Jobs at Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)

Job Summary

• IPA Nigeria is seeking a Manager to lead an embedded evidence lab established within a federal institution to strengthen evidence- and data-informed coordination of social protection programmes.
• The Manager will serve as the senior technical lead for the lab, driving a policy-relevant research agenda, strengthening the institution’s data and MEL systems, and building the institutional capacity needed for the sustainability of the lab.
• The role requires a practitioner with deep knowledge of Nigeria’s social protection landscape, strong analytical and research skills, and a proven ability to translate complex data and evidence into actionable policy insights.
• The ideal candidate is equally comfortable designing and conducting rigorous analysis, building data systems, facilitating capacity building with institutional staff, and presenting findings to senior decision-makers
• The Manager may also be called upon to contribute to other IPA Nigeria embedded lab engagements as organizational needs evolve.

Responsibilities
Stakeholder Engagement and Coordination:

• Position the lab as a credible, trusted technical partner supporting coordination and evidence-informed decision-making within the federal social protection ecosystem.
• Facilitate the development of inter-agency data sharing and coordination frameworks, and formalize institutional arrangements that improve the flow of programme data across federal and state levels.
• Represent IPA at federal-level policy forums, technical working groups, inter-ministerial coordination meetings, and external engagements, communicating the lab’s work and positioning IPA as a thought leader in social protection evidence and policy in Nigeria.
• Support IPA advocacy efforts aimed at reforming federal reporting frameworks to create institutional demand for outcome-oriented evidence, moving beyond compliance-driven reporting toward adaptive programme management.

Evidence Generation and Research:

• Lead the development of the embedded lab’s framework and operating model, including its mandate, objectives, governance structure, defined roles and responsibilities, decision-making processes, workflows, and engagement mechanisms with government partners.
• Develop and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) for core lab functions such as data mapping, evidence intake, data analysis and reporting, research prioritisation, and learning cycles.
• Design and manage primary data collection activities and administrative data reviews, ensuring methodological rigor and direct alignment with the institution’s information and decision-making needs.
• Identify and develop opportunities to leverage large-scale administrative datasets, including state and national social registries and programme management information systems, for generating policy-relevant insights.
• Lead the co-creation of embedded evaluations and research studies that generate rigorous evidence on the effectiveness of social protection programmes.
• Produce high-quality technical outputs including analytical reports, policy briefs, evidence syntheses, and lessons learned documents that communicate findings to decision-makers and the broader social protection ecosystem.

Lab Management and MEL Systems Strengthening:

• Develop and implement a MEL framework for the lab’s operations, including a work plan, results framework, and reporting protocols that enable transparent tracking of lab activities and outcomes against agreed objectives.
• Support the partner institution in strengthening its central data infrastructure, working with technical staff to operationalize existing data systems, automate data flows between programme units and central repositories, in line with data governance protocols.
• Co-create standard operating procedures, guidelines, and quality assurance protocols for sustainable data management within the institution.
• Manage lab administrative and operational requirements including work planning, procurement, financial tracking, documentation, and internal and donor reporting, in coordination with IPA Nigeria’s operations team.

Data Analytics and Reporting:

• Lead hands-on quantitative and qualitative analysis of social protection programme data, translating findings into clear and decision-relevant insights.
• Design and build data dashboards, scorecards, and visualization tools that enable institutional leadership and programme managers to monitor performance against key indicators, using platforms such as Power BI, Tableau, or Excel-based solutions appropriate to the institution’s infrastructure.
• Develop and institutionalize reproducible analytical workflows, documentation standards, and data systems that can be independently maintained, updated, and scaled over time.
• Support the institution’s external reporting obligations to leadership, donors, and development partners, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with reporting requirements.
• Contribute to IPA Nigeria’s broader policy communications outputs, including co-authoring blog posts, policy briefs, and presentations that draw on evidence generated through the lab.

