(Senior) Policy & Research Manager - Weather Forecasts , New Delhi -India

Job Summary

Founded and led by Nobel laureate Michael Kremer, the Development Innovation Lab (DIL) at the University of Chicago uses the tools of economics to develop innovations with the potential to benefit millions of people in low- and middle-income countries. 

Research suggests that the benefits of delivering high-quality weather forecasts outweigh the costs by orders of magnitude. DIL is seeking a (Senior) Policy and Research Manager to advance its initiatives aimed at increasing access to high-quality weather and climate forecasts in low- and middle-income countries, particularly for smallholder farmers. 

In 2024, DIL supported the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare in India in digitally disseminating monsoon forecasts to approximately 9 million farmers. In 2025, DIL will support the Ministry in disseminating forecasts at a greater scale and conducting research (such as A/B tests) to optimize dissemination. The (Senior) Manager will be responsible for managing this effort and developing partnerships with a range of stakeholders, including but not limited to governments in India, to digitally disseminate weather forecasts to farmers. 

In addition to their primary responsibility managing projects and stakeholders in India, the (Senior) Manager will also provide management support for DIL’s work scaling this intervention in other low- and middle-income countries through partnerships with funders, multilaterals, NGOs, and government officials, as well as work with the faculty director (Michael Kremer) and other researchers on related research. 

The role level (Manager or Senior Manager) will be determined based on the candidate’s experience. Senior Managers will be expected to assume greater leadership responsibilities, such as representing DIL at high-level meetings. 

We are looking for candidates interested in starting as soon as possible. This is a full-time position for one year with the possibility for renewal based on project needs. 

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in India.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until September 30. 

Responsibilities

50%: Lead policy outreach for and scaling of high-quality weather and seasonal forecasts in India, with guidance from Professor Amir Jina and Professor Michael Kremer:

Develop and maintain strong relationships with policymakers, funders, and other partners.

Lead project planning and oversee project execution. This will include managing Research Professionals and Research Associates, presenting research insights to non-technical audiences, and anticipating and solving problems. 

Coordinate with team members to ensure alignment across workstreams, identify and develop opportunities for expansion, and regularly report on progress. 

20%: Provide management support for policy outreach and other activities scaling high-quality weather and seasonal forecasts in other low- and middle-income countries:

Liaise with multilateral development banks, donors, country officials, and other relevant stakeholders to assess opportunities to disseminate high-quality weather forecasts in other low- and middle-income countries. 

Develop proposals and concept notes to support DIL’s efforts to develop and grow initiatives related to the dissemination of weather forecasts and digital agriculture more broadly. 

20%: Provide management support for research projects, such as A/B tests on disseminating high-quality weather forecasts to farmers: 

Coordinate with DIL researchers and other partners on study design, implementation, and potential scale-up of projects. 

Manage relationships with implementing partners.

Handle administrative responsibilities such as IRB, new proposal development, contracting, budgeting, donor reporting and communication, grants management, and project finance

10%: Provide input on cross-cutting lab activities or DIL public goods as required.

Educational Qualifications and Work Experience

We expect the most competitive candidates will have a Master’s degree in a related field, and least 3 years of relevant work experience for the Manager role, and at least 5 years for the Senior Manager role.

Competencies sought

We encourage you to apply if you believe you have the skills to make a meaningful contribution to our work, even if you don't meet every qualification listed below.

Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills

Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and teams simultaneously. 

Excellent stakeholder management skills, particularly managing partnerships with governments in India.

Prior experience in agriculture, agrometeorology, or climate services, to facilitate collaboration with climate scientists and agronomists.

Familiarity with development economics, particularly causal research. While the Manager/Senior Manager will not need to conduct research, successful candidates must be able to interpret research findings for policy audiences and manage research projects. 

Excellent writing skills in English. 

High ownership and strong problem-solving abilities. 

High adaptability. 

Working Conditions

This is a work-from-home role. We expect the role to require in-person meetings in Delhi at least twice a week. The candidate must be able to attend these meetings at short notice, including attending meetings daily if needed. 

The candidate must be willing to travel at least once a month if needed for developing opportunities outside of Delhi. 

Work independently for periods of eight (8) hours or more.