Associate/Senior Associate (Philippines)

Associate & Senior Associate

Locations: Manila, Philippines

Please note that India is not included in the Southeast Asia office hiring process.

About IDinsight

We amplify social impact by partnering with leaders to develop tailored solutions. Our mission is to improve lives with data and evidence. We transform how the world fights poverty.

IDinsight is a global nonprofit that equips leaders with the data, evidence and technology to improve lives at scale. We partner with governments, NGOs, multilaterals, and funders to support decisions at every stage of their impact journey – from bold pilots to nationwide scale-ups. Our teams bring rigorous evidence and practical insights so leaders can make informed decisions that truly change lives. With our partners, we are pioneering the next frontier of social impact, where data and technology accelerate progress for millions. We help leaders overcome the three main barriers to impact:

• Figuring out what works
• Learning and improving
• Reaching and operating at scale

We work in multiple countries across Asia and Africa. Our work spans a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, education, health, governance, sanitation, financial inclusion, and other areas.

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

• Support our partners with the full ‘data and evidence’ value chain – from primary data collection to data systems, monitoring evaluation and learning tools, and data science
• Inform funding decisions – toward high-impact initiatives and away from less effective programs or approaches
• Create cutting-edge AI-for-good products that make the delivery of social interventions and learning tools more cost-effective and scalable

Our diverse, growing team of roughly 250 outstanding colleagues operate in nearly two dozen countries around the world. Learn more about our mission, values, and principles at www.IDinsight.org.

About the Associate & Senior Associate role

IDinsight Associates and Senior Associates are high-performing early-career professionals passionate to experience the front-line realities of evidence-informed decision-making. These roles provide a rich, varied experience with responsibilities ranging from in-depth research and analysis, data collection management, client interactions, and internal team building. We seek intellectually curious, resilient, and team-oriented individuals who – in addition to developing professional and technical skills – are highly motivated to grapple with the difficulties and unpredictability of trying to improve lives at scale.

Associates and Senior Associates are responsible for the following areas of work:

Managing project team workflow, systems, deliverables

• Driving the day-to-day execution of the project work according to project plans and leading internal coordination efforts for their team
• Conducting and supporting fit-for-decision and right-fit research design, data collection or acquisition, technical analysis, and results visualization/packaging, etc. for project tasks
• Creating client deliverables, including reports, slide decks, and oral presentations to inform decisions and actions of clients
• Developing strategic communications to build awareness of IDinsight projects and learnings, contribute to sectoral knowledge, and shift the sector towards more evidence-informed policy and practices

Supporting their team in developing strong client relationships

• Engaging with client and stakeholder relationships
• Contributing to client development, including developing proposals and concept notes

Leading data collection activities

• Overseeing all data collection activities to ensure quality, including managing data collection teams
• Traveling to project sites, IDinsight offices, embedded client locations, and other areas as per project needs

Contributing to internal team building

• Developing, piloting, and implementing internal systems or other organizational contributions (e.g., event management) for IDinsight, in coordination with functional teams such as Operations, Communications, Finance, etc.
• Contributing to office life and culture building, such as facilitating All Hands Meetings; leading team building efforts at team retreats; participating in Social Cultural Committee events; and engaging with the DEI Working Group.

Associates learn professional, technical and life skills while working on some of the world’s most critical problems. No two experiences are the same. Some work deeply on one project for their entire program commitment, while others work across a variety of projects. Workstreams can immerse Associates in remote, front-line program contexts, deep statistical analyses, and/or high-level, strategic interactions.

Associates and Senior Associates will be staffed on IDinsight projects according to various factors including organizational need, timeline and availability, team dynamics, skills optimization, and professional growth and development. While we aim to factor in individual preferences whenever possible to staffing decisions, they are one of many factors in the project staffing process.

Career development

Skill and career development are core to IDinsight's values and long-term impact strategy, and have been noted highlights of the Associate and Senior Associate experience. Associates and Senior Associates receive significant mentorship from IDinsight leadership, support from talented peers, and earn considerable autonomy in their work. They maintain professional development plans and are given "stretch" opportunities designed to strengthen a variety of skills. Real-time feedback and structured reviews are regularly provided to enable maximum professional growth. Additionally, Associates and Senior Associates have access to an annual professional development stipend that they are encouraged to utilize to explore their career interests and develop their skills.

The Associate role is not a typical “9-5” job, and can require early mornings and late nights to accommodate the time zone differences of a dispersed team, as well as busy periods within project workflows. Associates work hard and so IDinsight encourages balance with flexible work hours and wellness benefits, including comprehensive mental health care support and organization-wide wellness days off. Many find this balance to yield rich professional and personal rewards, and therefore progress to more senior roles with IDinsight.

Alumni placement

The Associate and Senior Associate experience has prepared former IDinsighters for outstanding educational and professional paths. Associates have progressed to IDinsight management and leadership roles, started their own organizations, and joined leading private and non-profit institutions, such as Bain & Company, Clinton Health Access Initiative, Facebook, GiveDirectly, International Monetary Fund, Lyft, McKinsey & Company, One Acre Fund, SocialCops, The Bridgespan Group, the World Bank’s Young Professional Program, and more.

Alumni have also enrolled in graduate and Ph.D. programs including Duke Sanford School of Public Policy; Columbia Business School; Haas School of Business; UC Berkeley; Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago; Harvard Business School; Georgia Institute of Technology; Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Law School; Heinz College, Carnegie Mellon University; London School of Economics; MIT Sloan School of Management; Princeton School of Public and International Affairs; UCSF Medical School; University of Chicago, Booth School of Business; University of Southern California; Yale Law School; Yale School of Management, and more.

Qualifications

IDinsight Associates and Senior Associates come from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds, including economics, data science, policy research, development projects, and more. Given that no Associate or Senior Associate comes in with the same exact background as another, we’re typically looking for candidates with a broad range of qualifications and former experiences. Here are some examples of the key qualifications most successful candidates should possess:

Credentials

• Undergraduate degree in economics, statistics, public policy, or related quantitative/social science fields (Master's degree holders are welcome)
• 3-5 years of relevant work experience in international development, research and evaluation, data analytics, consulting, or program management

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

• Strong analytical skills, with exposure to (either via professional work experience or academic coursework) the basics of econometrics, data and research analysis tools, and quantitative and qualitative research processes or an ability to quickly understand these topics

• Strong writing skills with the ability to translate technical jargon into well-structured, writing-based deliverables (e.g., policy briefs, project memos, analytical reports, external blog posts, and more)
• Ability to understand complex concepts and topics quickly even with limited prior knowledge or exposure and a willingness to invest in learning new concepts, skills, and methods without being prompted

Behaviors and mindsets

• Highly organized, attentive to deadlines, and able to manage a high volume of work with efficiency
• Excellent interpersonal skills, can effectively engage with stakeholders ranging from school children to senior government officials to internal colleagues, and places a high value on being a teamplayer

• Demonstrated ability to be a self-starter and fast learner; resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges
• Intellectually curious and a willingness to share your opinions with the team, question the status quo, and encourage others to expand their perspectives
• Deeply passionate about combating poverty worldwide and improving lives in disadvantaged populations

Additional preferred qualifications

• Proficient in statistical analysis and data collection softwares, such as Stata, SPSS, R, SurveyCTO, and/or Open Data Kit
• Fluency in the local language(s) of country placement

Candidates will be evaluated for an Associate vs. Senior Associate role based on their qualifications, previous experiences, and performance in the hiring processes. Additionally, candidates may be considered for other available roles based on experience and qualifications.

Nuts & bolts

Location

Associate positions will be based in IDinsight’s office in Makati City, with possible significant regional travel depending on project needs and organizational expansion.

Work authorization

IDinsight sponsors employment visas for all nationalities in these locations; however, we will prioritize candidates who do not require IDinsight to sponsor work authorization in the aforementioned countries. All candidates who are not currently located in our country offices listed above will be expected to relocate to their office locations at the onset of their employment.

Start dates

Start dates will be mutually agreed upon, taking into account both candidate preferences and project timelines. This recruitment round is part of IDinsight’s efforts to build a pipeline of strong candidates, in anticipation of upcoming projects. While we do not have fixed start dates at this time, we expect opportunities to arise throughout the year. Candidates may be invited to join IDinsight as early as immediately or later in the year, depending on project timing and organizational needs. We welcome applications from individuals excited to contribute to our work and who have some flexibility around when they can start.

Contract term

Candidates hired through this process will initially be offered a 6-month contract. There is potential for extension or conversion to a permanent, full-time role, depending on performance and the availability of suitable project opportunities. We aim to retain high-performing team members where possible and encourage candidates open to both short-term and longer-term opportunities.

Compensation & benefits

Compensation and benefits are commensurate with the qualifications and experiences IDinsight is hiring for and are competitive within the global development sector. We are especially proud of the people-focused benefits we offer including comprehensive international health insurance, including mental health coverage; paid vacation, sick, and parental leave; relocation benefits; a travel stipend; technology and work-from-home stipends; a professional development budget; and more.

IDinsight’s commitment to reducing power asymmetries

IDinsight is committed to reducing power asymmetries in the social sector. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion reflects our understanding of the need for the sector to abandon unhealthy practices of the past. We wish to be part of a new generation of international NGOs who are honest about this history and transparent about our role in the present. Our commitment is also aligned with the impact of our work.

We seek a workforce that is inclusive of a variety of perspectives that will help us refine and improve our methods and relationships, and strengthen the services we provide our clients and their communities or constituencies. The following commitments represent our vision for the IDinsight team:

1. IDinsight will have greater representation from the populations with whom we work and clients we serve.
2. IDinsight will have greater representation from the countries in which we work.
3. Across all countries in which we recruit, we will seek greater representation from historically excluded communities.
4. IDinsight will foster an inclusive work culture that empowers a diverse team to do their best work.

IDinsight is committed to non-discrimination in our recruitment, employment practices, and organizational culture, regardless of people’s age, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation, or any other status protected by applicable law.