Senior Associate, New Program Development
Evidence Action, Kenya
Job Description
About Evidence Action
Evidence Action is a global nonprofit organization with an approach distinctive in international development - we exclusively scale interventions that are backed by strong evidence and can be delivered with exceptional cost-effectiveness. Our programs have grown since our founding in 2013 to reach over 280 million people annually. We deliver high impact for every dollar spent, as recognized by GiveWell, The Life You Can Save, and Charity Navigator.
We do development differently. We take a data-driven approach to identifying, scaling, and continuously improving programs which deliver immense impact, ensuring these solutions measurably improve the lives of millions. Our Deworm the World Initiative has helped governments in Africa and Asia deliver over 1.4 billion childhood deworming treatments, improving health, education, and incomes. Dispensers for Safe Water provides sustained safe water access to over 4 million people in rural Africa, preventing childhood illness and deaths.
We drive innovation: Our Accelerator builds the next generation of exceptional programs, taking an approach most similar to a venture capital model. We are ruthless in exiting programs which do not meet our criteria; those that advance deliver outsized impact for millions of people.
We are global. Across eight countries in Africa and Asia, our 400+ people are united by a tremendous passion for our mission and impact. We are strong because of our diversity of experience, geography, and background - with over 90% of our people in the countries where our impact is focused.
We have big ambitions. Our goal is to double our impact by 2024, to fulfill our vision of a world where hundreds of millions of people in the poorest places have better opportunities and their lives are measurably improved. We believe in bold and urgent action - because poverty doesn’t wait, and neither should we.
We need great people. Our success to date is due to the collective work of our amazing staff. To achieve our ambitious goals, we are looking for people who share our passion for evidence, cost-effectiveness, and scale. We seek individuals who take an entrepreneurial approach, enjoy tackling hard problems, and have a bias to action and results. If our vision and approach excite you as much as it does us, we invite you to join us.
About the Accelerator team
Evidence Action’s Accelerator is our engine for growth. The Accelerator is a unique model in global development, designed to select and massively scale only those programs which meet exceptional standards for cost-effectiveness, proven impact, and scalability. Focusing on health, nutrition, and WASH, we evaluate scores of interventions and employ a venture capital-type ‘funnel’ model to exit those which do not meet our criteria. The result is a select set of programs for which we develop robust delivery models, test for impact, and scale to deliver outsized value for millions of people across Africa and Asia.
This role sits in the Accelerator’s New Program Development team. This team is responsible for the early stages of researching and testing the next generation of Evidence Action programs, from evaluating the evidence and modeling cost-effectiveness, to program design and piloting, to preparation for at-scale program launch.
Key Responsibilities:
- Conduct desk-based research to rapidly assess the potential of new programs by estimating the total addressable market, cost-effectiveness, evidence-base, strategic fit, and funding opportunities of promising interventions.
- Stay abreast of research trends and recent publications in the sector; interpret large quantities of evidence to inform program decision-making.
- Work with cost-effectiveness and MLE staff to design, develop, and continuously refine cost-effectiveness models, monitoring frameworks, theories of change, and program evaluations.
- Design and consult on early stage field activities, program scoping, and piloting of new programs in select countries. Use the results from these activities to inform the design of program implementation.
- Conduct stakeholder outreach (study authors, implementing organizations, donors) to solicit feedback on new programs, their design, key gaps, and whether there is interest in collaborating with Evidence Action.
- Develop and nurture mutually beneficial relationships with partner organizations (e.g., implementing organizations, government officials, academic researchers).
- Independently lead high-stakes meetings with donors and government officials; present the business case for potential new programs.
Requirements
- 2 - 4 years of work experience in addition to a Master’s or PhD in a related field such as public health, international development, economics, or statis