(Associate) Program Manager, Education Sector

Job Summary

The (Associate) Program Manager is a critical part of IPA’s Education Sector team and will largely focus on supporting the SCALE project, a multi-country initiative, delivered with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and implementing partners, that scales effective education interventions. The (Associate) Program Manager manages assigned SCALE projects, coordinating principal investigators, IPA country offices, other IPA teams, implementing partners, and government stakeholders to carry out research and policy activities. The role also contributes to research design, oversight, and outputs, and works with the Education Program Director on sector agenda setting, partnership development, outreach and communications, and fundraising for new education projects and initiatives.

Responsibilities

Program management of education projects (80%)

• Contribute to research design, research oversight, data analysis, and the writing of policy briefs, slide decks, and other research outputs as needed for the SCALE project.
• Coordinate all project stakeholders, including principal investigators, IPA country offices, funders, implementing partners, and relevant government stakeholders, and ensure all actors are aligned on key SCALE activities, including timelines, roles, and responsibilities.
• Ensure adherence to SCALE workplans and the achievement of goals and outputs as outlined in project documents and timelines, and provide regular updates (verbal and written) to the donor.
• Under the supervision of the Education Program Director, work with IPA country offices and other IPA teams to develop and implement SCALE studies, including identifying clear areas of responsibility between IPA Sectors, Policy, and Right Fit Evidence teams and IPA country offices; developing efficient channels of communication; monitoring budgets and timelines; and providing technical input where required.

Outreach, strategy, and communications (10%)

• Develop and coordinate SCALE and other original project communications materials (including website content, policy briefs, and research products) in collaboration with IPA’s communications and policy teams, funders, and other Education Team stakeholders.
• Under the supervision of the Education Program Director, participate in external meetings, presentations, and convenings to develop key relationships with donors, sectoral partners, and senior academics around the world, and lead the tracking and documentation of those efforts in the Education Program’s Salesforce records.
• Support the Education Director in updating and executing a strategic plan for IPA’s Education programs, including targets, milestones, and timelines, that demonstrate progress in relationship-building and securing funding from promising and existing donors.

Business development (10%)

• Contribute to (and for selected opportunities, lead) fundraising efforts and proposal submissions by identifying funding opportunities, coordinating with principal investigators and IPA teams to develop viable research project opportunities, developing budgets, maintaining support documents, and managing proposal submissions.
• Keep the Education BD tracker up to date, including progress on donor engagements, new donors identified, and progress on anticipated and active proposals, and lead agenda setting and updates to the BD team during bi-weekly Education-BD meetings.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in international public policy, (development) economics, or a related field, with coursework in quantitative methods.
• At least four years of relevant work experience, including experience in education research, policy engagement, and program or research management.
• Research experience and demonstrated knowledge of the education sector, research, policy, and interventions, including familiarity with randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
• Experience working with bilateral funders, such as FCDO or USAID, and engaging with donors and in-country stakeholders.
• Demonstrated project management skills, including strong attention to operational and research detail and the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects efficiently with minimal supervision.
• Excellent English-language communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively and clearly with internal and external stakeholders using cogent, precise, non-technical language.
• Ability to present information in a structured and insightful way, both in writing and orally.
• Flexibility, self-motivation, willingness to learn, and a team attitude.
• Openness to occasional meetings outside regular local business hours, with notice, to accommodate colleagues in other time zones.
• First-hand experience in primary data collection, including experience with both qualitative and quantitative data analysis and mixed-methods approaches (preferred).
• Experience with or knowledge of education projects specifically targeting gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI), or efforts to mainstream relevant issues (preferred).

Location

This position is open to candidates based in IPA’s country offices in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Peru, and Colombia. Candidates without existing permanent work authorization in the country where they wish to be based will not be considered. The work environment may be office-based, hybrid, or fully remote. The role requires the ability and willingness to travel internationally (up to 20%).

Reports To

Education Program Director

Deadline to apply

November 30, 2026

About IPA

Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a research and policy nonprofit that discovers and advances what works to improve the lives of people living in poverty. IPA brings together researchers and decision-makers to design, rigorously evaluate, and refine these solutions and their applications, ensuring that the evidence created is used to improve the lives of people living in poverty. In recent decades, trillions of dollars have been spent on programs designed to reduce global poverty, but clear evidence of which programs succeed is rare, and when evidence does exist, decision-makers often do not know about it. IPA exists to bring together leading researchers and these decision-makers to ensure that the evidence we create leads to a tangible impact on the world. Since its founding in 2002, IPA has worked with over 600 leading academics to conduct over 1,000 evaluations in 52 countries. This research has informed hundreds of successful programs that now impact millions of individuals worldwide.

Safeguarding at IPA

At Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), we are committed to creating a safe and respectful environment for all individuals, particularly children and vulnerable adults. As IPA adheres to strict safeguarding principles, selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards. By joining IPA, you become part of a team dedicated to ethical conduct, social responsibility, and meaningful impact in the fight against global poverty. Together, we work to create a better world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive with dignity and respect.