🇸🇱 Job Vacancies @ Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) Sierra Leone – 2 Positions
Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is recruiting to fill the following positions:
1.) Safety and Security (Sr.) Manager
2.) Research Associate
See job details and how to apply below.
1.) Safety and Security (Sr.) Manager
Position Summary
Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is hiring a Security (Sr.) Manager. The Security Manager will be responsible for the management and implementation of the organization's security policies at the regional level across existing Country Offices as well as supporting the development and execution of the organization's safety and security policies and procedures. The Security (Sr) Manager will also assist in the scoping of S&S matter for potential new Country Offices. The Security Manager will provide hands-on support to Country Office leadership in assessing and managing the S&S situation related to existing and upcoming projects. Additionally, the role will provide support to the Senior Management Team in their response to incidents, emergencies, and crises on behalf of the organization. The Security Manager will coordinate Global Operations’ advice to Country Directors and Program Directors regarding security matters. Lastly, this role will conduct training for employees and facilitate development and implementation of country security management plans. The position reports to the Director, Global Operations.
Responsibilities
Policy development 25%
In collaboration with the Director, Global Operations, produce, roll out and maintain updated safety and security and safeguarding policies and SOPs for employees, ensuring compliance to the organization's global safety and security standards.
Safety and security, safeguarding and travel technical support 50%
Conduct threat and risk assessments at the country and regional level, support procurement of consulting services as needed, and provide recommendations for context specific security management requirements to senior management.
Serve as a member of the security unit, coordinating employee and asset-related emergencies and incidents, keeping senior management informed and recommending appropriate response actions.
Draft security advisories with recommendations for senior management regarding general situation, specific incidents, and periods of heightened threat.
Regularly review project-specific safeguarding compliance plan and safety and security SOPs
Establish a network with other key security players for information sharing and joint lobbying on security matters where possible.
Work with the security focal points to conduct hotel assessments in liaison with the travel management company for a safety and security approval process.
Support SFP s and CDs to develop evacuation and hibernation plans for the countries that require them according to IPA’s Safety and Security Policy
Provide technical security advice in consultation with senior management on the existing and any new potential offices including site selection and establishment of effective physical and procedural security measures.
Stays abreast of social, cultural, legal, and criminal issues, nationally and internationally, and their impact on the organization and its business
Use IPA’s travel management system to track the location and contact information for all visiting employees and consultants.
Support the coordination with IPA’s Travel Agent on security matters, and all other aspects as needed.
Capacity building and training 15%
Identify, establish, and manage context appropriate approaches to assure facilities and assets are secure.
Conduct safety and security training for employees including personal safety, emergency evacuations, travel safety, relocation, and evacuation, etc
Leadership 10%
Lead by example, modeling IPA' s culture and values, and fostering an environment of teamwork, accountability, creativity, and innovation.
Contribute to the development of contextualized IPA' s security priorities ensuring that safety operations and compliance considerations are property built into local plans and budgets.
Model the highest standards of integrity and communication both internally with IPA teams and externally with local and regional stakeholders, partners, and funders.
Qualifications
Required
Minimum of 5+ years experience designing and coordinating security for international organizations working in high-risk contexts;
Substantial and documented, prior experience as a trainer and training skills - the ability to develop, implement, facilitate, and impart learning to a wide range of audiences.
High level of experience, ready to learn developing security related technical tools guidelines and systems as well as able to work under minimal supervision
Experience operating in insecure environments.
Understanding of principles and code of conduct associated with a specific sector and/or sub-sector of work such as, development, humanitarian, etc. linked to NGO contexts.
Effective and clear communicator, ability to collaborate across teams and geographies and Initiates and skilled in interdisciplinary problem solving.
Ability to gain a precise understanding of the various local, regional, country, and international policies, operational positions, and interactions, providing clear dynamic briefings and analysis of given and unfolding security and political situations when they occur.
Strong assessment, evaluation, analysis, and strategic planning and project management skills.
Demonstrated ability to manage and work under stressful conditions.
Understanding of the Sub-Saharan political, contextual, and ethical issues in assigned areas.
