Field Manager

At the intersection of high-level economic theory and real-world poverty alleviation lies rigorous evidence. Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is dedicated to discovering what truly works to improve the lives of the global poor. As a Field Manager, you are the vital link between academic research and field reality. You transform complex research designs into actionable data collection efforts, ensuring that every data point captured is accurate, ethical, and capable of driving global policy change.

Location: Lagos, Nigeria

Position Type: Full-Time

Application Deadline: February 1, 2026

Sector: International Development / Economic Research

Job Summary

The Field Manager is a high-impact leadership role within the Nigeria Country Office. You will spearhead large-scale data collection operations, managing diverse teams of field officers to ensure the highest standards of data integrity. Beyond technical supervision, you serve as a key ambassador for IPA, representing the organization in high-level meetings with community leaders and government partners. This role offers an unparalleled opportunity to master the logistics of impact evaluation while contributing to the global body of knowledge on poverty solutions.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Data Collection & Planning

• Operational Blueprinting: Design and implement comprehensive work schedules and logistical frameworks for both qualitative and quantitative research phases.
• Methodological Rigor: Lead the testing and piloting of survey instruments, ensuring technical functionality and providing feedback on cultural localization and linguistic accuracy.
• Protocol Development: Author high-quality training manuals and operational SOPs that guide the field team through complex data-quality and spot-check protocols.

2. Elite Team Leadership

• Talent Acquisition: Oversee the recruitment, shortlisting, and rigorous training of field staff to ensure they are fully prepared for the nuances of the project.
• Performance Excellence: Conduct continuous evaluations of field officer performance, fostering a culture of precision and accountability.
• Communication: Lead daily debriefs to synthesize field insights into actionable reports for the Senior Research Associate and the broader academic team.

3. Field Operations & Resource Governance

• Compliance Oversight: Monitor survey administration in real-time to ensure strict adherence to research ethics and project timelines.
• Asset Stewardship: Manage the deployment and maintenance of high-value project assets, including tablets, laptops, and mobile equipment, through accurate inventory control.
• Adaptive Logistics: Proactively pivot operational plans to address environmental challenges or unforeseen field conditions without compromising data quality.

4. Administrative & Financial Oversight

• Financial Integrity: Review and prepare financial documentation for field activities, ensuring all expenditures align with the project budget and fiscal policies.
• Stakeholder Representation: Represent IPA in sub-county and community meetings, building the local buy-in necessary for successful data collection.

Essential Qualifications & Skills

• Educational Background: A Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Social Sciences, Public Policy, or a related field. A Master’s degree is strongly preferred.
• Professional Experience: 2 to 5 years of experience in economic research, impact evaluations, or international development projects.
• Technical Expertise: Advanced understanding of quantitative and qualitative data collection methodologies and survey design.
• Language Proficiency: Full professional fluency in English is required. Fluency in Hausa is highly preferred.
• Core Competencies: An entrepreneurial “self-starter” mindset with the ability to master complex concepts quickly and maintain versatility in a fast-paced environment.

Why This Role Matters

Bad data leads to bad policy. As a Field Manager, you are the guardian of truth in the field. Your ability to manage a team and capture precise data ensures that millions of dollars in development funding are directed toward programs that actually work. You are not just managing a team; you are helping to build the evidence base that will shape the future of poverty alleviation in Nigeria and beyond.

Benefits of Applying

• Professional Prestige: Work for a globally recognized leader in randomized controlled trials and economic research.
• Leadership Development: Manage large, complex teams and high-stakes logistics in a dynamic environment.
• Global Network: Collaborate with top-tier international researchers and policy experts.
• Competitive Package: Salary and benefits commensurate with experience in a leading international non-profit.

About the Organization

Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a research and policy non-profit that discovers and promotes effective solutions to global poverty problems. We bring together researchers and decision-makers to design, rigorously evaluate, and refine these solutions, ensuring that the evidence created is used to improve the lives of the world’s poor. Since our founding, we have worked in over 20 countries and influenced policies that have reached hundreds of millions of people.

Tips for Applicants

1. Emphasize Research Ethics: IPA values the ethical treatment of human subjects; highlight your experience with IRBs or ethical data collection.
2. Detail Your Field Management: Don’t just list your jobs—describe the scale of the teams and data collection efforts you have managed.
3. Showcase Your Versatility: Use examples of how you solved a logistical problem in the field under pressure.

How to Apply

Ready to join the global leaders in evidence-based research? Please submit your application through the IPA global recruitment portal: IPA Careers on ADP.

Organization: Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)