Capacity Building and Technical Support:

• Design and deliver targeted capacity building interventions for institutional staff on social protection MEL, data analysis, evidence interpretation, and evidence-to-policy translation, adapting content and delivery modalities to different staff levels and learning needs.
• Provide ongoing on-the-job coaching and technical mentoring to M&E officers, programme managers, and data analysts, building their ability to independently generate and use evidence for programme adaptation and policy decisions.
• Facilitate structured learning events including data review meetings, evidence-to-action workshops, and cross-programme learning sessions that promote a culture of continuous learning and evidence-informed adaptation within the institution.
• Develop training materials, guidance notes, and job aids that create durable institutional knowledge resources, enabling the partner to sustain evidence use practices beyond the life of the lab engagement.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Economics, Development Studies, Public Policy, Statistics, Data Science, Social Sciences, or a related field is required.
• 5 to 7 years of relevant professional experience in social protection, poverty reduction, international development, or a closely related field, with demonstrated exposure to national or federal-level programme contexts.
• Strong knowledge of social protection systems and programmes, including familiarity with conditional cash transfers, graduation models, and the institutional architecture of social protection delivery in Nigeria or comparable settings.
• Proficiency in data analysis and visualization tools, including advanced Microsoft Excel, at least one statistical software package (Stata, R, or Python), and data visualization platforms such as Power BI or Tableau.
• Hands-on experience designing, strengthening, or implementing Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) systems, including data collection, management, and analysis frameworks, preferably in a government or regulatory context.
• Proven ability to manage multiple programmes or workstreams simultaneously, including planning timelines, coordinating across stakeholders, tracking progress, and managing deliverables and budgets in a development or public policy context.
• Demonstrated ability to train, coach, or mentor others in data analysis, statistics, or MEL systems, including building institutional capacity for data use.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex technical analysis into clear, structured, and policy-relevant insights for non-technical audiences.
• Experience working with federal government institutions or regulatory agencies is highly desirable; familiarity with Nigeria’s federal social protection architecture is a strong advantage.
• Willingness to be a team player and identify connections between work streams.
• Cultural and political sensitivity and demonstrated ability to work successfully with diverse constituencies, including senior government officials, development partners, and community-level stakeholders.
• Passion for making data-driven decision-making a reality in the development sector, with a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for people living in poverty.

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Job Summary

• IPA Nigeria is seeking a MEL Associate to support an embedded evidence lab established within a partner government agency implementing social protection programmes for vulnerable populations.
• The partner agency’s portfolio spans areas such as nutrition and education support, conditional cash transfers, and economic empowerment and livelihoods programmes.
• The MEL Associate will work as part of an embedded team to strengthen the agency’s capacity to systematically generate, manage, analyze, and use data and evidence for programme improvement and policy decision-making.
• This position requires hands-on MEL expertise, strong capacity-building skills, and the ability to work effectively within government systems.
• The MEL Associate will collaborate closely with agency staff across multiple departments to co-create practical MEL systems, deliver training and technical assistance, support data analysis and visualization, and foster a culture of evidence-informed decision-making.
• This is an opportunity to apply MEL expertise in a high-impact setting at the intersection of social protection policy and practice, working directly within government to build the systems, skills, and organizational culture needed to improve outcomes for vulnerable populations.
• The ideal candidate combines technical MEL knowledge with practical implementation experience, excellent training and mentoring abilities, and a passion for sustainable capacity development in government institutions.
• The MEL Associate may also be called upon to support other IPA Nigeria embedded lab engagements as organizational needs evolve.

Responsibilities
MEL Systems Development and Implementation:

• Support the development and implementation of an agency-wide MEL framework, working collaboratively with agency staff to develop theories of change, results frameworks, and indicator frameworks aligned with strategic objectives and reporting requirements.
• Design programme-specific MEL plans for individual programme teams, including data collection instruments, monitoring protocols, and quality assurance mechanisms tailored to each programme’s context and decision-making needs.
• Conduct data needs assessments across agency departments, mapping information requirements against existing data sources, identifying gaps, assessing data quality, and recommending solutions to strengthen data systems.
• Develop standard operating procedures, guidelines, and protocols for data collection, management, quality assurance, reporting, and data use that are practical, user-friendly, and appropriate to staff capacity levels.
• Implement data quality assurance mechanisms including verification protocols, spot-checks, data audits, and corrective action processes to ensure reliable and accurate programme data.

