Application Guide

How to Apply for Development and Operations Associate - J-PAL North America

at Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)

🏢 About Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)

J-PAL North America is a research center at MIT that translates rigorous evidence into policy and practice to reduce poverty. What makes J-PAL unique is its commitment to randomized evaluations as the gold standard for measuring impact, and its direct partnerships with governments and NGOs to scale effective programs. Working here means contributing to evidence-based solutions that directly improve lives.

About This Role

This Development and Operations Associate role is crucial for sustaining J-PAL North America's research and policy work by managing fundraising systems, donor relationships, and operational logistics. You'll directly support the financial backbone of poverty-alleviation projects by maintaining donor pipelines, coordinating proposals, and creating organizational systems that enable efficient fundraising.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve updating donor records in Salesforce, coordinating with fundraisers on prospect outreach, preparing materials for an upcoming donor meeting, and documenting a new process in Asana for the development team. You'll balance data management with interpersonal coordination while ensuring the operational systems that support J-PAL's fundraising run smoothly.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) Is Looking For

  • Has 2+ years in non-profit/academic settings with hands-on experience using Asana for project management, Excel for data analysis, and Salesforce for donor tracking
  • Demonstrates meticulous attention to detail in managing donor data, calendar coordination, and document preparation with proven organizational systems
  • Possesses both analytical skills for prospect research and interpersonal skills for communicating with fundraisers and directors
  • Shows genuine interest in evidence-based poverty alleviation and understands how development operations support research impact

📝 Tips for Applying to Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)

1

Quantify your experience with Asana, Excel, and Salesforce—mention specific projects where you used these tools for donor management or operational systems

2

Highlight any experience with randomized evaluations or evidence-based policy, even if tangential, to show alignment with J-PAL's methodology

3

Describe a specific system you created for file storage or knowledge management, emphasizing how it improved efficiency

4

Mention any experience with academic fundraising or foundation grants, as J-PAL works extensively with research institutions and philanthropic partners

5

Tailor your resume to show both development (fundraising) AND operations (logistics, systems) experience, as this role bridges both functions

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Explain why evidence-based approaches to poverty alleviation matter to you personally and professionally', "Provide a concrete example of how you've managed donor data or fundraising pipelines in past roles", 'Describe your experience creating organizational systems or documentation that improved team efficiency', "Connect your technical skills (Asana, Excel, Salesforce) to how they would support J-PAL's development operations"]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Review J-PAL's recent policy publications and research initiatives in North America to understand their current focus areas
  • → Study their donor and partner organizations (foundations, government agencies, universities) mentioned in annual reports
  • → Understand the difference between J-PAL Global and J-PAL North America's specific mandate and structure
  • → Look into their recent events or webinars to understand their public engagement approach

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk us through how you would maintain and update a donor pipeline tracker in Salesforce
2 Describe your experience coordinating between multiple stakeholders (fundraisers, directors, prospects) in a development setting
3 How would you create a system for storing fundraising documents that ensures both security and accessibility?
4 What interests you about J-PAL's specific approach to poverty alleviation through randomized evaluations?
5 Tell us about a time you had to manage competing priorities in calendar management and meeting preparation
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Applying with generic non-profit experience without highlighting specific development/operations or technical tool experience
  • Failing to demonstrate knowledge of J-PAL's evidence-based approach or confusing them with direct service organizations
  • Emphasizing only fundraising OR only operations rather than showing how you bridge both functions

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)!

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