Economist I/II & Cost-Effectiveness Unit Lead

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