Senior Policy Associate - J-PAL Global

Senior Policy Associate

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 390 affiliated professors at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.

J-PAL is recruiting a Senior Policy Associate, to contribute to this mission of promoting evidence-informed policy. The Senior Policy Associate will support the Global Deputy Executive Director, Global Director of Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives, and Global Director of Policy & Communications in high-priority strategic, operational, cross-team initiatives, partnerships, and policy outreach. The position will be based in Cambridge, MA, with two in-person work days per week.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Only applications following all instructions at the bottom of this page will be considered.

Your work will provide strategic, analytical, and communications support for J-PAL's senior leadership and growing policy, scaling, and partnerships efforts. As a Senior Policy Associate supporting on strategy, partnerships, donor engagement, and cross-team initiatives, your primary responsibilities will involve preparing written materials (concept notes, decks, memos) for senior leadership and potential partners and funders, cross-team and partner coordination and communications, research, and outreach and evidence dissemination.

Responsibilities:

• Support the three senior leaders on high-priority strategic, operational, and cross-team initiatives. This may include preparing briefing materials, drafting internal and external communications, supporting planning and prioritization, coordinating follow-through across multiple stakeholders, and helping move key projects and partnerships from idea to execution. Support senior leaders in their external and internal communications and provide writing, editing, and desk research support. Attend and participate in some external meetings with priority partners.
• Provide project and analytical support on priorities led by J-PAL's Policy & Communications and Evidence to Scale teams, and the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Initiatives. This may include background research, meeting preparation, presentation development, draft correspondence, writing briefing and concept notes, stakeholder tracking, and follow-up on next steps.
• Help coordinate complex internal and external work streams involving senior staff, researchers, donors, policymakers, implementing organizations, and other partners. Contribute to planning for high-level meetings, convenings, and strategic engagements, and ensure that decisions and action items are clearly captured and advanced.

Policy Research and Evidence Dissemination:

• Write and edit materials that translate economic research into practical lessons for policymakers and practitioners around the world. This may include evaluation summaries, policy insights, presentations, grant proposals, donor reporting, policy memos, blogs, newsletters, website content, and other written materials in support of J-PAL's policy outreach.
• Based on priorities from senior leadership, develop substantive knowledge in one or more priority policy areas and provide research, analysis, and project management support as needed. This may include conducting desk research, synthesizing evidence for internal and external audiences, supporting partnership development, coordinating with researchers and implementing organizations, and contributing to strategic communications campaigns.
• Contribute to J-PAL's broader mission in other ways as needed, including knowledge management, internal training and onboarding, recruitment and hiring, and support for cross-organizational projects.

Qualifications & skills:

• Education: You hold at least a bachelor's degree with training in economics, international development, public policy, or a closely related field. A good understanding of research methodology and/or econometrics as part of your coursework is a plus.
• Experience: Minimum four…