IPA recruits 01 Senior Research Associate (S/RA)

About the Role

Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) Côte d'Ivoire is seeking a Senior Research Associate to oversee a cost-effectiveness study aimed at informing the implementation of Early Childhood Development (ECD) models in Côte d'Ivoire.

Project Context

Since 2015, the Transforming Education in Cocoa Communities (TRECC) initiative has been adapting and piloting programmatic models in early childhood development, primary education, and vocational training in cocoa communities across Côte d'Ivoire. Following a substantial pilot phase, four programs are progressing toward the next stage of scale and integration with national systems.

Early childhood stimulation has been successfully tested in multiple geographies. However, researchers and implementers must now translate this evidence into cost-effective impact at scale. The learning agenda is shifting toward understanding two key components of cost-effectiveness for each program: impact and unit costs.

Project Leadership

This research is led by Karen Macours (Professor at the Paris School of Economics) and Jere R. Behrman (Ph.D. Economics, MIT).

Key Responsibilities

• Design survey questionnaires
• Conduct qualitative research
• Run pilot exercises
• Refine study design and surveying instruments
• Work closely with the Principal Investigators, Research Manager, and IPA Côte d'Ivoire country office staff

Impact

This study will help inform all government programs related to early childhood development and has already generated significant interest among academics, policymakers, and donors.

Location

Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire