Research Manager

Position Summary

IPA Philippines is looking to hire an Research Manager (RM) to oversee a portfolio of research studies, manage partner relationships and lead project development in select sectors. The position holder is responsible for ensuring project compliance with research protocols and quality standards. As the technical lead for the country program, they develop new relationships, input into study designs, write proposals, and create budgets to support research development efforts. The RM directly supervises project research staff, manages project finances, and ensures timely submission of deliverables to donors and partners. As a key member of the management team, they promote best practices across projects in the country office and contribute to policy dialogue.

In the first 12 months, the RM will likely focus on: 1) financial inclusion and consumer protection projects in collaboration with the Central Bank of the Philippines and financial service providers; and (2) project development and management in the peace & recovery sector, in collaboration with NGOs and government agencies in BARMM.

Responsibilities 

60% - Research Study Management:

• Oversee a portfolio of 5-6 research studies in the Philippines, ensuring adherence to research design, sample selection, data management, and analysis. 
• Directly supervise project research staff and manage project finances.

30% - Research Development:

• Collaborate with the Country Director and Policy teams to develop new research studies, build relationships, provide input into study designs, write well-crafted grant and donor proposals to successfully secure funding for new projects, and create budgets.

10% - Technical Leadership:

• Serve as the technical lead for the country program, ensuring compliance with research protocols and data security standards.
• Promote best practices, provide support for data management & analysis, and build staff capacity on technical matters.

Qualifications

Required:

• Master's Degree in economics, statistics, public policy, or a related social science field 
• At least 5 years of relevant work experience in research and international development, especially in financial inclusion and peace & recovery sectors
• Experience managing large scale research projects, leading research design, managing primary data collection, managing and analyzing data, writing academic and policy reports
• Experience managing people and external relationships, especially with government partners
• Experience managing projects and budgets
• Excellent management, organizational skills, and the ability to work independently and be supervised remotely 
• Demonstrated in-depth technical knowledge of RCTs, research & economic concepts, and quantitative analysis are required 
• Superior knowledge of STATA, R Studio, Python, or other digital data collection platforms (preference for SurveyCTO) is required - data proficiency of shortlisted applicants will be tested!
• Strong written and oral communication skills and complete fluency in English are required 
• Ability to present information in an insightful and structured manner, both written and oral, including experience in effectively communicating with internal and external partners 
• Cultural sensitivity and demonstrated ability to work successfully with diverse constituencies required 
• Interest in contributing to the improvement of existing organizational and operational systems, as well as team technical capacity building
• Detail-oriented, flexible, self-motivating, team player and ability to manage multiple tasks efficiently and under pressure.
• Ability to travel and work for field visits
• Working proficiency in English, written and oral.

Preferred:

• Experience working in the Philippines
• Prior experience with IPA or affiliated organizations
• Background in economics or quantitative political science
• Experience working with stakeholders in BARMM
• Research design & impact evaluation (RCTs)
• Advanced proficiency in STATA/R/Python
• Digital data collection (e.g., SurveyCTO, ODK)
• Budgeting and financial tracking
• Proposal writing and donor communication
• M&E frameworks and theory of change
• Fluency in Filipino, with knowledge of regional dialects 

Reports to

Country Director

Location

Philippines 

Deadline to Apply

Friday June 27th, 2025

About IPA 

Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a research and policy nonprofit that discovers and promotes effective solutions to global poverty problems. 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 the world’s poor. 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 900 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.