Capacity Building and Technical Support:

• Design and deliver MEL training workshops and learning sessions for agency staff at various levels on theories of change, indicator design, data collection methods, data analysis, data visualization, and evidence-informed decision-making.
• Provide ongoing hands-on technical assistance and mentoring to M&E officers, programme managers, and field staff on practical MEL tasks including designing data collection instruments, conducting data quality checks, preparing reports and visualizations, and using evidence for programme decisions.
• Build staff capacity to use data analysis and visualization tools including advanced Excel, statistical software (Stata, R, SPSS), database management tools, and visualization platforms (Power BI, Tableau).
• Facilitate learning events, data review meetings, and evidence-to-action workshops to promote peer learning, institutionalize data use practices, and foster an organizational culture of continuous learning and evidence-informed adaptation.
• Develop training materials, guidance notes, job aids, and tools to create institutional knowledge resources that support sustainable capacity strengthening.

Data Analysis, Visualization, and Reporting:

• Analyze primary and secondary programme data using quantitative and qualitative methods to generate actionable insights, and prepare clear data summaries, analytical reports, dashboards, and visualizations for various audiences.
• Support the development and maintenance of real-time monitoring dashboards displaying key performance indicators to enable programme managers and leadership to track progress and make timely adjustments.
• Contribute to high-quality technical outputs including evaluation reports, policy briefs, evidence syntheses, and lessons learned documents that communicate programme achievements, challenges, and learning.
• Support the partner agency’s external reporting obligations to relevant government leadership, donors, and other stakeholders, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with reporting requirements.
• Translate complex data findings into accessible, actionable insights for non-technical audiences through effective data visualization and clear written communication.

Evidence Generation and Coordination:

• Support the design and implementation of primary data collection activities including surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and case studies aimed at answering learning questions and generating evidence for programme improvement.
• Collaborate with IPA researchers and the assigned Lab Manager to support programme evaluations and research studies embedded within agency programmes, ensuring alignment with agency priorities and contribution to organizational learning.
• Coordinate with agency departments, the Lab Manager, IPA Nigeria team, and external partners to ensure alignment and maximize synergies across MEL activities.
• Support administrative and logistical requirements for lab activities including planning workshops, managing procurement, coordinating field visits, maintaining documentation, and contributing to work planning and reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Economics, Demography, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Public Policy, International Development, or a related quantitative or social science field is required; a Master’s degree in a relevant field is preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning, preferably in social protection, poverty reduction, livelihoods, or international development programmes.
• Proficiency in data analysis and visualization tools, including advanced Microsoft Excel, at least one statistical software package (Stata, R, or SPSS), and data visualization platforms such as Power BI or Tableau.
• Hands-on experience designing, strengthening, or implementing Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) systems, including data collection, management, and analysis frameworks.
• Proven ability to manage multiple programmes or workstreams simultaneously, including coordinating stakeholders, tracking progress, and managing deliverables.
• Demonstrated ability to train, coach, or mentor others in MEL systems, including building institutional capacity for data use.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate technical analysis into clear, structured, and policy-relevant insights for non-technical audiences.
• Experience working with government institutions or regulatory agencies is highly desirable.
• Willingness to be a team player and identify connections between work streams.
• Cultural and political sensitivity and demonstrated ability to work successfully with diverse constituencies.
• Passion for making data-driven decision-making a reality in the development sector.

go to method of application »

Requisition ID: 1791

Job Summary

• IPA Nigeria is seeking a MEL Associate to support an embedded evidence lab established within a partner government agency implementing social protection programmes for vulnerable populations.
• The partner agency’s portfolio spans areas such as nutrition and education support, conditional cash transfers, and economic empowerment and livelihoods programmes.
• The MEL Associate will work as part of an embedded team to strengthen the agency’s capacity to systematically generate, manage, analyze, and use data and evidence for programme improvement and policy decision-making.
• This position requires hands-on MEL expertise, strong capacity-building skills, and the ability to work effectively within government systems.
• The MEL Associate will collaborate closely with agency staff across multiple departments to co-create practical MEL systems, deliver training and technical assistance, support data analysis and visualization, and foster a culture of evidence-informed decision-making.
• This is an opportunity to apply MEL expertise in a high-impact setting at the intersection of social protection policy and practice, working directly within government to build the systems, skills, and organizational culture needed to improve outcomes for vulnerable populations.
• The ideal candidate combines technical MEL knowledge with practical implementation experience, excellent training and mentoring abilities, and a passion for sustainable capacity development in government institutions.
• The MEL Associate may also be called upon to support other IPA Nigeria embedded lab engagements as organizational needs evolve.

