Senior Research Manager

ABOUT THE COMPANY We manage transfers end-to-end using electronic monitoring and payment technology. JOB SUMMARY This Senior Research Manager will own GiveDirectly’s impact learning agenda for our core Large Lump Sum (LLS) programming, in close collaboration with relevant Product Leads and M&E staff. They will own the development and advancement of our organizational learning for Large Lump Sum transfer programs, including:Responsibility for GiveDirectly’s impact learning agenda for LLS programs, helping counterparts around the organization to use a common theory of change, identify critical open questions about the impact of LLS programs, and develop M&E practices or research proposals to address those open questionsDefining measurement and analysis best-practices for LLS programs, providing technical leadership for org-wide M&E standards and developing new indicators/analyses to address emergent questionsSupporting LLS “default” product design through primary analysis and evidence reviews on key features such as transfer size, tranching, cadence, targeting criteria, and “plus” componentsResponsibility for strategic impact evaluations and impact-focused research on LLS programs across multiple countries, both directly through in-house M&E capacity and through external research partnershipsThey will be a key contributor to every proposal involving in-depth research on LLS programs, and serve as a resource for priority LLS programs during implementation. They will have broad oversight of LLS-specific M&E practices, and ensure the continuity between GD’s research agenda and M&E practice for LLS programs. RESPONSIBILITIES Technical ownership of GD’s impact learning agenda for LLS programs, with particular focus on national/regional poverty graduation objectivesMaintain the “canonical” Theory of Change for GD’s LLS product, with deep understanding of the current evidence and emergent hypotheses about different pathways in this TOC; serve as the internal reference point on the evidence underlying the theory of change.Develop a clear, shared prioritization for  impact-focused learning questions based on this TOC, with input from stakeholders across the Product, Partnerships, Programs, and Comms teams; develop organizational awareness and buy-in for these priority questions. Work particularly closely with leadership in “national scale” countries to incorporate their learning priorities, and scope projects to advance these priorities. Support Product Leads and the Partnerships team as they develop variations of the LLS Theory of Change, including reviews of research from economics, sociology, psychology, etc. that bound GD’s expectations about newly hypothesized mechanisms of impact.Proactively identify opportunities to address key questions through M&E or new research projects, and de-prioritize research or M&E work that does not sufficiently or credibly address key impact questions.Defining measurement and analysis best-practices for LLS programsOwn th