Senior Evaluation & Research Associate At International Republican Institute

Job Summary

Every employee of IRI is responsible for carrying out the Mission of IRI and demonstrating the Core Values in their day-to-day operations. The Core Values, which are IRI’s foundational building blocks, include:

Excellence – We believe in quality results delivered by investing in people. Freedom – We believe in exploration and experimentation to be agile and responsive. Respect – We believe in trust, empathy and empowering people. Teamwork – We believe in diversity, inclusion and the power of global collaboration. Transparency – We believe in open communication and clear decision-making. Accountability – We believe in personal responsibility as the foundation of success.

The International Republican Institute (IRI) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization and a world leader in promoting democracy and advancing freedom. The Evaluation and Research (E&R) Senior Associate is an early career position well-suited to those seeking experience in monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL). The E&R Senior Associate will also gain experience in the democracy, human rights and governance (DRG) sector as part of a team that assesses program theory, strategy, and efficacy. The E&R Senior Associate will provide administrative and research support to the Evidence and Learning Practice. The E&R Senior Associate will have the opportunity to build skills in research and evaluation management that will provide a foundation for future opportunities in MERL and/or DRG programmatic work.

This position will be located in IRI’s Center for Global Impact, which cultivates innovative, informed programming and provides resources, tools and support to IRI staff to advance democracy worldwide. Within the Center, the Evidence and Learning Practice provides technical expertise on IRI’s monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning efforts.

Position Requirements

• Undergraduate degree in political science, international relations, or a related field.
• 2-3 years of experience in international development, MEL, or related field. This should be direct professional experience and excludes time spent in internships.
• Experience with Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint required, including intermediate to advanced Excel skills.
• Excellent analytical writing, research and communication skills.
• Experience with evaluation and/or program management basics preferred.
• Familiarity with common MERL elements such as: logic models, performance monitoring plans, indicator matrices, measurement techniques, and research and evaluation methods and 1 year of MERL experience required.
• Experience with basic qualitative research methods and analysis preferred.
• Experience consuming and interpreting quantitative research preferred. Prior coursework or experience with basic statistical principles required.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

• Provides management support for evaluation and research projects, including developing and tracking work plans, monitoring deadlines and deliverables, and other project-related elements.
• Supports evaluations of IRI programs worldwide by managing evaluation data, supporting data collection, conducting basic qualitative and quantitative data analysis and contributing to evaluation reports.
• Support learning for IRI staff and partners by disseminating evaluation and research results and lessons learned.
• Contribute to report writing as part of the evaluation and research process.
• Maintain budget trackers and liaise with accounting staff to manage and update project budget pipelines based on expected and planned expenses.
• Prepare, submit, track and follow-up on procurement requests, approvals and monitoring once approved.
• Serve as point of contact for procurement solicitations and compile submitted materials to facilitate the evaluation process.
• Liaise with vendors and contractors to support project goals and deliverables.
• Draft quarterly, semi-annual, final and other relevant reports for funders.
• Provide logistical support for meetings and events.
• Perform other duties as assigned.