Best Use of Resources Analyst

The Airbel Impact Lab designs, tests, and scales life-changing, cost-effective solutions for people affected by conflict and disaster. By applying the IRC’s deep technical expertise and field experience with a range of skills from the behavioral sciences, human-centered design, research, and multi-disciplinary problem-solving in humanitarian contexts, we work to develop breakthrough solutions that combine creativity and rigor, openness and expertise, and a desire to think afresh with the experience of a large-scale implementing organization. Within the Airbel, the Best Use of Resources team provides analysis and decision-making support to improve the cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness of IRC programs.

Job Overview/Summary:

To improve accountability, humanitarian actors must be clear about how funds are being used to deliver assistance in a cost-efficient and cost-effective manner. To contribute to this, the IRC founded the Best Use of Resources initiative to conduct analysis on the cost-efficiency (how well we convert inputs into outputs) and cost-effectiveness (how well we convert outputs into outcomes) of key IRC programs. Compiling data on cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness allows the BUR team to advise and support country programs and technical units, ensuring that the IRC’s programs have the greatest possible reach and impact per dollar. This position will provide support across the Best Use of Resources team, building on five years of work during which the team has developed a standardized costing methodology and tools, worked with IRC Technical Units to map how cost evidence fits into decision-making, and supported flagship IRC projects with support on resource allocation and planning. Specifically, this position will be asked to support Best Use of Resources Advisors on:

-Cost-effectiveness analyses as part of research evaluations

-Cost-efficiency modeling and scenario projections

-Outcome-based budgeting and resource planning for large IRC projects

-Synthesis of cost evidence in different sectors, and development of programmatic guidance

Major Responsibilities:

•Support cost-effectiveness analyses within designated sectors, as part of impact evaluations run by the Airbel Research Team. Work under the supervision of a Senior Advisor to execute research plans, including collation of necessary monitoring data, and cost information from IRC finance system. Maintain relationships with country-based research counterparts in the execution of these tasks.

•Work with country-based counterparts to run cost-efficiency analyses to assist in building organizational understanding of efficiency drivers within programs. Develop program-specific databases of existing cost data, and relative program information, for synthetization and analysis.

•Contribute to scenario modeling to inform programmatic decision making, including liaising with program counterparts and building models showing the impact of different program designs on cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

•Support strategic projects to apply lessons from cost analysis to decisions about scaling and replicating effective interventions. Work with finance and program teams to review proposal budgets for alignment with workplans and targets.

Job Requirements:

•Bachelor degree in economics, statistics, public policy, or related field.

•Knowledge of economic evaluation methods, applications, and the cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis literature in developing countries.

•Knowledge of organizational finance and knowledge management systems.

•Ability to be work as part of a remote team across many time zones.

•Excellent communication skills, cultural sensitivity, flexibility, ability to improvise, team player.

Fluency in spoken and written English required; proficiency and/or fluency in French or Arabic preferred.

Working Environment:Standard office work environment.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct.These are Integrity, Equality, Service, and Accountability.In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC et les employés de IRC doivent adhérer aux valeurs et principes contenus dans le IRC WAY (normes de conduite professionnelle). Ce sont l’Intégrité, Egalite, le Service, et la Responsabilité. En conformité avec ces valeurs, IRC opère et fait respecter les politiques sur la protection des bénéficiaires contre l’exploitation et les abus, la protection de l’enfant, le harcèlement sur les lieux de travail, l’intégrité financière, et les représailles.