Senior Research Economist at Policy Innovation Centre (PIC)

The Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) is the first national institutionalised behavioural initiative in Africa, supporting government and stakeholders to make behaviourally informed decisions and generate evidence for impact driven interventions in critical thematic areas (Governance, Health, Gender & Social Inclusion, Education, Digital & Financial Inclusion). The PIC is positioned to support the delivery of better policies and innovative solutions for high impact interventions across Africa. The PIC is an initiative of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG), a leading think tank in Africa, redefining evidence based policy advocacy.

We are hiring for:

Job Title: Senior Research Economist.
Location: Abuja (FCT).

Job Overview

• The Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) is seeking to employ a Senior Research Economist who will lead research on key thematic areas related to social norms.
• This role involves managing research projects, conducting data analysis, and publishing findings. Responsibilities also include engaging with stakeholders, advocating for policy changes, and developing partnerships.
• Additionally, the Economist will support projects across the organisation and contribute to capacity building, policy development, and mentoring, with a focus on using evidence-based research to influence policy and drive institutional change.

Job Responsibilities

Research and Analysis:

• Project Leadership: Lead or support the entire lifecycle of research projects, from conceptualization, methodology design, data collection, and analysis, to report preparation. Ensure research outcomes align with the Centre’s strategic objectives and contribute to advancing gender equality in economics.
• Situational Analysis: Conduct comprehensive situational analyses to identify barriers and opportunities related to women’s participation in economics within academic institutions. Develop and apply evidence-based strategies to address these challenges.
• Publication and Dissemination: Draft, review, and contribute to high-quality publications, including research reports, policy briefs, and blogs. Oversee the peer review, editing, and dissemination processes, ensuring that evidence products reach and influence key stakeholders.
• Evidence Representation: Represent the Centre’s research work at national and international forums, including conferences, working groups, and seminars. Advocate for policy changes based on research findings, positioning the Centre as a thought leader in gender economics.
• MEAL Support: Collaborate with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) team to develop and implement robust MEAL frameworks. Ensure research outputs are systematically monitored, evaluated, and integrated into broader learning agendas.

Stakeholder Engagement & Advocacy:

• Stakeholder Mapping and Advocacy: Conduct stakeholder mapping to identify key gatekeepers, champions (male allies and female leaders), and influential stakeholders. Lead advocacy efforts to promote women’s leadership in economics and build strategic partnerships.
• Strategic Engagement: Develop and implement multi-level stakeholder engagement strategies, creating and executing advocacy campaigns that promote institutional change and women’s empowerment in economics.
• Partnership Development: Build and sustain strategic partnerships with academic institutions, government agencies, NGOs, and international organisations. Foster collaboration to amplify the impact of the Centre’s work.
• Institutional Dialogues: organise and facilitate participatory dialogues that engage stakeholders in co-creating strategies for increasing women’s participation in economics. Develop and implement actionable plans and roadmaps for institutional change.
• Policy Brief Development: Lead the development of policy briefs that translate research findings into actionable recommendations for policymakers and institutions. Engage with legislative bodies to advocate for the adoption of gender-sensitive policies.

Capacity Building:

• Training and Mentorship: Design and deliver capacity-building training programmes that enhance the skills and knowledge of participants, with a focus on gender-sensitive approaches to economics. Mentor junior researchers and interns, fostering their professional development.
• Policy development support: contribute to the development and implementation of policies and roadmaps aimed at institutionalising gender equality in economics. Provide technical assistance and capacity-building support to partner institutions.
• Implementation Assistance: Support the implementation of developed roadmaps and policies, ensuring effective and sustainable institutional change.

Innovation and thought leadership:

• Research Innovation: Lead initiatives to innovate research methodologies and approaches, integrating emerging technologies and interdisciplinary methods to advance the field of gender economics.
• Thought Leadership: Publish articles, participate in speaking engagements, and contribute to international forums to influence the global discourse on women’s participation in economics.

Resource Mobilisation and Fundraising:

• Grant Writing and Fundraising: Develop grant proposals and fundraising strategies to secure funding for research projects. Collaborate with the fundraising team to maintain relationships with donors and manage project finances.
• Budget Management: Oversee the budgeting process for research projects, ensuring resources are allocated effectively and projects are completed within budget.

Collaboration and Networking:

• Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Work closely with other departments to integrate research findings into broader organisational strategies. Facilitate knowledge-sharing across teams to maximise impact.
• Networking: Expand the Centre’s network by building relationships with key stakeholders, fostering collaboration, and creating opportunities for joint research initiatives.
• Conference and Workshop Facilitation: Organise and lead conferences, workshops, and seminars focused on gender and economics, bringing together experts to discuss challenges and co-create solutions.

Ethical Considerations and Integrity:

• Ethical Research Standards: Ensure all research activities adhere to the highest ethical standards, including obtaining necessary approvals and ensuring informed consent from participants.
• Implement robust data privacy and security measures to protect research participants’ confidentiality and ensure compliance with relevant regulations.

Qualifications / Job Requirements

• Educational Background: PhD in Economics or a related field with a strong emphasis on gender and development issues.
• Research Expertise: Demonstrated expertise in conducting complex research and analysis, particularly in the context of women’s participation in economics. Proficiency in both qualitative and quantitative research methods is essential.
• Analytical Skills: Strong analytical skills with the ability to conduct comprehensive situational analyses, identify trends, and develop evidence-based strategies.
• Communication Excellence: Exceptional communication and writing skills, including the ability to produce well-structured, clear, and concise content; conduct thorough research; present complex ideas logically; and adhere to academic standards and citation practices.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Proven experience in stakeholder engagement, facilitation of dialogues, building strategic partnerships, and driving advocacy strategies.
• Project Management: Extensive experience in project management, including the development and implementation of action plans and roadmaps.
• Sector Knowledge: In-depth knowledge of the Nigerian higher education system and the specific challenges facing women in academia, particularly in the field of economics.
• Gender Equality Commitment: A strong commitment to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in economics, with a proven track record of contributing to institutional change.
• Available for a full-time role.
• Minimum of 12 years’ experience as a research economist or similar role.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team environment.
• Ability to advance organisational mission.
• Enthusiastic about a career in research and economics.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Professional development opportunities.
• A supportive and collaborative working environment.

Application Closing Date

21st October, 2024.

Method of Application

Qualified candidates who are interested should send their CV of no more than 2 A4 pages (minimum font size 10) and an accompanying covering letter of no more than 2 pages (minimum font size 10) answering the application questions below to: pic@nesgroup.org using the job title as the subject.

Application Questions

• What is your motivation for wanting to join the PIC?
• What are the top three key attributes you would bring to the PIC?

Note

• Only qualified candidates will be contacted.
• The company may be unable to notify every applicant of the result of their application. If you have therefore not been contacted within 8 weeks of the closing date, then you should assume that your application has been unsuccessful. However, we may retain your data and contact you for future openings that match your skills and competencies.
• Equal employment opportunity statement: PIC is an equal employment employer. We do not engage in practices that discriminate against any person employed or seeking employment based on race, colour, religion, gender, disability, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, genetic information, or any other status or characteristic protected under applicable laws.