Responsibilities
MEL Systems Development and Implementation:

• Support the development and implementation of an agency-wide MEL framework, working collaboratively with agency staff to develop theories of change, results frameworks, and indicator frameworks aligned with strategic objectives and reporting requirements.
• Design programme-specific MEL plans for individual programme teams, including data collection instruments, monitoring protocols, and quality assurance mechanisms tailored to each programme’s context and decision-making needs.
• Conduct data needs assessments across agency departments, mapping information requirements against existing data sources, identifying gaps, assessing data quality, and recommending solutions to strengthen data systems.
• Develop standard operating procedures, guidelines, and protocols for data collection, management, quality assurance, reporting, and data use that are practical, user-friendly, and appropriate to staff capacity levels.
• Implement data quality assurance mechanisms including verification protocols, spot-checks, data audits, and corrective action processes to ensure reliable and accurate programme data.

Capacity Building and Technical Support:

• Design and deliver MEL training workshops and learning sessions for agency staff at various levels on theories of change, indicator design, data collection methods, data analysis, data visualization, and evidence-informed decision-making.
• Provide ongoing hands-on technical assistance and mentoring to M&E officers, programme managers, and field staff on practical MEL tasks including designing data collection instruments, conducting data quality checks, preparing reports and visualizations, and using evidence for programme decisions.
• Build staff capacity to use data analysis and visualization tools including advanced Excel, statistical software (Stata, R, SPSS), database management tools, and visualization platforms (Power BI, Tableau).
• Facilitate learning events, data review meetings, and evidence-to-action workshops to promote peer learning, institutionalize data use practices, and foster an organizational culture of continuous learning and evidence-informed adaptation.
• Develop training materials, guidance notes, job aids, and tools to create institutional knowledge resources that support sustainable capacity strengthening.

Data Analysis, Visualization, and Reporting:

• Analyze primary and secondary programme data using quantitative and qualitative methods to generate actionable insights, and prepare clear data summaries, analytical reports, dashboards, and visualizations for various audiences.
• Support the development and maintenance of real-time monitoring dashboards displaying key performance indicators to enable programme managers and leadership to track progress and make timely adjustments.
• Contribute to high-quality technical outputs including evaluation reports, policy briefs, evidence syntheses, and lessons learned documents that communicate programme achievements, challenges, and learning.
• Support the partner agency’s external reporting obligations to relevant government leadership, donors, and other stakeholders, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with reporting requirements.
• Translate complex data findings into accessible, actionable insights for non-technical audiences through effective data visualization and clear written communication.

Evidence Generation and Coordination:

• Support the design and implementation of primary data collection activities including surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and case studies aimed at answering learning questions and generating evidence for programme improvement.
• Collaborate with IPA researchers and the assigned Lab Manager to support programme evaluations and research studies embedded within agency programmes, ensuring alignment with agency priorities and contribution to organizational learning.
• Coordinate with agency departments, the Lab Manager, IPA Nigeria team, and external partners to ensure alignment and maximize synergies across MEL activities.
• Support administrative and logistical requirements for lab activities including planning workshops, managing procurement, coordinating field visits, maintaining documentation, and contributing to work planning and reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Economics, Demography, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Public Policy, International Development, or a related quantitative or social science field is required; a Master’s degree in a relevant field is preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning, preferably in social protection, poverty reduction, livelihoods, or international development programmes.
• Proficiency in data analysis and visualization tools, including advanced Microsoft Excel, at least one statistical software package (Stata, R, or SPSS), and data visualization platforms such as Power BI or Tableau.
• Hands-on experience designing, strengthening, or implementing Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) systems, including data collection, management, and analysis frameworks.
• Proven ability to manage multiple programmes or workstreams simultaneously, including coordinating stakeholders, tracking progress, and managing deliverables.
• Demonstrated ability to train, coach, or mentor others in MEL systems, including building institutional capacity for data use.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate technical analysis into clear, structured, and policy-relevant insights for non-technical audiences.
• Experience working with government institutions or regulatory agencies is highly desirable.
• Willingness to be a team player and identify connections between work streams.
• Cultural and political sensitivity and demonstrated ability to work successfully with diverse constituencies.
• Passion for making data-driven decision-making a reality in the development sector.