Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

Precision Development (PxD) harnesses data-driven innovation to support smallholder farmers. By scaling sustainable agricultural methods and offering climate-smart solutions, we help farmers adapt and improve their economic outcomes. With a global vision for growth and sustainability, PxD positively impacts communities around the world.

Responsibilities or duties

Work with relevant stakeholders and experts to identify learning objectives and resources available for multiple projects and manage the implementation of research activities, ensuring that projects receive appropriate input from internal and external stakeholders and adhere to appropriate rigor, policies, timelines, and budgets.

Collaborate with team leadership across research and service delivery to scope, design, pilot, and scale evidence-backed digital agriculture services, ensuring research insights are translated into operational improvements.

Interpret and contextualize external and internal evidence and insights for PxD programs.

Guide teams on the use of evidence-based approaches and ensure that PxD maintains the standards for technical appropriateness and rigor.

Oversee data management and analysis for the project and survey creation, A/B testing and implementation.

Oversee documentation of research activities, research results, and rationale for decisions made.

Develop and fill in frameworks with specific information to identify program insights.

Manage partner relations and work with external stakeholders for successful project implementation.

Develop and ensure compliance with IRB protocols for human subject research and relevant in-country research permission requirements.

Contribute to funding proposals and project reports.

Contribute to the strategic planning and global functioning of the organization.

Provide close mentorship and guidance to Associate and Manager-level staff.

Operate flexibly across research, program management, and service delivery functions, contributing where needed to ensure program success beyond strictly defined research activities.

Contribute and support internal and external communications to disseminate project results and research findings, including briefs, blogs, reports, and presentations.

Contribute to PxD’s institutional knowledge management and internal learning efforts.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

Master’s degree or PhD in economics, agricultural economics, public policy, or a closely related field.

Professional experience working on at least three large projects involving the design and management of rigorous research and/or evidence-based programs in African countries (Kenya, Nigeria, or Ethiopia, preferred).

Ability to draw inferences from data to identify pathways for program improvement.

Adept at consuming large amounts of academic and scientific literature as well as other technical information, synthesizing key findings, and applying takeaways to program and research design.

Deep understanding of economics and randomized evaluations.

Excellent knowledge of Stata, R, or similar software for data analysis.

Experience in survey design using SurveyCTO/ODK or similar tools.

Strong grasp of the research & program life cycle and ability to supervise all activities on the ground.

Experience managing program and/or research staff.

Experience managing partnerships with an implementing organization.

Understanding and application of research ethics for human subjects in the social sciences.

Strong writing and oral communication skills in English, with attention to detail and advanced writing and presentation skills.

Willingness to travel to field sites.

• Work with relevant stakeholders and experts to identify learning objectives and resources available for multiple projects and manage the implementation of research activities, ensuring that projects receive appropriate input from internal and external stakeholders and adhere to appropriate rigor, policies, timelines, and budgets.
• Collaborate with team leadership across research and service delivery to scope, design, pilot, and scale evidence-backed digital agriculture services, ensuring research insights are translated into operational improvements.
• Interpret and contextualize external and internal evidence and insights for PxD programs.
• Guide teams on the use of evidence-based approaches and ensure that PxD maintains the standards for technical appropriateness and rigor.
• Oversee data management and analysis for the project and survey creation, A/B testing and implementation.
• Oversee documentation of research activities, research results, and rationale for decisions made.
• Develop and fill in frameworks with specific information to identify program insights.
• Manage partner relations and work with external stakeholders for successful project implementation.
• Develop and ensure compliance with IRB protocols for human subject research and relevant in-country research permission requirements.
• Contribute to funding proposals and project reports.
• Contribute to the strategic planning and global functioning of the organization.
• Provide close mentorship and guidance to Associate and Manager-level staff.
• Operate flexibly across research, program management, and service delivery functions, contributing where needed to ensure program success beyond strictly defined research activities.
• Contribute and support internal and external communications to disseminate project results and research findings, including briefs, blogs, reports, and presentations.
• Contribute to PxD’s institutional knowledge management and internal learning efforts.

• Ability to draw inferences from data to identify pathways for program improvement.
• Adept at consuming large amounts of academic and scientific literature as well as other technical information, synthesizing key findings, and applying takeaways to program and research design.
• Deep understanding of economics and randomized evaluations.
• Excellent knowledge of Stata, R, or similar software for data analysis.
• Experience in survey design using SurveyCTO/ODK or similar tools.
• Strong grasp of the research & program life cycle and ability to supervise all activities on the ground.
• Strong writing and oral communication skills in English, with attention to detail and advanced writing and presentation skills.

• Master’s degree or PhD in economics, agricultural economics, public policy, or a closely related field.
• Professional experience working on at least three large projects involving the design and management of rigorous research and/or evidence-based programs in African countries (Kenya, Nigeria, or Ethiopia, preferred).
• Experience managing program and/or research staff.
• Experience managing partnerships with an implementing organization.
• Understanding and application of research ethics for human subjects in the social sciences.
• Willingness to travel to field sites.