JOB DETAILS:

Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

The Senior Consumer Protection Fellow will work within IPA's Financial Inclusion Program as part of the Consumer Protection Research Initiative (CPRI), a global initiative focused on strengthening consumer protection in digital financial services (DFS). The Fellow will bring mid-career regulatory or policy expertise from a financial regulatory authority or closely affiliated institution in a low- or middle-income country, serving as a bridge between CPRI's research team and the realities of supervisory practice. This two-year fellowship is designed to develop the Fellow's rigorous research and data-analytic skills while contributing critical policy expertise to CPRI's portfolio; at the end of the fellowship, Fellows are expected to return to their home institutions equipped with enhanced analytical capabilities and an expanded professional network to advance consumer protection in their home markets.

Responsibilities or duties

Policy Engagement and Research Co-Design

• Contribute policy expertise to the design and framing of CPRI research studies, helping ensure that research questions are grounded in the realities of regulatory practice and supervisory mandates.
• Serve as a bridge between regulatory partners and CPRI's research team, translating policy priorities into actionable research agendas and ensuring study outputs are relevant to supervisors' needs.
• Support the implementation of regulator-driven pilots and studies, helping translate evidence and findings into practical tools and processes for supervisors.
• Participate in the planning and scoping of new engagements, drawing on professional networks and institutional knowledge to identify opportunities for impactful research.

Stakeholder Engagement and External Representation

• Support CPRI's engagements with financial regulators and policy partners, drawing on firsthand experience with regulatory institutions and supervisory processes.
• Represent IPA and CPRI at conferences, workshops, and policy forums, presenting research findings and contributing to public discussions on consumer protection in digital financial services.
• Build and maintain relationships with government partners, communicating evidence and supporting its use in policy decision-making.

Research Participation and Learning

• Participate in the full lifecycle of research activities — from study design, to data collection, to analysis and dissemination — gaining hands-on experience with rigorous research methods under the mentorship of CPRI leadership and academic principal investigators.
• Develop familiarity with IPA's data quality standards, ethical protocols, and research design principles.
• Contribute to data analysis and interpretation, with a focus on drawing out actionable insights for regulatory partners.
• Co-author research deliverables including policy briefs, working papers, presentations, and technical reports.

Collaboration and Knowledge Exchange

• Collaborate with Global and Country Office-based research and policy staff, providing policy guidance and professional mentorship as appropriate.
• Work closely with IPA country teams to support efficient operations and integration of fellowship activities with broader country portfolios.
• Share regulatory and policy expertise with CPRI team members, contributing institutional knowledge that strengthens the initiative's engagement with financial supervisors.

Writing and Dissemination

• Contribute to CPRI publications, including blog posts, policy briefs, and academic working papers, with the goal of building a personal publication record during the fellowship.
• Present research findings at international conferences, workshops, and convenings, building visibility for both CPRI's work and the Fellow's own professional profile.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

• Master's degree in economics, public policy, public administration, law, finance, or a related field; candidates with equivalent professional experience in financial regulation or consumer protection policy will also be considered.
• Deep familiarity with the institutional landscape of financial regulation, including understanding supervisory mandates, navigating bureaucratic structures, and framing evidence in ways that resonate with policymakers' priorities.
• Ability to interpret and communicate quantitative findings for policy audiences.
• Citizen of or currently based in a low- or middle-income country.
• Excellent communication and writing skills, including the ability to synthesize technical results for policy audiences.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Commitment to returning to a regulatory, policy, or academic institution after the fellowship period, with a plan for applying skills gained during the fellowship.

Experience needed

• At least 5–10 years of professional experience working in financial regulation, financial inclusion policy, consumer protection, or a related field.
• Experience at a central bank, financial supervisory authority, or policy organization that supports these institutions. (preferred)
• Prior experience with applied research, data analysis, or familiarity with tools such as Stata, R, or Python is an advantage. (preferred — the fellowship is designed to build these capabilities as needed)

Any other provided details (e.g., benefits, work environment, team info, or additional notes)

The duty station for this role is any IPA Africa Country Office or the Philippines. The Fellow will work in-country, embedded within the local IPA country office. Travel may be expected given the regional and global nature of CPRI's work.

Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a research and policy nonprofit that discovers and advances what works to improve the lives of people living in poverty.