The Research Associate will work within IPA’s Financial Inclusion Program to provide research and analytical support for the Consumer Protection Research Initiative (CPRI)’s project activities in Zambia. Operating under the supervision of the Research Manager, the Research Associate performs a variety of tasks related to managing day-to-day research activities, from planning through implementation and monitoring of research data quality. This role contributes directly to IPA’s effort to strengthen consumer protection frameworks in digital financial services across Zambia and the broader region.

Responsibilities or duties

Research Support and Data Analysis (40%)

• Assist in the design and implementation of research activities, including survey instruments, data collection protocols, and analytical frameworks for consumer protection studies.
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis of financial sector, consumer complaints, and market monitoring datasets.
• Prepare research deliverables including policy briefs, technical reports, and presentations summarizing findings for various project stakeholders.
• Conduct literature reviews and environmental scans on consumer protection topics in digital financial services.

Regulatory Engagement and Technical Support (35%)

• Support day-to-day coordination with regulator counterparts, preparing materials for technical meetings, workshops, and joint working sessions.
• Assist in developing data systems, dashboards, and supervisory tools to monitor and respond to consumer protection risks in digital financial services.
• Help translate research findings and analytical outputs into practical guidance and processes relevant to consumer risk supervision.
• Document progress, decisions, and lessons learned from the regulatory partnership to support knowledge-sharing across IPA’s CPRI portfolio.

Project Coordination and Operations (25%)

• Track project timelines, deliverables, and workplans, flagging risks or delays to the Research Manager in a timely manner.
• Prepare high-quality, timely progress and results reports to research partners and funding agencies.
• Support budget tracking and financial reporting in line with IPA and donor procedures.
• Coordinate logistics for research activities, including data collection planning, vendor management, and stakeholder scheduling as needed.
• Ensure compliance with IPA’s data management, ethical protocols, and research quality standards throughout all project activities.

Qualifications or requirements 

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, statistics, public policy, finance, or a related quantitative field.
• Proficiency in at least one statistical analysis tool such as Stata, R, or Python.
• Strong written and oral communication skills and complete fluency in English.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Master’s degree in a relevant field. (preferred)
• Familiarity with the digital financial services landscape in Zambia or the broader region, including mobile money, microfinance, or digital credit markets. (preferred)
• Prior exposure to financial regulation, consumer protection, or supervision technology (SupTech) environments. (preferred)
• Experience supporting randomized evaluations or quasi-experimental research designs. (preferred)

Experience needed

• 2–4 years of professional experience in applied research, data analysis, financial regulation, or a related area.
• Experience with quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.
• Experience working in Zambia or elsewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa.

• Assist in the design and implementation of research activities, including survey instruments, data collection protocols, and analytical frameworks for consumer protection studies.
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis of financial sector, consumer complaints, and market monitoring datasets.
• Prepare research deliverables including policy briefs, technical reports, and presentations summarizing findings for various project stakeholders.
• Conduct literature reviews and environmental scans on consumer protection topics in digital financial services.
• Support day-to-day coordination with regulator counterparts, preparing materials for technical meetings, workshops, and joint working sessions.
• Assist in developing data systems, dashboards, and supervisory tools to monitor and respond to consumer protection risks in digital financial services.
• Help translate research findings and analytical outputs into practical guidance and processes relevant to consumer risk supervision.
• Document progress, decisions, and lessons learned from the regulatory partnership to support knowledge-sharing across IPA’s CPRI portfolio.
• Track project timelines, deliverables, and workplans, flagging risks or delays to the Research Manager in a timely manner.
• Prepare high-quality, timely progress and results reports to research partners and funding agencies.
• Support budget tracking and financial reporting in line with IPA and donor procedures.
• Coordinate logistics for research activities, including data collection planning, vendor management, and stakeholder scheduling as needed.
• Ensure compliance with IPA’s data management, ethical protocols, and research quality standards throughout all project activities.

• Proficiency in at least one statistical analysis tool such as Stata, R, or Python.
• Experience with quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.
• Strong written and oral communication skills and complete fluency in English.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, statistics, public policy, finance, or a related quantitative field.
• 2–4 years of professional experience in applied research, data analysis, financial regulation, or a related area.
• Experience working in Zambia or elsewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Master’s degree in a relevant field. (preferred)
• Familiarity with the digital financial services landscape in Zambia or the broader region, including mobile money, microfinance, or digital credit markets. (preferred)
• Prior exposure to financial regulation, consumer protection, or supervision technology (SupTech) environments. (preferred)
• Experience supporting randomized evaluations or quasi-experimental research designs. (preferred)