Senior Manager - J-PAL Global

The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of over 200 affiliated professors at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.

The Senior Manager will play a central role in launching and growing the Lighthouse Collaborative, a new initiative developed by J-PAL and The Agency Fund. The Collaborative seeks to help proven AI and other social-sector innovations move beyond pilots to strengthen public systems, thereby improving outcomes, equipping policymakers with better tools, and reaching millions of people.

The Lighthouse Collaborative will bring together partners to identify and help massively scale high-impact NGOs / social enterprises in low- and middle-income countries. These “Lighthouses” will combine demonstrated impact and cost-effectiveness with strong learning systems and delivery models that can work through government.

Position Overview:

The Senior Manager will lead the development and launch of the Lighthouse Collaborative. They will work closely with Lighthouse organizations, governments, funders, academic institutions, and other partners to help proven organizations scale through public systems. Early priorities will include developing government partnerships that enable Lighthouse organizations to reach new populations at scale and building partnerships with academic institutions (e.g., graduate, business, and/or public policy schools) to source entrepreneurial talent that could help bring Lighthouse organizations to new geographies.

The Senior Manager will lead key work streams, manage the team, and be accountable for driving the initiative’s execution and results.

J-PAL is recruiting a Senior Manager to contribute to this mission of promoting evidence-informed policy. The preferred location for this role is Cambridge, MA, based at MIT, with at least two in-person workdays per week. We will also consider candidates based in New York City or the San Francisco Bay Area. Exceptional candidates in other locations may be considered, provided they can maintain at least four hours of overlap with both Pacific and Eastern Time working hours.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Responsibilities:

Lighthouse leadership and operations (75%):

• Lead government partnerships and pilots: Set the strategy for engaging governments, particularly government partnerships within J-PAL’s network, and work with Lighthouse organizations to convert opportunities into well-designed pilots and pathways to scale.
• Lead fundraising: Develop and execute the fundraising strategy for the Collaborative and its portfolio, in collaboration with leadership from J-PAL and The Agency Fund. Build funder relationships, shape compelling proposals, lead donor engagement, and manage the opportunity pipeline and stewardship.
• Support for Lighthouse organizations: Serve as a strategic partner to Lighthouse organization leaders, identify their most important barriers to scale, and mobilize targeted support from governments, researchers, funders, and technical experts to help organizations build robust internal systems for learning and iteration, “go-to-market” capabilities with government, and capacity for scale.
• Build the talent pipeline: Lead partnerships with policy and business schools to recruit high-potential talent for Lighthouse organizations, and replicate proven models in new contexts.
• Build and manage the team: Recruit, manage, and develop a high-performing team, including likely additional regional / country hires as Lighthouse grows. Set clear goals, allocate work…