ICTD wishes to contract a Research Officer, starting July 2019. Up to one year initially, with the possibility of extension. The Research Officer will be based in Kampala, Uganda.
Contract Basis
This will be a consultancy contract. We envisage the consultant will work part time on this programme to begin with, depending on the profile of the candidate, but ICTD may be able to offer more days per month in the future.
Project Summary
The researcher will work on the Domestic Revenue Mobilisation, Public Investment Management & Transparency (DRUM) project in Uganda. The International Centre for Tax and Development (ICTD), through DRUM’s Operational Research Facility (ORF), is tasked with providing the evidence base for tax policy and administration reform under the umbrella of the DRUM project. The overall coordination of DRUM is provided by Oxford Policy Management (OPM).
ICTD is committed to producing demand-driven research, in collaboration with the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). It is expected that research projects will focus on identifying challenges to reform, as well as testing potential solutions. This will inform and direct the programme activities and serve to demonstrate the utility of good quality taxpayer data.
The demand-driven nature of the project makes it difficult to predict the precise type of research. However, the research is likely to involve:
a) quantitative analyses drawing on existing sources of administrative taxpayer data using observational and experimental methods;
b) stocktaking exercises of existing evidence to inform reform options;
c) primary data collection through taxpayer surveys.
Policy relevance, as opposed to academic relevance, is the priority of the research agenda. However, academic publication is envisioned.
The Research Officer is expected to provide substantial contributions to all of these research areas in close collaboration with URA, MoFPED and OPM staff. The researcher will work with and report to the ICTD lead researcher who is based in Brighton, UK, at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) where ICTD’s headquarters are located. She or he will be involved in the identification, design and execution of the research projects and will play a leading role in data analysis as well as in drafting and co-authoring the research outputs. Researchers based in Uganda are particularly encouraged to apply.
Description of tasks
Against this background, the researcher will perform the following tasks:
- Contribute to the identification of policy-relevant research questions
- Contribute to the design of different research projects
- Assist in organising datasets of anonymised taxpayer records
- Co‐supervise the implementation of research projects
- Contribute to the gathering and analysis of data
- Co-produce research outputs (e.g. policy briefs, working papers or journal articles)
The ideal candidate will have:
- A minimum of Master level training in Economics/Econometrics. Other degrees with a strong
emphasis on quantitative methods training will also be considered. Doctoral or Post-Doctoral
candidates would be very welcome. - Knowledge of tax and development issues but candidates with a strong interest in engaging
in this area will also be considered - Excellent command of statistical software and strong analytical skills
- Experience in working in a low or middle-income country, ideally with policy-makers
- Ability to work independently and take initiative
- Excellent (English) writing skills
In addition, the following skills and qualifications would be desired:
- Attention to detail, particularly in econometric analysis
- Ability to prioritise, maintain clear timelines and deliverables
- Experience in conducting surveys
- Experience in running randomised control trials
- Knowledge of Uganda
To apply
Email a CV and a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) to [email protected] by May 30, 2019.
In your cover letter please briefly highlight your experience according to the requirements shown
above. Please indicate your expected daily rate and a Skype address. Short-listed candidates will be
contacted by email to arrange an interview.