The Senior Program Officer (SPO) will lead cutting edge research, analysis and decision analytics for the GE team’s work in Women’s Empowerment Collectives (WECs). We define WECs as institutions of the poor that build women’s human, financial, and social capital. They come in different forms (self-help groups, saving groups, women’s affinity groups, co-operatives, etc.) and in a range of different operating models, however, they share a common set of features: voluntary membership; self-governance and member participation in decision-making; member contributions of time, assets, and labor; regular face-to-face meetings; and an aspiration to improve the welfare of individual members.
The SPOs work is expected to shape thinking and work in the field and deepen the quality, depth and breadth of evidence on WECs being used by policy makers and programs. This work will expand understanding of cost effectiveness, innovations (such as digital tools), scale opportunities, layering and use of platforms to deepen economic and other gains (such as health). This role involves both deep technical expertise in research and evaluation on women’s empowerment collectives, an ability to support and deepen work and research on the ground and an ability to get evidence off the shelf and used by policy makers, funders, and program implementers. As a resourceful collaborator, you will also be expected to:
- Lead and guide data and measurement work including developing and strengthening a global ‘centre of excellence’ of data, evidence, and research on women and girls’ empowerment collectives.
- Support high quality research and evaluation on WECs on the ground in East Africa and India to ensure knowledge gaps are closed and evidence is used. This work is expected to cover digital innovations in WECs, opportunities for scale (both government and market lead), opportunities for greater reach (including to adolescent and young adult women). The work will cover critical economic, empowerment, and livelihood and wellbeing outcomes.
- Design and invest in evaluation scoping and landscaping work to support new portfolios of work around WECs, exploration work on less reached groups (adolescents and the poorest), and research and writing consortia.
- Lead MLE and other “community of excellence” grants, convenings, and efforts that help get evidence on WECs ‘off the shelf’ and used by governments, implementers, and foundation staff.
- Coordinate learnings and serve as a technical expert and focal point across foundation investments to ensure that data, findings, and insights on WECs are captured, analyzed and the results fed back into GE strategic decision-making processes and team materials. This includes coordination with other foundation teams whom are also investing in WECs (e.g. Agricultural Development, Financial Services for the Poor, India Country Office, and some Global Health programs).
- Identify topics for new primary research with high potential and support other GE team data, measurement, and evaluation work.
- Ensure that findings from our India and East Africa WEC portfolios are brought together into clear and coherent MLE frameworks and other outputs. Contribute to learning meetings with potential grantees, donors, and funders including field visits to support proposal development.
- Directly, synthesize, analyze and visualize data coming in from grants, contracts and partners. Use data to question team hypotheses and support better decision making.
- Draft sections of key documents, reports, and presentations for a variety of purposes and audiences, summarizing developments and recommendations for program areas and external partners.
- Support the shaping of the team’s measurement, learning and evaluation strategy particularly for, but not limited to, our work on WECs.
We are looking for people who enjoy the opportunity of working on complex problems and collectively creating solutions that have the potential for transformative change in the lives of people around the world. You must be prepared to work across a diverse set of disciplines, bridging a wide range of expertise all the while being a team. The responsibilities of this role require that you should have an unquestioned commitment to gender equality. We seek a recognized research and evaluation professional with deep expertise on WECs in Africa. We expect that you will be a demonstrated thought leader on WEC research and evaluation with publications and other outputs which have contributed to the field of WEC research and evaluation. Additionally, we seek:
- Advanced training and expertise in research, evaluation, data analysis (quantitative and qualitative), statistical analysis skills, is required.
- Knowledge of digital tools, innovations, in WECs and/or the evaluation of these tools and approaches is an asset.
- Expertise in communicating and synthesizing findings into easily understandable visuals and written materials.
- Demonstrated initiative and ability to resolve unstructured problems with little oversight, creativity, high energy, and a positive attitude.
- Ability to prioritize work based on minimal direction and multiple competing priorities. Be highly organized and work with efficiency.
- Excellent written, facilitation and oral communications skills effective with a broad and diverse audience. comfortable with writing and ability to produce evidence-based written materials clearly and quickly.
- Experience in South Asia and research and evaluation on broader women’s economic empowerment is an asset.
- Experience in grant-making, portfolio design, delivering on grant or other investment approaches whether from philanthropy or international funding environment is an asset but not required.
- Team player, able to work on a small team and a range of tasks, with a demonstrated ability to work with flexibility, efficiency and diplomacy in an exciting, challenging environment.
- Demonstrated ability to work in a complex and at times uncertain environment to develop and successfully design, develop and deliver a portfolio or work and implement a work plan to achieve established goals.
- Able and willing to question and challenge colleagues, including managers and partners in constructive, respectful, and open manner.
- Ability and comfort working in a highly matrixed environment.
- Ability to travel 25% both domestically and internationally
- Experience designing and funding or leading rigorous research, evaluation, or learning efforts on WECS in Africa is required. In-country experience in Africa is required.
- Technical expertise in gender analysis specifically, and the use of data, measurement and evaluation including qualitative and quantitative research methods, research and evaluation design.Commitment to the foundation’s core values, mission and programs with an approach that is consistent with the foundation’s guiding principles while holding oneself to the highest ethical standards.