Economist I/II & Cost-Effectiveness Unit Lead

LocationsFlexible

About IDinsight

We’re a global data and evidence advisory, working with governments, philanthropies, and non-profits to improve lives at scale, using technology and AI where they can deliver the most impact.

IDinsight is a global nonprofit that equips leaders with the data, evidence, and technology to improve lives at scale. We partner with governments, NGOs, multilaterals, and funders to support decisions at every stage of their impact journey – from bold pilots to nationwide scale-ups. Our teams bring rigorous evidence and practical insights so leaders can make informed decisions that truly change lives. With our partners, we are pioneering the next frontier of social impact, where data and technology accelerate progress for millions. We help leaders overcome the three main barriers to impact:

• Figuring out what works

• Learning and improving

• Reaching and operating at scale

We work in multiple countries across Asia and Africa. Our work spans a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, education, health, governance, sanitation, financial inclusion, and other areas.

We have expertise in a variety of rigorous approaches and methodologies, which we tailor to each client depending on their needs and constraints. To achieve a positive social impact, we:

• Support our partners with the full ‘data and evidence’ value chain – from primary data collection to data systems, monitoring, evaluation, and learning tools, and data science

• Inform funding decisions – toward high-impact initiatives and away from less effective programs or approaches

• Create cutting-edge AI-for-good products that make the delivery of social interventions and learning tools more cost-effective and scalable

Our diverse, growing team of roughly 250 outstanding colleagues operates in nearly two dozen countries around the world. Learn more about our mission and values at www.IDinsight.org.

About the Cost-Effectiveness Unit

IDinsight has launched a Cost-Effectiveness Unit (CEU) to help organizations, funders, and the development sector achieve greater impact per dollar by systematically applying cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness principles. The CEU will work with IDinsight project teams and implementing partners to move beyond traditional program evaluation toward optimizing the efficiency of their interventions throughout the project lifecycle. The CEU will help IDinsight build the supply-side capacity to provide this service, and lead within the sector by supporting the implementation of cost-effectiveness decision making more broadly.

About the Role

The CEU Lead is responsible for growing IDinsight’s cost-effectiveness practice. This role requires someone who can bridge rigorous economic analysis and practical organizational change—someone who understands that improving cost-effectiveness isn’t just about better data, but about embedding new ways of thinking and decision-making into organizational culture.

The CEU Lead has deep expertise in cost-efficiency analysis (not just cost-effectiveness measurement), experience building systems that make cost analysis routine rather than exceptional, and a proven track record of translating economic evidence into operational decisions within complex implementing organizations.

The CEU Lead is part of the Research and Evaluation Team, and reports directly to the Chief Technical and Learning Officer. The CEU also works closely with IDinsight’s Chief Impact Officer (who oversees our Regional Teams) and the Chief Strategy and Scale Officer on shaping the cost-effectiveness pillar of IDinsight’s strategy.

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