Job description

About IDinsight

IDinsight amplifies social impact by partnering with leaders to develop tailored solutions. Their mission is to use data and evidence to help leaders combat poverty worldwide. 

IDinsight is a mission-driven global advisory, data analytics, and research organization that helps global development leaders maximize their social impact. They tailor a wide range of data and evidence tools, including randomized evaluations and machine learning, to help decision-makers design effective programs and rigorously test what works to support communities. They work with governments, multilateral agencies, foundations, and innovative non-profit organizations in Asia and Africa. Their work spans a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, education, health, governance, sanitation, financial inclusion, and other areas. 

IDinsight has expertise in a variety of rigorous approaches and methodologies, which they tailor to each client depending on their needs and constraints. To achieve a positive social impact they:

• Support clients’ use of data and evidence for routine and major decision-making.
• Inform funding decisions – toward high-impact initiatives and away from less effective programs or approaches.
• Create and share tools, knowledge, and ideas that expand the use of data and evidence for social good.

Their diverse, growing team of roughly 180 outstanding colleagues operate in nearly two dozen countries around the world. 

Visit www.IDinsight.org for more information.

About the Associate Director - West Africa position

The Associate Director/Director (AD/D) will work closely with the West Africa Regional Director and will be supported by other Directors in the Region and IDinsight’s CEO. The AD/D will assume critical responsibility for driving large pieces of IDinsight’s work and strategy in the West Africa Region. 

The AD/D will be supported by high-quality research teams, an excellent operations team that ensures a well-functioning organization, and a communications team to help amplify the Director’s voice in policy circles. They will also be provided with bi-annual performance reviews (including feedback from peers and direct reports) to help them continuously grow and learn as professionals. 

The AD/D will be provided significant autonomy to leverage IDinsight as a platform to drive social impact (in consonance with IDinsight’s mission and strategy), while also being held accountable to clear goals that they will set for themselves in consultation with the Head of Africa and other leaders at IDinsight.

Each Director role at IDinsight is unique and tailored to specific individuals’ strengths. However, at a high level, the AD/D role will include the following:

• Develop and lead high-impact opportunities: Building on their experience, expertise, and networks, the AD/D will help conceptualize, secure, fundraise, and execute impactful initiatives that use data and evidence to drive change. All initiatives should be in line with IDinsight’s mission and strategy but can take various forms, ranging from direct client-service engagements to amplify their partners’ impact, to contribute to public knowledge products aimed at infusing data and evidence into important social sector debates.
• Lead, mentor and guide project teams: Project leadership involves liaising with senior clients regularly, ensuring the highest standards of research quality and ethics, overseeing and mentoring teams (usually 3-5 Managers, with 10-15 members in total), ensuring a safe and enabling atmosphere for colleagues, and keeping within project budgets. Most importantly, Directors are expected to set and drive their projects toward achieving social impact.
• Be a thought leader, a trusted advisor, and an advocate for data-driven reforms: In addition to leading projects, Directors will be expected to apply their considerable experience, expertise, and skills to shape evidence-informed action within one or multiple sectors, regions, or specializations. This includes writing in leading newspapers and journals, speaking at important conferences, harnessing relationships and networks within the impact community to develop trusted advisory positions with senior leaders, and participating in consultative councils within governments, foundations, and/or non-profits.
• Contribute to IDinsight strategy: The Director will be responsible for working closely with Africa and global leadership teams to craft, refine and execute on realizing IDinsight’s strategy in West Africa.
• Support organizational development: The Director will also be involved in contributing to global and regional operations such as recruitment, onboarding, and performance reviews. They will be expected to support IDinsight to remain an impact-first, values-based, and nimble organization even as they grow.
• Exemplify IDinsight’s mission and values: Ensuring a strong alignment between incoming Directors and IDinsight’s values is an important priority for them. Directors are the face of IDinsight both externally and internally and will be expected to always and unambiguously exemplify their mission and values.

This position is based in Dakar, Senegal, and will likely include a good amount of domestic and international travel (up to 30% dependent on exact role and subject to adjustments due to COVID-19) in order to fulfill the responsibilities mentioned above. Additionally, due to the COVID-19 crisis, IDinsight is currently working remotely until it is possible to safely and responsibly resume working from the office. 

Career Development

Career and skill development is a priority for all IDinsight employees. IDinsight’s entrepreneurial culture allows for the role to be tailored to individual passions, goals, and preferences. IDinsight is also committed to facilitating work-life flexibility to maximize professional satisfaction and sustainability. 

Compensation

Dependent on relevant experience and background. Competitive with similar roles. Benefits include travel budget to return home if relevant, retirement plan, generous leave, relocation allowance, comprehensive international health insurance, medical evacuation, and technology stipend.

Start Dates

Flexible start date in Q2 of 2022 with a preference for joining early. A two-year commitment is required. 

Does this sound like you?

• An advanced degree (Master’s or Doctoral), preferably in public policy, economics, public administration, international development, business, or public health.
• 10+ years of experience using data and evidence to improve social impact, ideally in West Africa.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and French.
• Deep passion for development and social impact, and strong alignment with IDinsight’s vision and mission.
• Record of building strong stakeholder and client relationships, especially with governments, Foundations, and non-profits in the West Africa Region.
• Record of impactful thought leadership and advocacy around important social and/or technical issues.
• Fluency in the role of data and evidence tools – such as impact evaluations, representative surveys, monitoring systems, and/or machine learning – to create insights and impact.
• Ability to be an inspiring leader in a dynamic, multicultural, and values-based environment.
• Attitude to thrive in an entrepreneurial setting, and be able to adapt to dynamic growth and change.
• Eagerness to be a lifelong learner with keen intellectual curiosity and a sense of humour.
• Willingness to travel as needed and to work with remote colleagues.
• Excitement to work across multiple development sectors.

IDinsight understands that no one candidate will be able to excel in all these attributes. Instead, they are looking for leaders who significantly peak in certain attributes, while meeting a minimum threshold in all attributes.

IDinsight is growing and evolving quickly. They may suggest other suitable roles to candidates who apply, based on the overlap between IDinsight’s needs and candidates’ experience and qualifications.

Nuts and Bolts

Compensation will be commensurate with relevant experience and background, and competitive within the social sector. Start dates will be flexible depending on location. 

They require a minimum two-year commitment, with regular professional development conversations and potential for a long-term career at IDinsight. 

If you have any questions concerning the role kindly send your CV in English in pdf to Reynold Owuor at reynold@shortlist.net with cc to Sarah Ndegwa at sarah@shortlist.net, If interested click on this link to apply: https://www.shortlist.net/jobs/5078