The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) at UC Berkeley
The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) is a hub for research on global development, with a network of over 100 academic researchers extending across the University of California, Stanford University, and the University of Washington. Our faculty affiliates design and test solutions for the problems of poverty, generating actionable evidence for policy-makers across numerous sectors—including health, governance, agriculture, financial inclusion, and energy—in low-income countries. Using rigorous field trials, behavioral experiments, and tools from data science, CEGA measures and maximizes the impacts of economic development programs throughout the world.
CEGA seeks a full-time Project Manager to support its Technology and Measurement research portfolio, which currently includes the following key programs and activities: ● The Development Impact Lab (DIL) advances the use of technology in international development by testing innovations in low- and middle-income countries, and incorporating new measurement technologies into impact evaluations, in cooperation with USAID. ● The Long-Term Impact Discovery (LID) project seeks to better understand the long-range impacts of development programs and interventions by identifying meaningful (and feasible) opportunities for long-run follow up. ● The Cost Transparency Initiative (CTI) seeks to imp improve the rigor and availability of cost-effectiveness analysis produced by the global development research community. ● CEGA’s Measurement program bolsters the quality, frequency, and availability of data on global poverty and development by leveraging innovations in remote sensing, IoT, machine learning, and big data analytics.
Responsibilities The Technology & Measurement Project Manager reports to the Executive Director with mentorship from CEGA’s Faculty Director, Edward Miguel, and affiliate Catherine Wolfram. Key responsibilities include: ● Facilitate the cultivation of new and existing partners; conduct outreach to faculty, implementing organizations, and other stakeholders. ● Identify and pursue relevant new funding opportunities for the Center; draft grant proposals, build partnerships, and manage relationships with funders. ● Actively solicit and integrate insights from faculty, leadership, and partners on program development and implementation. ● Manage a portfolio of cash benchmarking studies (involves coordinating PI teams and supporting cost-effectiveness analyses related to ongoing studies in DRC, Liberia and Malawi as well as previously completed USAID studies) ● As needed, manage competitive grant-making processes, including RFPs, peer review, project monitoring, and grantee reporting. ● Capture lessons from ongoing research projects and manage dissemination and outreach efforts, including identifying publication outlets and drafting policy briefs and articles as well as content for newsletters, website, blogs, and social media. ● Manage budgets, expenditures, and financial tracking for awards supporting portfolio initiatives. ● Aggregate and synthesize lessons learned from across the portfolio by coordinating M&E data collection and donor reporting. ● As needed, mentor interns and work-study students, including work plan design, performance management, and professional development. ● Regularly organize conferences focused on advances in measurement technology for international development research. ● Develop subject matter expertise in technology for development research and stay up-to-date on relevant research and policy developments including the use of mobile money for conditional and unconditional cash transfers, and innovative measurement tools/approaches such as machine learning, remote sensing, and SMS data collection. ● Participate in center-wide management activities, internal working groups, performance evaluation, process documentation, and strategic planning.
Required Qualifications ● BA/BS in Economics, International Development, Public Policy, or related field. ● 3+ years of professional experience in an academic or non-profit setting with at least 1-2 years working with technology for development initiatives including the use of artificial intelligence, remote sensing, big data analytics, and/or financial technology. ● Demonstrated understanding of development economics and impact evaluation methods. ● Experience writing research proposals, managing grants, and interacting with private and public donors. ● Exemplary written and oral communication skills. ● Self-directed, well-organized, intrinsically motivated; proven capacity to manage work independently, multitask and be responsive to time-sensitive deadlines. ● Strong skills in short-term and long-range planning, analysis, problem-anticipation and -solving; ability to independently investigate solutions to challenges and anticipate leadership/sponsor needs. ● Strong and effective interpersonal skills in working with colleagues at all levels. Ability to use discretion and maintain confidentiality. Cultural sensitivity and demonstrated ability to work diplomatically with diverse constituencies.
Preferred Qualifications
● Masters in Economics, International Development, Public Policy, or related field.
● Experience working in an academic setting or directly with academic faculty
● Ability to remain flexible and adapt to change.
● Sense of humor with a positive attitude in approaching challenges and uncertainty
● Strong competency with MS Office (including solid understanding of Excel) and Google applications
● Minimum 2 years managing Strong programmatic budgets.
● Experience working with USAID, DFID, the World Bank, and other large development funders.
● Experience navigating the University of California, Berkeley systems and departments.
● Experience using Salesforce.
● Experience with Adobe Creative Suite (including Adobe InDesign and Photoshop).
Application Requirements This is a one year full time contract position with the possibility of extension based on funding.
Online application via the UC Berkeley jobs portal is required. Please visit http://jobs.berkeley.edu and search for Job ID# 26872. Submit your cover letter and resume as a single attachment when applying in the UC Berkeley jobs portal. Your cover letter should address how you will contribute to and/or promote diversity on the UC Berkeley campus and within CEGA, including through life & professional experiences. CEGA is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at CEGA and UC Berkeley. Please visit our DEI statement for more information.
Please note that CEGA is only able to hire individuals who are eligible to work in the US, either through an Optional Practical Training (OPT) visa, OPT STEM Extension, or as a result of being US citizen or permanent resident. J series visas cannot be considered for this staff position and H1B visas cannot be sponsored as a result of grant performance periods.
Organisation: The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) at UC Berkeley
Contact email: jaguilar@berkeley.edu