About the Trust

The University of Chicago Trust (the Trust) is a charitable trust in India, established in 2008 by an alumnus of The University of Chicago. The objectives of the UChicago Trust are to provide opportunities for grants to support educational programs, research programs and activities for the betterment of India.

About the Organization

Data, Policy, and Innovation Centre (DPIC) is a 5-year strategic collaboration between GoOdisha and University of Chicago Trust (UCT), India. The Centre, funded by the Government of Odisha (GoOdisha) and housed at the E&IT Department, will enable rigorous, evidence-based governance, using new advances in econometrics, data-science, and machine learning. The Centre will carry out research, monitoring & impact evaluation, and project implementation in the sectors of Energy and Environment, Health, Education, Agriculture, and Water & Sanitation. In addition, the Centre will create a of hub for modern data analysis, that will focus on the use of data to improve the decision-making process in the state of Odisha and lend support by providing insights in effectiveness of existing programs and suggesting changes to achieve objectives of the government.

Position Description

The Executive Director will lead the DPIC team, oversee activities to meet the objectives of DPIC, support the strategic management of the center and all internal and external reporting requirements.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned leader with superior people skills, and possesses a mix of business development, analytical, interpersonal & communications skills and is passionate about working with cross-functional groups to drive large-scale impact in the development sector.

Job Description

• Oversee coordination and management of a wide-ranging research, data, and policy partnership between the UChicago Trust and the Odisha Government, engaging multiple ministries, data resources, researchers, and other external partners.
• Facilitate coordination and collaboration between a wide range of researchers and partners in the Odisha government to advance research projects that can inform policy in Odisha.
• Responsible for all aspects of DPIC financial and project management, including internal staff, research grants, and additional fundraising.
• Programmatic overview of the development of DPIC’s project workstreams and manage all internal and external communication.
• Develop models for supporting government departments to implement evidence-based research findings, including implementation toolkits and technical assistance partnerships.
• Responsible for ongoing scale-up programs and other strategic initiatives within DPIC.
• Represent DPIC and UChicago Trust at high-level interactions with stakeholders in Odisha and other platforms to engage with other organizations, NGOs, etc. to discuss DPIC’s work.
• Work closely and build strong relationships with Government of Odisha officials, UCTs leadership and university centres and faculty.
• Support the program-related recruitment, management, and retention of outstanding and highly committed research team members in Odisha.
• Design and execute the long-term strategy and vision of DPIC.
• All other tasks as assigned.

Qualifications

Education

• Minimum master’s degree or equivalent in economics, statistics, public policy, engineering, management, social science, or related fields from a reputed institution. PhD in similar disciplines will be an added advantage.

Experience

• 15+ years of work experience in a similar role
• Demonstrated entrepreneurship, superb project delivery and team motivator.
• At least 8 years of experience in a senior level position.

Competencies

• Strong understanding of social science or economic field research and/or experience conducting field research in developing countries.
• Ability to work very closely with senior bureaucrats.
• Aptitude for designing/implementing large-scale projects.
• Experience working with international universities is highly desirable.
• Excellent management and organizational skills along with strong quantitative skills
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Skilled with aligning multiple stakeholders and building platforms for collaboration and coordination.
• Fair, flexible, motivated team player with superior engagement skills
• Creative individual who can turn ideas into action.
• Strategic thinker and committed individualwho can design effective processes to communicate in a manner that increases DPIC’s prominence among the public, practitioners, and policymakers.
• Manage a research portfolio by engaging junior and senior staff members.

• Skilled at leading policy outreach, including strategically identifying and mobilising appropriate policymakers while developing and maintaining these relationships.
• Fluent in English, Hindi and Odiya.

Working Conditions

Applicant must be legally authorized to work in India.

Application Documents

Resume

Cover Letter

Three References

Interested candidates can apply using this link.