Associate Policy Manager

In 2008, Mexico passed a criminal justice reform that entailed changing the country’s mixed-inquisitorial system - which had been in place for almost a century - for an adversarial and accusatorial model. In December 2014, six years after the constitutional reform, the Federal Congress enacted the National Law of Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms for Criminal Matters. As part of this reform, lawmakers amended constitutional article 17 to incorporate alternative dispute resolution mechanisms (ADRM) into the criminal justice system. The adoption of ADRM in the Mexican legal system had two clear objectives: i) to relocate disputes away from courtrooms and reduce backlog, and ii) to build institutional legitimacy by positively reshaping the relations between authorities and citizens.

Despite its multiple benefits, the adoption of ADRM has not been popular or immediate. Almost fifteen years after the reform, the inclusion of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms in the criminal justice system is limited. Overall, only a small percentage of all criminal cases are solved using ADRM, both at the federal and state level. As shown by the available data, in 2020 barely 6.1% of all cases at the state level were sent to an ADRM. Besides statistical information, however, there is limited research and evaluation concerning the intricacies of the institutions, incentives of operators (prosecutors and facilitators) and users of restorative justice in Mexico. This lack of information ultimately prevents policymakers and justice officials from addressing and fixing the shortcomings of ADRM in Mexico.

In this context, Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) seeks to first understand the structural, institutional, normative, and individual reasons why alternative mechanisms are systematically underutilized in Mexico - and how these may in turn explain state by state variations. With this information in hand, the team aims to work alongside Mexican institutions implementing the appropriate mechanisms to effectively increase the use of ADRM while channeling investigative and prosecutorial resources towards high-impact crime. The project will be implemented in five different states, to assess the different models that exist across the country and design interventions ad hoc to the different institutional frameworks at the state level. Through this, the team aims to contribute to a decrease in impunity with respect to homicides and high-impact crimes in Mexico.

The Associate Manager is the overall coordinator for the project, responsible for carrying out the project’s daily activities and—in coordination with IPA Mexico’s managing team—defining project objectives for the medium and long term. The Associate Manager will supervise implementation and evaluation activities in up to five states. Additionally, they will coordinate the communication with the project’s principal investigators and stakeholders in government and civil society.  The role requires specific knowledge related to alternative justice mechanisms, restorative justice, community engagement and project management capabilities, as well as qualitative skills.

Responsibilities 

• Manage the implementation of the Alternative Justice program, ensuring that activities are carried out efficiently and effectively.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations, to ensure the program's success and sustainability.
• Collaborate with the research team to develop research questions and methodologies to evaluate the program's results and impact.
• Provide technical assistance to program staff in the implementation of restorative justice approaches and community-based interventions.
• Structure and implement a technical assistance program to increase the use of alternative resolution mechanisms in selected state prosecutor’s offices (Fiscalías estatales)
• Supervise and support program staff in their daily activities, including training and capacity building.
• Develop and maintain program budgets and work plans, ensuring that activities are on track and within budget.
• Work with the Policy team to develop communication strategies and materials to disseminate program results to a wider audience.
• Represent the program in meetings and conferences with other organizations and stakeholders.
• Provide regular updates on program progress to senior management and funders.
• Proactively identify risks for the implementation and prepare mitigation proposals.
• Manage, support and coach project team members. 

Qualifications 

• Master's degree in public policy, public administration, law, or a related field.
• At least 3 years of experience managing projects and teams. 
• At least 3 years of experience in the field of alternative justice, justice procurement and/or criminal justice reform.
• Strong understanding of alternative justice approaches, including alternative resolution mechanisms, restorative justice and community-based interventions.
• Previous experience working with international donors, managing financial and programmatic reporting requirements.
• In depth knowledge of the Mexican justice system.
• Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written, including the ability to present ideas and negotiate with senior officials.
• Demonstrated experience in stakeholder engagement and building relationships with government agencies, civil society organizations, and community leaders.
• Cultural sensitivity and demonstrated ability to work successfully with diverse constituencies.
• Experience in managing budgets and work plans.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret and organize data.
• Ability to work in a team-oriented environment and to manage and supervise staff effectively.
• Ability to carry out assignments with limited supervision; enforce timelines and deliver high-quality work.
• Flexibility and adaptability to changing program needs and priorities.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Commitment to the program's mission and values.
• Willingness to travel.

Application Instructions 

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About IPA 

Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a research and policy nonprofit that discovers and promotes effective solutions to global poverty problems. IPA brings together researchers and decision-makers to design, rigorously evaluate, and refine these solutions and their applications, ensuring that the evidence created is used to improve the lives of the world’s poor. In recent decades, trillions of dollars have been spent on programs designed to reduce global poverty, but clear evidence on which programs succeed is rare, and when evidence does exist, decision-makers often do not know about it. IPA exists to bring together leading researchers and these decision-makers to ensure that the evidence we create leads to tangible impact on the world. Since its founding in 2002, IPA has worked with over 600 leading academics to conduct over 900 evaluations in 52 countries. This research has informed hundreds of successful programs that now impact millions of individuals worldwide. 

IPA's Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) 

As an organization, IPA is dedicated to improving the lives of the world's most vulnerable populations through evidence and policy. We also recognize how important it is for our staff to reflect the diversity of the places where we work and the communities we work with. As such, IPA is committed to hiring from a diverse pool of candidates, from a range of backgrounds, beliefs, experiences, and perspectives. We know that this makes our work stronger and more responsive to the challenges faced by those we work with and for and we encourage people from historically underrepresented groups to apply. Click here to learn more about IPA’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.