions and disseminating insights on EIL themes
• Pillar II: Building the government's capacity to use evidence
• Pillar III: Strengthening local knowledge ecosystems to enable policy influence

Intern key responsibilities 

• Providing high-level executive administrative support that improves efficiency and effectiveness
• Supporting in reviewing and cleaning data using statistical packages
• Managing the content and flow of information of the Egypt Impact Team and J-PAL MENA sector leads 
• Preparing and editing outgoing correspondence regarding matters of Egypt’s policy priorities, including emails, memos, presentations, concept notes, proposals etc.
• Acting as a gatekeeper, managing calendars to schedule both internal and external meetings
• Tracking tasks and projects to ensure appropriate prioritization with respect to deadlines and organizational changes
• Performing confidential administrative responsibilities
• Arranging events and conferences, as needed
• Confirming conference rooms and / or locations, attendees, and times for meetings
• Maintaining professionalism and strict confidentiality with all materials, and exercise discretion

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g. international development, economics, political science, public policy) 
• Excellent organizational and communication skills 
• Strong knowledge of Google Workspace and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) 
• Recent graduates with relevant internship experience will be considered 
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Previous research experience is an asset