Reports to: Director, J-PAL Policy & Training

Purpose: The Policy Manager will play a key role in developing partnerships with governments, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), and donors to support the generation and use of evidence across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, providing evidence summary and synthesis, disseminating lessons from impact evaluations, and supporting the use of evidence in policy design. He or She should be passionate about working with different stakeholders to inform development policy, leveraging rigorous evidence to inform recommendations.

Responsibilities:

• Work with the director to create and execute the strategy to increase the use of evidence from randomized evaluations in improving the effectiveness of social policy in Egypt and across MENA
• Support efforts to generate new rigorous research on priority policy issues through research project matchmaking
• Co-design and manage efforts to raise funds for Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) MENA at AUC research initiative to fund impact evaluations that will fill critical evidence gaps
• Review academic literature on randomized evaluations in development economics to draw out policy lessons from these field evaluations and consider applications and generalizability of lessons to MENA contexts and for policymakers in the region
• Coordinate with J-PAL’s global office to create materials for policy outreach, including tailored evidence note presentations, as well as other high-level deliverables, as requested by J-PAL senior staff and affiliates
• Communicate about J-PAL MENA’s work in written and in-person forums, developing engaging outreach content for existing and potential donors and partners
• Meet with and build relationships with key partners in government, NGOs, foundations, and donor agencies
• Prepare and deliver presentations on J-PAL, evidence-informed policy, and specific lessons from the evidence base relevant to partners’ priorities
• Disseminate and present J-PAL affiliates’ research, results, and policy implications in various forums, including in-person events, partner meetings, and written products, doing this both independently and with others
• Organize conferences and events to spur new research collaborations and share policy lessons from completed research
• Support implementing agencies to adapt and scale evidence-based approaches
• Forge new connections and maintain strong relationships with key partners in government agencies, non-profits, foundations, and the private sector; foster partnerships with government, NGOs, and donors focused on the use and uptake of rigorous evidence in program and policy design, considering the generalizability of evidence in partners’ settings
• Build on your existing sector expertise and develop new areas of expertise on critical policy issues in Egypt and MENA
• Manage policy projects, external partner relationships, including government and NGO partners, and donors
• Manage and coach junior staff to support their growth and career development
• Perform additional duties as assigned

Requirements:

Minimum Education Requirements:

• A minimum of masters or equivalent, in economics, public policy, or a closely related field
• Advanced university degree from an accredited institution
• Graduate coursework in microeconomics, econometrics, and development economics

Experience:

• A minimum of 10 to 12 years of experience, 5 of them with relevant and substantial work experience, including work related to poverty reduction, impact evaluations, and evidence-informed policymaking
• Significant training in economics at the master’s level as well as prior professional experience working in policy design, implementation, or evaluation
• A successful track record of developing and managing external partnerships, and relevant experience in communication
• Experience managing teams and experience with fundraising and donor relationship management preferred

Skills:

• Strong project design, management and evaluation experience
• Ability to manage budgets
• Fluent in both Arabic and English
• Comfortable to work with computer applications, such as Asana and Sales Force
• Detailed oriented and advanced writing skills, including proven ability to communicate policy lessons from technical academic research to a non-technical audience
• Can handle multiple projects at once with little supervision, meet deadlines, and practice effective time management
• Can manage projects and staff effectively and proactively

This position is open until December 3, 2024

Placement is based on the candidate’s experience and skills. Only candidates who make it to the short list will be contacted.

"The American University in Cairo is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply."

“We thank all individuals who have expressed interest in working at The American University in Cairo.”