Senior Specialist, J-PAL Research Operations - J-PAL MENA, Grant Position

Reports to: Senior Officer, J-PAL Research Operations

Job Purpose:

The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab's (J-PAL) Middle East and North Africa regional office is based at The American University in Cairo School of Business. J-PAL (povertyactionlab.org) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of more than 200 affiliated professors at universities around the world, J-PAL draws on results from randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.

The Senior Specialist, J-PAL Research Operations will play a key role in implementing the fieldwork on impact evaluations led by J-PAL affiliated professors, and working to evaluate programs implemented by government or NGO partners. As part of J-PAL MENA, he or she will play an important role interfacing between implementing partners, data collection firms, J-PAL MENA at AUC research teams, and international and Egypt-based Principal Investigators (PIs). In addition, he or she will work closely on the data collection activities with study participants and survey enumerators and supervisors. The holder of this position will take on an expanded scope of work, which may entail recruiting, training, and helping to guide the work of specialists, J-PAL research operations, working directly with research associates or research managers without the supervision of a Research Operations Manager, day-to-day relationship coordination with the hired data collection firms, or otherwise taking a larger role on project field activities than a Field Coordinator. Teamwork, communication, and problem-anticipation or solving are central to the role. The position requires extensive travel in governorates or regions where the project takes place

Responsibilities:

Partner Relationships and Capacity Building:

• Maintain and grow effective relationships with partner organizations from government and Non-governmental organization to ensure smooth implementation of research projects in the field
• Identify opportunities to strengthen local partner understanding of the project and Randomized Controlled Trial
• Plan and design outreach activities to improve knowledge and understanding by key study partners

Field Research:

• Oversee field research activities, including the implementation of the evaluation by contracted survey firm, according to the research design and in coordination with partners
• Supervise data collection and ensure data quality
• Participate as a full member of the project team, including conveying field realities and constraints, proactively identifying solutions to research project staff and international PI teams
• Ensure that project activities are on schedule and prepare project update reports according to agreements with funders and partners
• Foresee and highlight any threats to RCT study design to primary investigators as required, beyond noting risks, proactively identify solutions, and generalize lessons for other projects to benefit
• Produce regular progress reports
• Conduct background research in conjunction with field research activities

Training Enumerators:

• Train survey enumerators in data collection methods and protocols, both on the employee's main project, as well as providing support to other projects in start-up mode as needed.
• Training J-PAL MENA staff
• Contribute to the expansion of research operations team by training, onboarding, and mentoring new field coordinators
• Facilitate the onboarding of new research officers or managers, working closely with them to build their understanding of fieldwork, constraints, and considerations
• New project development
• Participate in new research project development discussions with government and NGO partners to help inform design of new RCTs
• Perform other tasks as needed to support organizational development, new project design and development

Requirements:

Minimum Education Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline

Experience:

• Minimum four to six years of professional experience, ideally in the government or NGO sector
• Experience with field work in a research context required, including on RCTs

Skills:

• Fluent Arabic
• Ability to speak and read English at intermediate level
• Ability to write clearly and concisely
• Team player
• Strong self-management, time management, and organizational skills
• Proactive and solutions-oriented
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Comfort working with computer applications and quick to learn new software

This position is open until December 7th, 2025

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.