Technical Director, USAID Evidence For Cost-Effectiveness (ECE) Activity (Contingent)

Background

NORC at the University of Chicago is one of the largest and most highly respected social science research organizations conducting high-quality research both in the U.S. and internationally.

NORC is seeking a Technical Director for an anticipated five-year USAID cooperative agreement, Evidence for Cost-Effectiveness (ECE). The cooperative agreement aims to fund impact evaluations and cost analyses and integrate existing evidence from these high-quality studies into USAID activity designs. This activity will provide a platform for engaging academics from the social and behavioral sciences to strengthen USAID’s current and future programming by understanding the causal impact per dollar of its programs and producing contributions to the global evidence base that can improve policy and programming of other development partners.

The Technical Director position is preferably based in the DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) area, with the possibility of hybrid or remote working arrangements. This position is contingent on USAID contract award to NORC.

Responsibilities:

• Ensure the high quality and rigor of technical services provided under this agreement, including but not limited to technical aspects of recruitment/staffing, evaluation designs, instrument development, data collection, data security and privacy, data analysis, writing, dissemination, and evidence use.
• Manage and implement all core-funded activities and buy-ins in accordance with USAID regulations, policies and procedures related to data, research, evaluation, learning and the SOW specifications.

Required Experience:

• Master’s degree in areas such as economics, political science, or other related fields (PhD preferred).
• Minimum of eight (8) years of relevant work experience conducting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and/or cost-effectiveness analysis for international development projects.

Required Qualifications:

• Deep expertise and proven experience with impact evaluation methodology and implementation, particularly RCTs, and cost-effectiveness analysis across a range of different sectors.
• Ability to provide technical direction and management to multiple core-funded activities and buy-ins from Missions/Bureaus/Operating Units across USAID simultaneously. This will require the ability to work seamlessly across multiple research teams, academic researchers, and different USAID Activity Managers simultaneously, providing methodological and operational oversight.
• Proven ability to deliver quality work/work products on large-scale projects in a timely manner.
• A level of methodological expertise that allows for easy interaction with academic researchers.
• Experience with evidence synthesis and dissemination, and the ability to translate highly technical research for a practitioner audience.
• Experience working with universities, researchers, research organizations, or networks of researchers.
• Familiarity with USAID’s requirements on research and research products.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to foster collaborative working relationships with academic partners (both institutions and academic researchers in U.S. and LMICs), the US Government, and other actors in the research community.
• Excellent English oral and written communication skills
• Qualified applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S. We regret that we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous Technical Director experience or similar (e.g., Team Leader, Research Director, etc.) on a USAID-funded award and/or prior internal experience at USAID.