Previous experience interacting with local government agencies, and other foreign agencies to implement security strategies and procedures relating to S&S matters.
Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Must be able to read, write and speak fluent English.
Bachelor's Degree or its International Equivalent in Criminal Justice, Security Administration or Related Field.
Preferred
Prior experience in multiple geographic locations preferred
Prior work experience in a non-governmental organization (NGO), government agency, or private company of progressive program management experience in humanitarian assistance or related industry experience in a relevant technical area.
Good Knowledge of Spanish or French is an asset
ASIS Certified Protection Professional (CPP) designation preferred.
Experience in developing security strategies for humanitarian operations, previous security experience preferred.
Reports to
Director, Global Operations & Systems
Deadline to Apply
Friday, December 15
Location
Must be based out of a country office where IPA is registered (Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Philippines, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, US - DC and New York
About IPA
Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a research and policy nonprofit that discovers and promotes effective solutions to global poverty problems. IPA brings together researchers and decision-makers to design, rigorously evaluate, and refine these solutions and their applications, ensuring that the evidence created is used to improve the lives of the world’s poor. In recent decades, trillions of dollars have been spent on programs designed to reduce global poverty, but clear evidence of which programs succeed is rare, and when evidence does exist, decision-makers often do not know about it. IPA exists to bring together leading researchers and these decision-makers to ensure that the evidence we create leads to a tangible impact on the world. Since its founding in 2002, IPA has worked with over 600 leading academics to conduct over 900 evaluations in 52 countries. This research has informed hundreds of successful programs that now impact millions of individuals worldwide.
Safeguarding at IPA
At Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), we are committed to creating a safe and respectful environment for all individuals, particularly children and vulnerable adults. As IPA adheres to strict safeguarding principles, selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards. By joining IPA, you become part of a team dedicated to ethical conduct, social responsibility, and meaningful impact in the fight against global poverty. Together, we work to create a better world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive with dignity and respect.
IPA's Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)
As an organization, IPA is dedicated to improving the lives of the world's most vulnerable populations through evidence and policy. We also recognize how important it is for our staff to reflect the diversity of the places where we work and the communities we work with. As such, IPA is committed to hiring from a diverse pool of candidates, from a range of backgrounds, beliefs, experiences, and perspectives. We know that this makes our work stronger and more responsive to the challenges faced by those we work with and for and we encourage people from historically underrepresented groups to apply. Click here to learn more about IPA’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
2.) Research Associate
Position Summary
Sierra Leone is seeking a highly motivated and qualified individual with outstanding project management, data analysis, people management, and communication skills as a (Senior) Research Associate to support the implementation of the scale up of the social incentives for child immunization (SICI) program. This project is lead by CO-PIs Anne Karing (University of Chicago) and Shana Warren (IPA) and seeks to build off past research illustrating the impact of the SICI program and develop a genuine pathway to scale and governmental ownership. The (Senior) Research Associate position is a unique opportunity to combine significant project management experience with involvement in cutting-edge development research on a growing and passionate IPA Sierra Leone team.
As an ideal candidate, you not only have a solid technical foundation in impact evaluation methodology, but you can also independently guide and direct the activities that happen both upstream and downstream of any rigorous, randomized evaluation. You enjoy contributing to high-performing teams that drive the production of the highest quality research for our clients and partners. You excel in solving problems using clear, strategic, and creative thinking. You have a strong social acumen and are excited about the opportunity to broaden, deepen, and manage meaningful relationships with high-level clients and partners across the public, academic, non-governmental, and multilateral sectors.
Responsibilities
Research & Data Tasks (45%)
- Coordinate research and implementation efforts with all relevant stakeholders;
- Recruiting, training and supervising field-based teams;
- Refining and piloting survey questionnaires
- Supervising and monitoring data collection to ensure high-quality of the data;
- Supporting data quality checks and fixing issues with data collected during data collection;
- Assisting in data cleaning and preliminary analysis and ensuring ready access to all data for researchers and/or supervisors;
Communication Responsibility (30%)
- Documenting in detail all activities related to the project;
- Maintaining accurate records of interviews, safeguarding the confidentiality of subjects, as necessary;
- Preparing high-quality progress and results reports to Principal Investigators (PI), research partners, and funding agencies, and sharing them timely;
- Providing timely updates and responses to partner organizations, and participating in meetings with key stakeholders;
- Handling day to day PI and partner communications;
- Keep the Country Director and Associate Research Manager apprised of all developments in the project and serve as the key link between the field staff, research team, and Principal Investigators.
