(Senior) Research Manager, Field - DIL - East Africa

About the department

The Development Innovation Lab at the University of Chicago uses the tools of economics to develop innovations with the potential to benefit millions of people in low- and middle-income countries. It was founded and is led by Nobel laureate Michael Kremer.

Job summary

DIL is seeking a full-time (Senior) Research Manager to work closely with Faculty Director Michael Kremer and other Lead Researchers to help develop and manage development economics projects in East Africa.

Formal employment will be through an in-country employer of record (“EoR") under contract with DIL. Additional details regarding salary, benefits, and terms and conditions of employment offered by the EoR will be provided to individuals during the hiring process.

Responsibilities

• In partnership with DIL Lead Researchers and the Faculty Director, oversee the research process, including supervising data collection activities for DIL projects, conducting qualitative research, desk research, and quantitative analysis to inform research design, and ensuring rigorous research quality
• Manage research relationships with DIL partners, including governments, non-profit organizations, and donors; develop new research collaborations for the organization 
• Build research work programs and track progress against them
• Manage DIL research staff, including Research Associates and Interns; recruit and train new DIL staff as needed.
• Manage project operations and administration for their projects. Responsibilities may include Institutional Review Board (IRB), new proposal development, contracting, budgeting, donor reporting and communication, grants management, and project finance.
• Provide input on cross-cutting lab activities or DIL public goods as required.

Additional Responsibilities - Senior Research Manager

• Assist in the recruitment, training and onboarding of Research Managers 
• Oversee the work of other Research Managers and Research Associates

Minimum qualifications

• Education
  • A Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree (or equivalent) in economics, public policy, or related field by the start of the position
  • Advanced undergraduate or graduate-level coursework in statistics and/or economics
• Experience
  • Minimum of ​4​ years (Senior Research Manager) or 3 years (Research Manager) of experience, which can be a combination of graduate education and work experience.   
  • Knowledge of and experience with field work in developing countries. Work experience in countries where DIL has an expanding research portfolio (Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, and/or Rwanda) is strongly preferred.
  • Experience implementing field research in development experience
  • Experience conducting research including managing research teams, and/or creating project budgets
• Competencies
  • Strong skills in 2 out of the following 4 softwares required: STATA, R, SurveyCTO, Github *candidates will receive a coding assessment as part of the hiring process
  • Excellent organizational skills and high level of attention to detail
  • Experience managing large teams at various levels and geographies
  • Strong cross-cultural communication skills
  • Fluency in English and a DIL country of operation language (Swahili/Kinyarwanda/Luganda) required

Working Conditions

Candidates must be flexible and able to travel extensively across the project country as per the requirement of their assignment(s) including in rural areas.

Candidates with deep contextual knowledge and permanent work authorization are strongly encouraged to apply.