Program Manager, The Weiss Fund

Organization:

The Weiss Fund for Research in Development Economics supports research by students and ladder faculty working in development economics, broadly defined, funding projects that address a wide range of issues affecting less developed countries.

Role:

The Weiss Fund is seeking a full-time Program Manager (PM) to manage the calls for proposals and grant awards, while leading research and communications projects to advance the aims of the Fund. The PM will work as part of a team to coordinate requests for proposals (RFPs) to fund development economics and implementation projects and disseminate results of Weiss Fund supported projects that have the potential to impact the lives of the poor at scale.  

Responsibilities:

The PM will lead recruitment of new scholars, including by being the lead coordinator of the Kabir Banerjee predoctoral program. This will include significant outreach and creativity to recruit talented young scholars and to coordinate with the mentors at eligible institutions. The PM will also coordinate recruitment of researchers to apply for the Weiss Fund. For example, the Fund recently added a self nomination process for Junior Faculty that the PM will help advertise and administer. Finally, the PM will lead policy and communications for the Weiss Fund, including highlighting successes on the website, conducting outreach on social media, advertising the Funds’ opportunities, and leading the coordination of a high-level policy event in Washington DC. 

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will have a strong interest in rigorous development economics research, be a self-starter who thrives working both independently, with minimal supervision, and as part of small teams, juggling multiple responsibilities concurrently.Open to candidates based in Chicago or abroad in Weiss Fund eligible countries.

1. Bachelor’s degree in economics, public policy, or a related field required.
2. A minimum of 5-7 years of related experience
3. Experience working in a research environment.
4. Ability to work independently with a high degree of initiative as well as to work well in a cross-cultural team.
5. Work experience in development economics or a closely related field.
6. Excellent writing skills. Ability to communicate technical information for stakeholders of varying technical backgrounds. 
7. Excellent attention to detail.