Senior AI Policy Manager

Position description

J-PAL is collaborating with the Schwarzman College of Computing at MIT to work on the intersection of Global Development and Artificial Intelligence. This initiative will work on evaluating and scaling transformative applications of AI in development programs. J-PAL is recruiting a Senior AI Policy Manager under this initiative to play a key role in facilitating AI-related research by J-PAL affiliates and transforming relevant research into actionable poverty alleviation policies around the world. Staff will connect the dots between AI, economics, and policy and must be passionate about working with organizations to form partnerships for evidence-informed AI-based development policy.

The position will be based in Cambridge, MA, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Only applications following all instructions at the bottom of this page will be considered.

Responsibilities:

Your work requires a breadth of knowledge and a depth of understanding to support J-PAL’s growing policy efforts. As a Senior AI Policy Manager, your primary tasks will involve brainstorming with co-chairs and the team on the opportunities and strategy for expanding our work in AI, initiative management, communication, analysis, and staff supervision.

Initiative Strategy and Management (45%): Help develop the strategy for our AI work, manage J-PAL’s AI for Social Good Initiative and supervise 1-2 associate-level initiative staff.

1. 1. Develop policy briefs, presentations, and other materials that highlight evidence and policy lessons in this workstream
   2. Identify and source potential AI evaluation projects to fund and support
   3. Develop new assessment and evaluation methods for AI-based interventions
   4. Identify key social sector interventions where AI is most likely to have the most benefit
   5. Create and widely share practical guidance about how to use rigorous impact evaluations to measure the impacts of AI for social good interventions given that the underlying technology is changing very rapidly
   6. Organize public-facing events, and fundraise for the initiative to spark research in using AI to enable transformative outcomes for Millions of the world’s poor.
   7. Develop, launch and manage a Request for Proposals (RFP) to fund relevant evaluations under the AI for Social Good Initiative

As a Senior Manager, you will supervise and mentor Policy Associates on everything including their technical skills, writing style and professional development.

Evidence Communication and Dissemination (30%): Build relationships with key partners in governments, technology firms, NGOs, foundations and multilateral aid agencies worldwide, and present J-PAL’s work and research. Write publications that “translate” J-PAL’s economic research into lessons for policymakers around the world and create materials for policy outreach. Create materials for AI firms to learn how to evaluate their products and to learn about algorithms that prove effective. Materials for policy makers and AI firms will include publications and presentations, as well as other high-level deliverables, as requested by J-PAL senior staff and affiliates. You will also conduct research and analysis for policy memos, grant proposals, and sector-specific work, including evidence synthesis publications such as Policy Insights.

Other (25%): Have the opportunity to support J-PAL’s overall mission in a number of ways. These can include supporting the work of a functional team (policy writing, cost-effectiveness), supporting a particular policy partnership, and performing internal tasks such as knowledge management, supporting recruitment and hiring, supporting work on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and undertaking professional development opportunities.

Supervision Received:

Senior AI Policy Manager will report to the AI Lead.

Supervision Exercised:

Senior AI Policy Manager will manage 1-2 AI Policy Associates

Qualifications & Skills:

Your technical expertise, strong communication and organizational skills, passion for translating research into action, and interest in international development make you an ideal candidate for Senior AI Policy Manager.

Education: You hold at least a Master’s degree with significant training in economics, including intermediate-level economics and econometrics, and understand how Machine Learning works. Do you have a demonstrated academic interest in AI, international development policy and/or study abroad experience? Even better.

Experience: You have 5 or more years of relevant and substantial work experience, including at least 1 year of experience working in a developing country. You have a successful track record of managing junior staff.

Skills: You are comfortable with intermediate-level economics and econometrics, especially randomized evaluation methodology and understand the fundamentals of Machine Learning. Additionally, you are comfortable working in or learning computer applications, including Google Suite and Salesforce. Fluency in English is mandatory. Knowledge of Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, French, Portuguese, Spanish, or other languages spoken in our regions of work are a plus.

Communication: You are detail-oriented and have advanced writing skills. You understand how to communicate policy lessons from technical academic research in ways that policymakers, AI experts, and practitioners understand. You are precise, clear, and creative.

Organization: You are a strategic thinker. You can handle multiple projects at once with little supervision, meet deadlines, and effectively manage your time, as well as others’.

Cultural competencies: You are comfortable and adept at working in a diverse and multicultural work environment, with colleagues, partners and policymakers from around the world. You display sensitivity, adaptability, and inclusivity in your engagement with people from diverse backgrounds including age, ability, culture, gender, nationality, race and ethnicity, religion, sexuality, socioeconomic status, and other identities. We appreciate candidates who have familiarity with concepts and frameworks such as racial equity or gender analyses.

Attitude: You love learning. You are passionate about international development policy and the rigorous research that informs it. You are self-motivated, work hard, and enjoy managing others.

Location: This position is based in Cambridge, MA and will require coming to the office in-person at least two days every week (currently those days are Tuesdays and Wednesdays for all staff). The other 3 days staff can opt to work from anywhere. Hybrid policies are subject to change annually. We greatly value in-office presence and therefore this position, similar to others at J-PAL Global, is not eligible for full-time remote work.

Travel: Some travel required (~10% of time)

Application instructions

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