IDinsight is an international development organization that helps policymakers and managers make socially impactful decisions using rigorous evidence. We carefully tailor a wide range of analytical and quantitative tools to enable our clients to design better policies, rigorously test those ideas, and take informed action at scale to improve lives.

Key Responsibilities

Building and Leading the CEU (20%)

• Cultivate the Cost-Effectiveness Unit into a sustainable practice area within IDinsight, including onboarding and aligning with existing senior leadership at IDinsight
• Develop service offerings across four core areas: cost-effectiveness audits, lean intervention design, cost-efficient implementation support, and tech-enabled resource allocation
• Create standardized methodologies, tools, and frameworks that can be adopted across the sector
• Build a team over time if we establish a robust pipeline to justify additional hires, including recruiting and/or training teammates with cost-effectiveness expertise
• Develop public goods including practical guides, templates, and case studies

Client Development and Engagement (20% in steady state, 50% initially)

• Identify and develop opportunities with partners where cost-effectiveness work could yield high returns, particularly complex multi-country implementers
• Lead engagement with organizations like Pact, CARE, Living Goods, and other BINGOs to embed cost-effectiveness thinking into their operations
• Work with partners throughout the project lifecycle—from ideation and design through implementation—not just at the evaluation stage
• Build relationships with funders interested in cost-effectiveness to secure project funding from the broader development community

Technical Delivery (50% in steady state, 20% initially)

• Lead cost-effectiveness analyses that synthesize existing program data to establish baselines and identify optimization opportunities
• Facilitate lean intervention design processes, including Theory of Change workshops and rapid A/B testing to identify lower-cost configurations that maintain impact
• Design and implement cost monitoring systems that enable adaptive management and continuous improvement
• Collaborate with IDinsight's DSEM team to leverage AI and machine learning for cost optimization
• Develop cost models and conduct sensitivity analyses across multiple countries and contexts

Thought Leadership (10%)

• Contribute to sector-wide discussions on cost-effectiveness methodology and practice
• Publish frameworks and findings from IDinsight's cost-effectiveness work
• Potentially support revival of practitioner-oriented cost-effectiveness communities of practice
• Represent IDinsight at conferences and with donors on cost-effectiveness topics

Qualifications

Required:

• Advanced degree in economics, public policy, or related field (Master's minimum, PhD preferred)
• 5+ years of experience in cost-effectiveness or cost-efficiency analysis, or closely-related work, preferably within international development
• Demonstrated experience building cost analysis systems and frameworks within complex organizations
• Track record of translating economic analysis into operational decisions and organizational change
• Experience working with large implementing organizations (NGOs, governments, or multilaterals)
• Strong skills in cost modeling, sensitivity analysis, and financial analysis
• Proficiency with statistical software (Stata or R) and advanced Excel
• Experience managing projects and teams
• Excellent communication skills with ability to engage both technical and non-technical audiences

Preferred:

• Experience with lean program design and rapid-cycle testing methodologies
• Knowledge of AI applications for cost optimization and efficiency
• Experience developing public goods or sector-wide tools
• Track record of securing funding for analytical work
• Experience working across multiple countries and contexts
• French fluency for West Africa engagement

• Cultivate the Cost-Effectiveness Unit into a sustainable practice area within IDinsight, including onboarding and aligning with existing senior leadership at IDinsight
• Develop service offerings across four core areas: cost-effectiveness audits, lean intervention design, cost-efficient implementation support, and tech-enabled resource allocation
• Create standardized methodologies, tools, and frameworks that can be adopted across the sector
• Build a team over time if we establish a robust pipeline to justify additional hires, including recruiting and/or training teammates with cost-effectiveness expertise
• Develop public goods including practical guides, templates, and case studies
• Identify and develop opportunities with partners where cost-effectiveness work could yield high returns, particularly complex multi-country implementers
• Lead engagement with organizations like Pact, CARE, Living Goods, and other BINGOs to embed cost-effectiveness thinking into their operations
• Work with partners throughout the project lifecycle—from ideation and design through implementation—not just at the evaluation stage
• Build relationships with funders interested in cost-effectiveness to secure project funding from the broader development community
• Lead cost-effectiveness analyses that synthesize existing program data to establish baselines and identify optimization opportunities
• Facilitate lean intervention design processes, including Theory of Change workshops and rapid A/B testing to identify lower-cost configurations that maintain impact
• Design and implement cost monitoring systems that enable adaptive management and continuous improvement
• Collaborate with IDinsight's DSEM team to leverage AI and machine learning for cost optimization
• Develop cost models and conduct sensitivity analyses across multiple countries and contexts
• Contribute to sector-wide discussions on cost-effectiveness methodology and practice
• Publish frameworks and findings from IDinsight's cost-effectiveness work
• Potentially support revival of practitioner-oriented cost-effectiveness communities of practice
• Represent IDinsight at conferences and with donors on cost-effectiveness topics

• Cost modeling
• Sensitivity analysis
• Financial analysis
• Statistical software (Stata or R)
• Advanced Excel
• Project management
• Team management
• Communication skills
• Lean program design
• Rapid-cycle testing methodologies
• AI applications for cost optimization

• Advanced degree in economics, public policy, or related field (Master's minimum, PhD preferred)
• 5+ years of experience in cost-effectiveness or cost-efficiency analysis, or closely-related work, preferably within international development
• Demonstrated experience building cost analysis systems and frameworks within complex organizations
• Track record of translating economic analysis into operational decisions and organizational change
• Experience working with large implementing organizations (NGOs, governments, or multilaterals)
• Proficiency with statistical software (Stata or R) and advanced Excel
• Experience managing projects and teams
• Excellent communication skills with ability to engage both technical and non-technical audiences
• Experience with lean program design and rapid-cycle testing methodologies
• Knowledge of AI applications for cost optimization and efficiency
• Experience developing public goods or sector-wide tools
• Track record of securing funding for analytical work
• Experience working across multiple countries and contexts
• French fluency for West Africa engagement