Website Development Innovation Lab (University of Chicago Trust)
About the Trust
The University of Chicago Trust (the Trust) is a charitable trust in India, established in 2008 by an alumnus of The University of Chicago. The Trust’s objectives are to provide opportunities for grants to support educational programs, research programs and activities for the betterment of India.
The Development Innovation Lab – India (DIL-India), based at the Trust in India, brings researchers in different fields together with Indian government entities, firms, and non-profits to use the tools of economics to identify, test, refine and scale interventions with the potential to benefit millions of people in India.
Position Description
The Chief Program Officer will lead all programmatic aspects of the research and policy operations for DIL-India. Candidates need substantial familiarity with development economics research, be a highly dynamic, analytical, and self-motivated leader who can build relationships, engage with multicultural teams, coordinate effective collaboration with many stakeholders and excel in a diversity of settings, sectors, and domains.
Responsibilities
- Develop partnerships under the guidance of senior leadership, the Chief Program Officer will maintain, build on, cultivate, and, when necessary, initiate DIL-India relationships with key partners in governments, NGOs, foundations, and multilateral aid agencies.
- Implementation of research as directed by the principal investigators of each project – the Chief Program Officer will also contribute where appropriate to research design
- Provide strategic advancement of policy recommendations as well as local adaptation and dissemination of research findings and with the advising of relevant senior leaders and policy leads for a given sector – the Chief Program Officer will aim to facilitate virtuous cycles of researchers generating evidence that informs policy and then officials implementing in partnership with researchers to generate yet more evidence
- Create informed and accurate proposal development and project planning for both resource mobilization (grants, awards, gifts, etc.) and implementation
- Ensure appropriate stewardship of resources including the development of the annual budget for DIL-India, accountable for the disbursement of approved expenditures, as well as accurate financial reporting and reconciliation tracking those expenditures by both funding source and by project monthly – the Chief Program Officer will be responsible for expenditures of DIL-India.
- Establish safeguards for monitoring, accountability and compliance of operations are in accordance with research directives, policy guidance, IRB protocols, Trust policies (including and especially the code of conduct) and applicable law
- Engagement and oversight of staff in coordination with UChicago Trust policies and applicable law
- Monitor the safety and wellbeing of all DIL-India personnel and visitors
- Optimization of logistics and systems management
- Perform other related work as needed.
Preferred Qualifications
Education:
- Master’s degree in economics, public policy or international development including significant training in economics.
- PhD level training in economics, public policy, or international development.
Experience:
- Ten or more years of relevant work including substantive implementation of development economics research in India. PhD can count for up to 3 years of experience.
- PhD-level training in microeconomics and econometrics; candidates from a policy background or related academic background who can demonstrate similar knowledge will also be considered.
- Familiarity with randomized evaluations and other forms of causally identified research.
- Experience with evidence-based public policy in low or middle-income countries
- Work in one or more of the initiative areas in low or middle-income countries including water, health, education, and agriculture
- Collaboration, and a track record of successfully implementing change, with governments or large bilateral/multilateral funders in low or middle-income countries
- Organizing policy events as well as producing policy resources and publications.
- Implementing large scale programs.
Preferred Competencies
- Strong knowledge and understanding of the economic, political, social, and cultural context in India including deep familiarity with relevant academic research especially in the field of economics.
- Demonstrated ability to manage and maintain high-level relationships with governments, international development practitioners, and/or academic researchers.
- Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills in English – local language abilities a plus.
- Effective project management skills, including managing and successfully working across teams, budgeting, attention to operational and research details, and ability to manage multiple projects efficiently.
- Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Expert problem-solving and analytical skills.
- Accomplished in research techniques and/or methods.
- Productive collaboration skills for successfully coordinating multiple stakeholders in achieving shared goals.
Working Conditions
- Regular travel throughout India including to remote and poorly resourced areas with little-to-no amenities
- Regular (annual at minimum, up-to quarterly) travel to the United States
- Candidate must have a valid work permit as per regulations to be employed in India
Application Documents
- Resume/CV (required)
- Cover Letter (required)
- References Contact Information (3 required)
- Writing sample (required)
To apply for this job please visit www.diluchicago.in.
