INNOVATION FOR POVERTY (IPA) RWANDA FILED MANAGER POSITION

• Location: Kigali, Rwanda
• Application Deadline:5 PM 25^th September 2025, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis
• Length of Commitment: 6 -months renewable
• Desired start date: ASAP
• Reports to: Associate Research Manager

Innovations for Poverty Action was established in Rwanda in 2013 and has 10 active projects spanning across Education, Agriculture, Finance and Health. With 15 full time staff, a network of part-time field enumerators of over 300, IPA Rwanda predominantly implements Randomized Control Trails in collaboration with leading Rwandan and international academics, the Government of Rwanda and other development NGOs to evaluate the impact of new development concepts to help inform future government policy and development project.

Project and position summary

Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) Rwanda seeks qualified and motivated a Field Manager to supervise the field activities of Business Engagement Assistants who will support a new research project aimed at understanding financial constraints to exporting in Rwanda. This project is led by Jie Bai (Harvard Kennedy School), Lauren Bergquist (Yale University), Christian Lippitsch (International Growth Centre), and Ignacio Marra de Artinano (Université Libre de Bruxelles).

About the Project

The project will conduct an impact evaluation of a loan program for exporters, potential exporters, and export value chain players managed by the Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD). The objective is to understand the role of financial constraints to exporting in Rwanda. The Business Engagement Associates will be engaged in a large-scale firm outreach campaign to provide targeted marketing and application support to potential clients.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and supervise the team of Business Engagement Associates (BEAs) in all field activities,
• Assign daily/weekly targets and deploy BEAs to specific firms, locations, or sectors,
• Provide guidance, coaching, and problem-solving support to BEAs during outreach and engagement,
• Monitor BEA performance and ensure adherence to project protocols and standards,
• Develop and manage deployment schedules, travel plans, and fieldwork calendars to ensure efficiency,
• Coordinate logistical arrangements for BEAs, including transport, outreach materials, and support tools,
• Track field expenses, resource use, and ensure accountability for all project assets,
• Anticipate and address logistical challenges to avoid disruptions in fieldwork,
• Maintain regular communication with BEAs through briefings, check-ins, and debriefs,
• Collect daily/weekly reports from BEAs, consolidate key findings, and escalate issues as needed,
• Document and share insights on challenges firms encounter and operational issues BEAs face,
• Serve as the primary link between BEAs and the IPA research team/Principal Investigators (PIs)
• Ensure all outreach and facilitation activities are conducted in line with research protocols and ethical standards,
• Review BEA documentation and data to verify accuracy, completeness, and timeliness,

• Support BEAs in maintaining professional and respectful relationships with firm owners, banks, and government counterparts,
• Step in to resolve escalated issues or sensitive situations with firms or partner,
• Identify performance gaps and provide feedback and coaching for improvement,
• Foster teamwork, motivation, and accountability among BEAs to meet project goals,
• Maintain updated records of BEA deployment, firm coverage, and progress toward targets.

Qualifications 

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field
• At least one year of field management experience in field-based data collection
• Experience conducting social science or economic field research. Background in randomized control trials is preferred
• Understanding of loan application processes, credit analysis, and financial documentation is a plus.
• Strong oral and written communication in Kinyarwanda and English.
• Be physically apt for long travel and out of Kigali based field work
• Experience with electronic data collection platforms. Knowledge of Survey CTO a plus.
• Experience in the conduct of training of field staff

Language Skills Required: Fluency in English and Kinyarwanda is required; further language skills are an asset.

All candidates must have the legal right to work in Rwanda, this position will be based in the IPA Rwanda office in Kigali.

How to apply

INTERESTED APPLICANTS MEETING ALL THE REQUIREMENTS SHOULD FILL OUT AN ONLINE

APPLICATION FORM AND ATTACH THEIR COVER LETTER (1 Page), CV AND ACADEMIC CERTIFICATES THROUGH THE FOLLOWING LINK:

https://innovationsforpovertyaction.formstack.com/forms/ipa_rwanda_field_manager_job_application_september_2025

 APPLICATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED ON A ROLLING BASIS. DUE TO THE VOLUME OF APPLICATIONS ONLY

ONLY SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES WILL BE NOTIFIED ABOUT THE NEXT STEPS IN THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS.