SUMMARY
Root Capital seeks an analytical researcher with strong written and oral communication skills to join our growing social and environmental impact assessment team. Root Capital’s effort to measure impact in these key dimensions is focused on three strategies: Social Value Metrics collected at the borrower enterprise level; Key Performance Indicators to communicate Root Capital’s organizational effectiveness; and household-level Impact Assessments. The Senior Associate will collaborate with the Director of Impact Assessment to launch and coordinate Root Capital’s household-level, multi-year impact assessment studies in Africa. S/he will assist in selecting an appropriate assessment methodology, designing household surveys, overseeing the data collection process with local survey firms, analyzing data, and synthesizing the results in reports and white papers. The Senior Associate will also help to coordinate Root Capital’s efforts to track and report key social and environmental metrics on its portfolio of borrower enterprises, and conduct data analysis to understand the impact and efficiency of our work.
Candidates should possess: experience with social science research; project management skills; strong interpersonal, oral and written communication skills; experience with or knowledge of development finance; and a passion for Root Capital’s mission of conserving vulnerable natural resources and promoting equitable social development in rural areas of the developing world.
RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Advise and assist with the selection of an appropriate quantitative and/or qualitative impact assessment methodology to measure our social and economic impact in Africa. Research and evaluate options and make appropriate recommendations.
2. Collaborate with external advisors to design methodology that strikes the balance between robust and practical impact assessment surveys.
3. Contribute to the design of household surveys. Support efforts to determine survey parameters, select and train in-country survey firms, and coordinate data collection.
4. Ensure the effective implementation of baseline surveys by coordinating with survey firms and methodology advisor.
5. Synthesize the results of the surveys to strengthen assessment and selection processes throughout Root Capital’s program work. Coordinate with all Root Capital departments to integrate these results to help achieve organizational goals, including the maximization of our social, economic, and environmental impact.
6. Disseminate the survey results externally by writing and/or coordinating the preparation of white papers or journal articles that summarize the methodology, results, and lessons learned.
7. Contribute to the overall initiatives of the Impact Assessment department, including the collection of key social and financial metrics, analysis of available data. Recommend changes to current evaluation practices.
8. Respond to inquiries about the department’s work.
9. Support the implementation and administration of the department’s social value metrics database in Salesforce.com.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
1. Master’s Degree in economics, econometrics, social science, or related field.
2. 2-4 years of experience employing quantitative and qualitative research methods in the social sciences such as randomized control trials.
3. Coursework or work experience in econometrics. Advanced knowledge of SPSS, STATA, or other data analysis software.
4. Experience in conducting primary field research, such as surveys and focus groups.
5. Excellent project management and organizational skills and ability to work independently. Able to coordinate activities of an international team of staff and external consultants.
6. Strong oral and written communication skills, including experience synthesizing research results.
7. Strong interpersonal skills and flexible approach to problem-solving; able to communicate with a wide variety of audiences, including funders, academics, and representatives of grassroots enterprises in developing countries. Experience in developing countries a plus.
8. Experience with or knowledge of development finance.
9. Proficiency in Spanish and/or French preferred.
10. Able to travel internationally up to 10% of the time.
11. Collaborative team player with a good sense of humor.
12. Passion for Root Capital’s mission of environmentally and socially responsible investing.
SALARY: Commensurate with experience.
APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS
More information about Root Capital is available at www.rootcapital.org.
Applications are due by November 20, 2009. Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Applications should include a resume and cover letter describing your interest, qualifications, language abilities, salary requirements, and how you learned of the position. Please include a paragraph describing your research skills and experience. There are no restrictions on cover letter length.
Please send applications to jobs@rootcapital.org. The subject line of your email should follow the format: “IA SA” followed by your name (Last, First), e.g. “IA SA – Santos, Elizabeth”.
Finalist candidates will be required to provide at least three work-related references.
