Manager/Senior Manager, West and North Africa

Manager/Senior Manager, West and North Africa

Location: Dakar, Senegal

About IDinsight

We amplify social impact by partnering with leaders to develop tailored solutions. Our mission is to use data and evidence to help leaders combat poverty worldwide.

IDinsight is a mission-driven global advisory, data analytics, and research organization that helps global development leaders maximize their social impact. We tailor a wide range of data and evidence tools, including randomized evaluations and machine learning, to help decision-makers design effective programs and rigorously test what works to support communities. We work with governments, multilateral agencies, foundations, and innovative non-profit organizations in Asia and Africa. Our work spans a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, education, health, governance, sanitation, financial inclusion, and other areas.

We have expertise in a variety of rigorous approaches and methodologies, which we tailor to each client depending on their needs and constraints. To achieve a positive social impact we:

• Support clients’ use of data and evidence for routine and major decision-making.
• Inform funding decisions – toward high-impact initiatives and away from less effective programs or approaches.
• Create and share tools, knowledge, and ideas that expand the use of data and evidence for social good.

Our diverse, growing team of roughly 280 outstanding colleagues operates in nearly two dozen countries worldwide. Learn more about our mission and values at www.IDinsight.org.  

About the Manager / Senior Manager role

Managers are dynamic, diverse leaders who are passionate about making a difference, possess exceptional analytical skills and thrive in an entrepreneurial setting. IDinsight invests heavily in our employees’ professional development and expects them to think critically and creatively about how to maximize our clients’ social impact.
 
Managers oversee all aspects of client engagements (with support from an IDinsight Director) in order to produce high-quality outputs, but more importantly, to drive each client to maximize its social impact. Towards this end, Managers are expected to develop a diverse skill set, including establishing trusted advisor relationships with clients, mentoring high-performing early professionals (Associates), developing expertise in a broad range of data and evidence tools and overseeing all project and/or office-related safety & security risk management for their team members.

Key Responsibilities:

Client relationships:

• Managers establish themselves as experts and trusted advisors to IDinsight clients.
• Managers use this position to provide high-quality counsel and support based on rigorous evidence for senior leaders in governments, foundations, NGOs, and socially impactful businesses.
  
  

Project management, technical & communication skills:

• Managers lead all elements of IDinsight advisory and evaluation projects, including project management, oversight of analytical processes, engagement of internal and external experts, evaluation design and development of high-quality materials including policy briefs, technical reports, and presentation materials.
• As part of project management, managers are expected to support and improve existing administrative systems to ensure project administration tasks such as staffing requests, timesheet submission and approvals, staff leave management, change management etc. are executed properly.
• Managers need not be experts in specific analytical tools and methods, but must be able to develop a deep and nuanced understanding of how data and evidence tools can be used to help answer the clients’ questions. Managers are also responsible for cross-functional collaboration with the technical teams at IDinsight, to maintain rigour of the work.
  
  

Mentorship of junior staff:

• Manage timelines, quality control, and risk mitigation within the context of project constraints to ensure effective project execution.
• Responsible for providing mentorship and guidance to all team members, especially Associates, and fostering a collaborative and high-performance environment.
• Lead project budget design and management, and all funder compliances for the project.
  

Financial management:

• Managers lead project budget design and management, and are responsible for identifying any financial risks to different stakeholders as early as possible.
• Managers lead all funder compliances for the project, and support the Director in managing funder relationships.
  

IDinsight growth:

• As required, Managers are encouraged to contribute to IDinsight's organizational development by helping to improve and refine the IDinsight approach, develop new client engagements, establish and improve internal processes and culture, and potentially help open new IDinsight offices or start new services.
  

Qualifications

• Deep passion for improving lives around the world
• Demonstrated interest in the use of evidence, rigorous impact measurement, and data to improve development policies and programs
• Advanced degree, preferably in public policy, economics, public administration, business
• 4-8 years of relevant work experience, including managerial experience in similar settings as IDinsight
• Outstanding interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills with senior decision-makers
• Proven ability to lead and motivate other staff in a dynamic and diverse environment
• Outstanding critical thinking skills, with a nuanced understanding of data and evidence tools, including but not limited to statistical software
• Self-starter who will thrive in a start-up setting by taking ownership and initiative
• Fluency in French and English (spoken and written) is required
• Intellectual curiosity and sense of humour
  
  

Candidates will be evaluated for a Manager vs. Senior Manager role based on their qualifications, previous experiences, and performance during the hiring processes.

Professional development

Skill and career development are core to IDinsight's values and long-term impact strategy and have been noted highlights of teammates’ experiences. Team members receive mentorship from leadership, support from talented peers, and considerable autonomy when ready. Real-time feedback is embedded in our culture, and a formal structure enables maximum professional growth. 

Nuts & bolts 

Location

This position can be based in IDinsight’s Dakar, Senegal office. This position is not eligible for remote work, or otherwise, from the United States. Preference will be given to those with pre-existing work authorization in these countries; however, IDInsight will seek work permits where possible for exceptional candidates. 

Start date

The expected start date for this position is in Q4 of 2025. However, there is a possibility of an earlier start if organizational needs arise. We anticipate a minimum commitment of two years, with regular professional development conversations and the potential to grow into a long-term career at IDinsight

Work authorization

IDinsight is able to sponsor employment visas for all nationalities in these locations; however, we will prioritise candidates who do not require IDinsight to sponsor work. 

Compensation

Compensation and benefits are commensurate with the qualifications and experiences IDinsight is hiring for. We are especially proud of the people-focused benefits we offer, including comprehensive health insurance, including mental health coverage; paid vacation, sick, and parental leave; relocation benefits; a travel stipend; technology and work from home stipends; a professional development budget; and more.

Please note, that while we aim to be competitive within the global development sector, we are non-profit, and as such  are usually unable to meet compensation brackets similar to leading private sector organizations.

How to apply

Please ensure that your CV includes relevant professional and personal experience as well as details on academic qualifications. CVs can range from one to two pages. Please note, headshot photographs, parental details, birth dates, marital status and other personal information not relevant to the application do not need to be included in your CV. Additionally, we strongly encourage you to use your cover letter to highlight why you want to work for IDinsight specifically, and what has prepared you to succeed in the role you’re applying for. A customized cover letter is an important part of IDinsight’s recruiting process as it allows us to understand your motivations for the position, relevant skills, and clarity of writing.

More information, including details on IDinsight’s hiring process and frequently asked questions, can be found online at IDinsight Careers. Any questions should be directed to careers@IDinsight.org.

IDinsight’s commitment to reducing power asymmetries

IDinsight is committed to reducing power asymmetries in the social sector. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion reflects our understanding of the need for the sector to abandon unhealthy practices of the past. We wish to be part of a new generation of international NGOs who are honest about this history and transparent about our role in the present. Our commitment is also aligned with the impact of our work. 

We seek a workforce that is inclusive of a variety of perspectives that will help us refine and improve our methods and relationships, and strengthen the services we provide our clients and their communities or constituencies. The following commitments represent our vision for the IDinsight team:

1. IDinsight will have greater representation from the populations with whom we work and clients we serve.
2. IDinsight will have greater representation from the countries in which we work.
3. Across all countries in which we recruit, we will seek greater representation from historically excluded communities.
4. IDinsight will foster an inclusive work culture that empowers a diverse team to do their best work.

IDinsight is committed to non-discrimination in our recruitment, employment practices, and organizational culture, regardless of people’s age, disability, gender, gender identity, genetics, national origin, race, color, religion or belief, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.