Summary
The Impact Evaluation Fellow will work closely with the Senior Impact and Partnerships Manager and Senior Director of Strategy and Impact to support the design, implementation, and management of Root Capital’s impact evaluation studies that will be taking place in Latin America, Africa and/or Indonesia during summer 2018. Our mixed-methods impact evaluations aim to measure Root Capital’s impact on our clients—agricultural businesses—and the impact of these businesses on smallholder farmers, their communities, and local ecosystems. The Impact Evaluation Fellow will help implement and oversee several studies conducted in different locations (Latin America, Africa, and/or Indonesia) and across multiple agricultural value chains. S/he will contribute to research design, assist with developing and/or programming survey instruments, training and/or supervising enumerators, overseeing data collection, analyzing qualitative and quantitative data, and preparing preliminary write-ups of study results. The Impact Evaluation Fellow may also contribute to other impact monitoring and measurement activities, as needed.
Working with Root Capital
Our team members work hard to tackle the challenges inherent in changing the world for the better, so we strive to cultivate an environment in which it feels great to work. In addition to salary, health insurance, and a generous vacation package, anyone working for Root Capital can expect to enjoy the following:
- Diverse and dynamic team: with staff based in the United States, Latin America, Indonesia, East Africa, and West Africa. Our team is highly collaborative, and we regularly consult with one another to gain expertise or a new perspective.
- Flexibility: once a week, avoid the commute and join your team from the comfort of your home via videoconference.
- Dress: dress in the way that makes you feel most productive, from business casual to jeans.
- Coffee: Did we mention the coffee? We take it very seriously; it’s high quality and always available!
Mission and History of Root Capital
Root Capital is a nonprofit social investment fund whose mission is to grow rural prosperity in poor, environmentally vulnerable places in Africa, Latin America, and Asia by lending capital, delivering financial training and strengthening market connections for small and growing agricultural businesses. Root Capital clients include associations and private businesses that help create sustainable livelihoods by aggregating the products of hundreds, and often thousands, of farmers.
Since our launch in 1999, we have provided more than $1 billion in credit to over 650 small and growing agricultural businesses. Root Capital envisions a thriving financial market serving agricultural businesses that generate long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability for small-scale farmers and their communities around the world. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Root Capital currently has associated offices in Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Senegal, and Kenya.
Responsibilities
- Contribute to final design and/or refinement of existing study methodology, providing input from the literature (i.e. conducting literature reviews) and best practices
- Support the development of survey instruments, program survey instruments in SurveyCTO and/or review the programing of survey instruments, and test the electronic instruments
- Recruit, train and oversee staff based in Root Capital’s regional offices and/or enumerators in data collection, including the application of quality control protocols
- Aggregate, clean, and analyze quantitative and qualitative data
- Draft write-ups of study findings
- Identify study-related issues that arise and work closely with team members to solve them
- Work closely with Root Capital staff in our Cambridge and regional offices, depending on the location of the studies
- Other impact monitoring and/or measurement activities, as needed
- The opportunity for minimal international travel may arise
This position's description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work of this position and is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or skills desired from individuals in this role.
Skills and Education
- Undergraduate degree in economics, statistics, public policy, international development, political science, or related field is required. Candidates also must have completed at least one year of graduate school in one of the above.
- Demonstrated experience contributing to the design, implementation and management of impact evaluations, is required. Candidates whose experience took place in developing countries and/or is related to agriculture or rural development are preferred.
- Experience developing quantitative and qualitative survey instruments, programming electronic surveys (ideally in SurveyCTO), piloting instruments, and identifying important questionnaire problems is required
- Strong knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods required
- Strong data analysis skills (both quantitative and qualitative) required
- Experience working in a developing country desired
- Highly organized and strong attention to detail a plus
- Ability to work highly independently and with team members from diverse backgrounds and with diverse skill sets, spread across multiple international locations, is preferred
- Proficiency in spoken and written Spanish required, proficiency in French a plus
- Knowledge of agricultural development, agricultural finance, and/or impact investing a plus
- Passion for rural development, agriculture, and/or agricultural finance required
- Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States
Salary
This is a paid fellowship. Salary commensurate with experience.
Applications
Please apply using the form below.
Root Capital does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.
Application Form