Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a research and policy nonprofit that discovers and advances what works to improve the lives of people living in poverty. The (Associate) Program Manager leads the day-to-day management of IPA's Human Trafficking Research Initiative, managing research sub-awards, donor reporting, and supporting fundraising efforts.
Responsibilities
- Manage the full lifecycle of 15–20 active research sub-awards, including competitive selection, development of grant agreements and amendments, and ongoing tracking of project progress, deliverables, and finances
- Lead the drafting of quarterly donor reports to JTIP by coordinating inputs from grantees, IPA country offices, and internal staff, and working with the Director on review and submission
- Oversee budget reviews and program financial tracking, with support from IPA's Grants Finance team, and flag financial risks or variances to the Director
- Liaise with IPA's Grants, Legal, and Finance teams to ensure sub-award compliance with donor requirements and IPA policies
- Serve as the primary point of coordination for HTRI's day-to-day operations, ensuring that workstreams are on track and that the team is meeting deadlines
- Maintain and improve internal systems (Airtable, Asana, Salesforce) for tracking projects, partners, donors, and researcher records
- Coordinate across IPA departments and country offices to ensure HTRI's procedures are aligned with IPA's general guidelines and policies
- Conduct regular site visits to monitor the implementation of HTRI-funded research projects and provide updates to the Associate Director and Director
- Provide rapid responses to information requests relevant to project development, donor reporting, and policy engagement from country office and senior IPA staff
- Stay current on the human trafficking research literature and maintain an up-to-date understanding of the evidence base, including findings from HTRI-funded and relevant external projects
- Lead the production and updating of evidence reports, research summaries, and evidence overviews on key human trafficking topics, working closely with the Senior Program Associate on research and drafting support
- Author and contribute to policy briefs, program overview documents, blog posts, newsletters, and other written products that translate HTRI research findings for policymakers, practitioners, and donors
- Coordinate and contribute to annual updates to HTRI's Learning and Research Agenda
- Present HTRI findings and lessons learned at conferences, webinars, policy convenings, and other external forums
- Coordinate logistics and content development for HTRI-hosted webinars, research convenings, and other events focused on human trafficking research and practice
- Support the Director and Associate Director in building and maintaining a network of affiliated researchers who can identify and develop research opportunities that answer key questions in the sector
- Work with IPA country office staff to develop new studies and implement the Initiative's research and policy objectives in IPA presence countries
- Develop and maintain key relationships with donors, sectoral partners, internal research and policy leadership, and senior academics
- Engage in stakeholder mapping and interviews to help HTRI develop and support new lines of research
- Represent IPA at external policy and research functions
- Track funding opportunities and contribute to project development and fundraising activities alongside the Director and Associate Director, including the development of concept notes, evidence reviews, and draft presentations
- Contribute to the development of proposals for new funding, including support for methodological approaches beyond RCTs (such as RCT readiness assessments, process evaluations, and standalone learning projects)
- Coordinate matchmaking events between researchers and implementing organizations
- Liaise with IPA country offices to identify and support project development efforts
Skills
- Master's degree in a relevant social science field, such as economics, public policy, political science, international development, or a related discipline
- At least four years of work experience in research, monitoring and evaluation, program management, or international development
- Demonstrated ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects, including grants management, budgets, and reporting
- Demonstrated ability to engage with research findings and communicate them clearly to non-technical audiences
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce polished, policy-facing written products such as evidence briefs, research summaries, and presentations
- Experience presenting research or policy findings to external audiences, including at conferences, webinars, or stakeholder convenings
- Strong interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity to work effectively with global teams across cultures, work styles, and time zones
- Experience working or living in low- or middle-income countries
- Experience in the human trafficking, migration, forced labor, or criminal justice sector
- Experience conducting literature reviews, evidence syntheses, or systematic reviews of research evidence
- Experience managing or supporting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or other rigorous evaluation methodologies
- Familiarity with U.S. government grant reporting and compliance requirements, especially ethical human subjects research standards
- Experience with project management and CRM tools such as Airtable, Asana, and Salesforce
- Familiarity with quantitative research methods and the ability to interpret regression outputs or engage critically with quantitative research findings
- Professional proficiency in French or Spanish
Company Overview
Company H1B Sponsorship