Staff Oversight (10%)
- Providing training and direct supervision for research project staff (Field Manager);
Project Management (15%)
- Managing project finances including budgeting, expense tracking, and financial reporting;
- Ensuring that all team members follow necessary protocols and procedures;
Qualifications
Required
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in economics, public policy, or other quantitative social science disciplines;
- Quantitative Skills: Strong technical understanding of economics and econometrics. Demonstrated proficiency in Stata, and experience with data management, data cleaning, and regression analysis
- A minimum of 2-year of work experience is required.
- Ability to collaborate among geographically and culturally diverse teams to drive common goals
- Interculturally-versed to build capacity, work with, and live in Sierra Leone;
- Excellent management and organizational skills;
- Ability to successfully completing assigned tasks and meeting deadlines;
- Communication Skills: Attention to detail and advanced writing and presentation skills;
- Language: English fluency required;
- Experience with public health interventions a plus.
Preferred
- Master's degree in economics, public policy, or other quantitative social science disciplines
- Experience managing field staff in developing countries strongly preferred;
- A roll-up-your-sleeves and ‘get it done’ attitude: maintains focus, measures progress and outcomes, and ensures accountability
- Great communicator: clearly and succinctly conveys information and ideas in a variety of situations, communicating in a focused and compelling way that drives others’ thoughts and actions
- Entrepreneurial spirit: takes calculated risks, offers fresh ideas and approaches to create greater value, impact and differentiation
- Positive approach: demonstrates a poised, credible, and confident demeanor that reassures others, commands respect, and conveys an image that is consistent with IPA’s core values even when faced with difficult situations
- Quality orientation: accomplishes work by considering all areas involved, no matter how detailed, shows concern for all aspects of the job, accurately checks processes and tasks, and ensures high-quality outputs
Travel Requirement
Occasional trips to field to monitor data collection
Reports to
Associate Research Manager
Deadline to Apply
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis so early submissions are encouraged.
Anticipated Start Date
March 1st, 2025
Location
Freetown, Sierra Leone
Working Model
On-site, 5 days per week at the IPA Office in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Remote work is not feasible for this position
About IPA
Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a research and policy nonprofit that discovers and promotes effective solutions to global poverty problems. IPA brings together researchers and decision-makers to design, rigorously evaluate, and refine these solutions and their applications, ensuring that the evidence created is used to improve the lives of the world’s poor. In recent decades, trillions of dollars have been spent on programs designed to reduce global poverty, but clear evidence of which programs succeed is rare, and when evidence does exist, decision-makers often do not know about it. IPA exists to bring together leading researchers and these decision-makers to ensure that the evidence we create leads to a tangible impact on the world. Since its founding in 2002, IPA has worked with over 600 leading academics to conduct over 900 evaluations in 52 countries. This research has informed hundreds of successful programs that now impact millions of individuals worldwide.
Safeguarding at IPA
At Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), we are committed to creating a safe and respectful environment for all individuals, particularly children and vulnerable adults. As IPA adheres to strict safeguarding principles, selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards. By joining IPA, you become part of a team dedicated to ethical conduct, social responsibility, and meaningful impact in the fight against global poverty. Together, we work to create a better world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive with dignity and respect.
IPA's Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)
As an organization, IPA is dedicated to improving the lives of the world's most vulnerable populations through evidence and policy. We also recognize how important it is for our staff to reflect the diversity of the places where we work and the communities we work with. As such, IPA is committed to hiring from a diverse pool of candidates, from a range of backgrounds, beliefs, experiences, and perspectives. We know that this makes our work stronger and more responsive to the challenges faced by those we work with and for and we encourage people from historically underrepresented groups to apply. Click here to learn more about IPA’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
