Assoc Program Manager, Human Trafficking Research Initiative

Job Summary

The (Associate) Program Manager leads the day-to-day management of IPA's Human Trafficking Research Initiative (HTRI), an eight-year U.S. Department of State-funded program that builds the evidence base on interventions to reduce human trafficking and protect victims and survivors. The role sits within HTRI's small core team — alongside an Associate Director and Senior Program Associate — and is responsible for managing a portfolio of 15–20 active research sub-awards, leading donor reporting and financial oversight, and supporting fundraising and proposal development.

A central part of the position involves synthesizing and disseminating lessons from HTRI-funded research: the (Associate) Program Manager will produce evidence reports and policy briefs, present findings at conferences and policy convenings, and work closely with IPA country offices, research teams, and external partners to ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and in alignment with IPA's policies and HTRI's research and policy objectives.

• Manage the full lifecycle of 15–20 active research sub-awards, including competitive selection, development of grant agreements and amendments, and ongoing tracking of project progress, deliverables, and finances.
• Lead the drafting of quarterly donor reports to JTIP by coordinating inputs from grantees, IPA country offices, and internal staff, and working with the Director on review and submission.
• Oversee budget reviews and program financial tracking, with support from IPA's Grants Finance team, and flag financial risks or variances to the Director.
• Liaise with IPA's Grants, Legal, and Finance teams to ensure sub-award compliance with donor requirements and IPA policies.

• Serve as the primary point of coordination for HTRI's day-to-day operations, ensuring that work streams are on track and that the team is meeting deadlines.
• Maintain and improve internal systems (Airtable, Asana, Salesforce) for tracking projects, partners, donors, and researcher records.
• Coordinate across IPA departments and country offices to ensure HTRI's procedures are aligned with IPA's general guidelines and policies.
• Conduct regular site visits to monitor the implementation of HTRI-funded research projects and provide updates to the Associate Director and Director.
• Provide rapid responses to information requests relevant to project development, donor reporting, and policy engagement from country office and senior IPA staff.

• Stay current on the human trafficking research literature and maintain an up-to-date understanding of the evidence base, including findings from HTRI-funded and relevant external projects.
• Lead the production and updating of evidence reports, research summaries, and evidence overviews on key human trafficking topics, working closely with the Senior Program Associate on research and drafting support.
• Author and contribute to policy briefs, program overview documents, blog posts, newsletters, and other written products that translate HTRI research findings for policymakers, practitioners, and donors.
• Coordinate and contribute to annual updates to HTRI's Learning and Research Agenda.
• Present HTRI findings and lessons learned at conferences, webinars, policy convenings, and other external forums.
• Coordinate logistics and content development for HTRI-hosted webinars, research convenings, and other events focused on human trafficking research and practice.

• Support the Director and Associate Director in building and maintaining a network of affiliated researchers who can identify and develop research opportunities that answer key questions in the sector.
• Work with IPA country office staff to develop new studies and implement the Initiative's research and policy objectives in IPA presence countries.
• Develop and maintain key relationships with donors, sectoral partners, internal research and policy leadership, and senior academics.
• Engage in stakeholder mapping and interviews to help HTRI develop and…