Evidence to Action Manager

Background/IRC Summary:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

Job Overview/Summary:

As a part of IRC’s Strategy100, we have committed to creating a more consistent portfolio of evidence-based programming approaches for IRC and our partners. We also commit to regularly reviewing these interventions against the best available impact and cost evidence. The Evidence to Action (E2A) Manager will help to increase the quantity, quality, relevance and accessibility of evidence products for our technical and program teams. They will also support the IRC to improve the ways we deliver our use of evidence services. This position sits within IRC’s Research and Innovation Department (Airbel) and reports to the Senior Advisor, Evidence to Action.

In this role you will receive guidance and mentorship from E2A team members to build competence in our evidence search, appraisal and synthesis approaches. The E2A Manager will also support the management of all evidence products within the E2A’s systems and within broader IRC knowledge management platforms. Where relevant, the Manager may be requested to coordinate short-term staff such as interns or consultants.

Major Responsibilities:

Develop and deliver evidence products to advance IRC’s Research and Evidence Ambition:

• Engage Technical Units, Senior Researchers and other internal clients to identify their evidence needs around technical topics, programmatic interventions or potential areas of research.
• Conduct scoping, searching, screening, critical appraisal and synthesis activities in order to develop high quality evidence products such as rapid reviews, annotated bibliographies or evidence summaries.
• Collaborate with partners from across the organization to use and share evidence products internally and externally.
• For reviews focused in programmatic interventions, collaborate with Technical Unit colleagues to develop evidence cards for IRC’s interactive Outcomes and Evidence Framework (iOEF).
• Support the maintenance of an updated evidence repository within the E2A team and on IRC’s intranet.
• Orient and manage short-term research assistants, fellows or consultants and provide project management support.

Support other emergent Airbel or interdepartmental projects that help advance the use of evidence:

• With guidance E2A leadership, find opportunities to support generation or application of evidence in discrete projects e.g. design of a new country-level project, prototyping of a new solution, a primary research project or development of a technical strategy.
• Apply existing skills to support the identified project(s), sharing relevant lessons with the E2A team that can improve our products or our way of working.

Position Requirements:

• Master’s Degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Political Science, Humanitarian Studies, Economics or related fields preferred
• University-level training in quantitative and qualitative research methods or statistics
• Minimum 2 years experience working with non-profit organizations preferred
• Familiarity with systematic reviews and rapid evidence assessments
• Experience conducting literature reviews and summarizing and presenting research evidence
• Strong project management and organizational skills
• Ability to learn quickly on-the-job
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work with multi-cultural teams across different technical sectors
• Fluency in English (written and spoken) and one other IRC operating language (Spanish, French or Arabic) is required
• Experience with evidence databases and platforms, preferred

Working Environment:**

• Standard office work environment, working from home where IRC office is located is an option
• Up to 10% travel

The IRC is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC et les employés de IRC doivent adhérer aux valeurs et principes contenus dans le IRC WAY (normes de conduite professionnelle). Ce sont l’Intégrité, le Service, et la Responsabilité. En conformité avec ces valeurs, IRC opère et fait respecter les politiques sur la protection des bénéficiaires contre l’exploitation et les abus, la protection de l’enfant, le harcèlement sur les lieux de travail, l’intégrité financière, et les représailles.