Analyst, Best Use of Resources at International Rescue Committee

Job Overview/Summary

To deliver the greatest possible results for our clients, humanitarian actors must be clear about how funds are being used to deliver assistance in a cost-efficient and cost-effective manner. To contribute to this, the Best Use of Resources team conducts analysis on the cost-efficiency (how well we convert inputs into outputs) and cost-effectiveness (how well we convert outputs into outcomes) of key IRC programs. Compiling data on cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness allows the IRC to learn about what interventions and program designs give the greatest reach and impact per dollar spent, and how the necessary costs are different for different populations and contexts.

Education
Specifically, this position will be asked to support Education Technical Advisors and Researchers with

This position will provide support specifically to cost analyses and modeling projects in the area of Education, on five years of work during which the team has collaborated with IRC’s Education Technical Unit to develop a standardized costing methodology and tools and map how cost evidence fits into decision-making.

• Cost-effectiveness analyses as part of research evaluations
• Cost-efficiency modeling and scenario projections for country teams
• Synthesis of cost evidence around Education programs, and development of programmatic guidance
• Contribution to technical and advocacy documents reflecting IRC’s evidence and lessons

Major Responsibilities

• Support cost-effectiveness analyses within Education, as part of impact evaluations run by the Airbel Research Team. Work under the supervision of a Senior Advisor to execute research plans, including collation of necessary monitoring data, and cost information from IRC finance system.
• Work with country-based education coordinators and officers to run cost-efficiency analyses to assist in building organizational understanding of efficiency drivers within programs. Develop program-specific databases of cost data on teacher training programs, ECD programs, etc. Relate these cost results with evidence on the effectiveness of education programs generated by the Airbel research team or from the external education literature.
• Contribute to scenario modeling to inform programmatic decision making, including collaborating closely with program counterparts and building models showing the impact of different program designs on cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• Support strategic projects to apply lessons from cost analysis to decisions about scaling and replicating effective interventions. Work with finance and program teams to review proposal budgets for alignment with workplans and targets.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor degree in economics, public policy, or related field.
• Familiarity with education programming in development and humanitarian settings, through implementation experience or work on monitoring and evaluation of education projects.
• Knowledge of economic evaluation methods, applications, and the cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis literature in developing countries.
• Ability to be work as part of a remote team across many time zones.
• Excellent communication skills, cultural sensitivity, flexibility, ability to improvise.

Fluency in spoken and written English required; proficiency and/or fluency in French or Arabic preferred.