

LEAD ECONOMIST | DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC EVALUATION
⭐ - Featured Role | Apply direct with Data Freelance Hub
This role is for a Lead Economist | Director of Economic Evaluation based in Atlanta, GA, with a contract length of over 6 months and a pay range of $109,139.97 - $152,250.26 annually. Key skills required include economic evaluation, data analysis, and leadership, with a PhD in Economics and 8-10 years of relevant experience.
🌎 - Country
United States
💱 - Currency
$ USD
-
💰 - Day rate
692.0454545455
-
🗓️ - Date discovered
September 17, 2025
🕒 - Project duration
More than 6 months
-
🏝️ - Location type
On-site
-
📄 - Contract type
W2 Contractor
-
🔒 - Security clearance
Unknown
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📍 - Location detailed
Atlanta, GA
-
🧠 - Skills detailed
#Migration #Programming #Strategy #BI (Business Intelligence) #Visualization #PeopleSoft #R #Microsoft Power BI #Data Analysis #Scala #Leadership
Role description
Work Location : US - Atlanta, GAType of Post : Not ApplicableOther Possible Location : United Kingdom - LondonFunding : APPROVEDExpected Travel : up to 20%Type of Contract : Language Requirement : EnglishApplication Deadline : Employee Duration : Full-Time
Pay Range Details
$109,139.97 - $152,250.26 Annually
USA Grade D
• Starting salaries are based on various factors, including candidate experience, education, knowledge, skills, and the cost of labor where the job is based. Salaries listed only apply to jobs based in the US.
Who We Are:
As a global leader, CARE is shaping the future of the humanitarian and development sector. Each year, we deliver support and services to millions of people globally. We do this by focusing on our mission and vision, and the values of equality and excellence that guide our organization. We seek dedicated individuals who align with our mission and are passionate about making it a reality by collaborating with others, embracing learning and innovation, and delivering results.
What We Are Looking For:
At CARE, we value diversely talented people who can bring different experiences and perspectives to our organization. We know that not all applicants will have every skill and qualification. We encourage everyone who meets the minimum required qualifications to apply. Having one or more of the preferred qualifications will strengthen an application. But, even if you are earlier in your career or followed a non-traditional educational or professional path, we hope you will consider a career at CARE.
Job Title: LEAD ECONOMIST | DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC EVALUATION
Job Location(s): US - Atlanta, GA
JOB SUMMARY
As the Lead Economist | Director of Economic Evaluation, you will play a pivotal role in shaping how CARE measures and maximizes the value for money in our global programs, ensuring every dollar spent drives the maximum impact. You will provide global leadership for CARE USA's use of economic evaluation, generating critical evidence on the cost-effectiveness, efficiency, affordability, and scalability of our solutions. This role will lead the institutionalization of value for money as a core decision-making lens across CARE, positioning us as a sector leader in delivering quality, community-driven impact.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Leadership & Institutionalization of Value for Money
Lead the development and execution of an organization-wide strategy to systematically integrate economic evaluation and value for money (VfM) principles into CARE’s programming and decision-making frameworks. This responsibility is critical to achieving CARE's 2030 vision of becoming a global leader in community-driven impact per dollar.
Principal Tasks:
• Develop and implement a strategic roadmap to embed economic evaluation evidence into design, budgeting, and evaluation processes to optimize resource use and scale cost-effective solutions.
• Lead and mobilize technical support for cost analysis across the organization, with a goal to unlock significant cost-efficiency gains in our top programs.
• Lead fundraising efforts to grow the Economic Analysis function, including through proposal writing and developing relationships with donors focused on return on investment.
• Collaborate with Finance, IT, and Digital departments to develop and integrate systems (like PeopleSoft, Power BI) and tools (like Dioptra's costing tools) that enable all teams to conduct cost analysis easily.
• Institutionalize VfM thinking by embedding cost-efficiency checkpoints and decision tools across CARE’s program and product lifecycles.
Technical Oversight of Impact & Economic Evaluations
Lead and oversee CARE’s VfM evidencing agenda, strengthening impact evaluations and cost analysis efforts to build a robust case for the cost-effectiveness of our work. This ensures our programs are not only cost-effective but also have the potential for scalability.
Principal Tasks:
• Provide strategic leadership on CARE's impact evaluation portfolio, overseeing a pipeline of evaluations and strengthening processes for high-quality data collection, analysis, and use.
• Develop and manage a sub-team of economic evaluation experts and roster of vetted costing consultants
• Lead the establishment and operation of country-based "Impact Efficiency Labs" to co-create and test cost-effective design innovations in priority countries.
• Guide teams in using evidence to make the economic case for programming, focusing on cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness of proposed approaches.
VfM Thought Leadership, Partnership and Sector Influence
Represent CARE externally and leverage strategic partnerships to shape sector practice around Value for Money, amplifying our ability to generate and use evidence. This responsibility positions CARE as a leader in applying cost-effectiveness to outcomes that matter for women and girls.
Principal Tasks:
• Develop, nurture, and evaluate global strategic partnerships with academic and research institutions, technical partners, and consortia around VfM
• Translate and present complex data and evidence to promote its use in decision-making for internal and external audiences, including donors and policymakers.
• Represent CARE in key external forums and meetings, shaping the sector’s conversation on "quality value for money" with a focus on women-centered design.
• Lead the creation of public-facing knowledge products, such as a "VfM Casebook," to document and share learnings on how cost-effectiveness improves outcomes.
Required Qualifications:
• PhD in Economics or a related field
• 8-10 years of professional experience in impact evaluation and economic evaluation, including cost-effectiveness, cost-efficiency, and cost-benefit analysis.
• Proven experience leading and managing research and evaluation teams, including geographically dispersed teams.
• Successful track record of fundraising for research and evaluation through proposal development and donor engagement.
• Strong track record of translating complex data and evidence into actionable insights for non-technical audiences to inform program, policy, and advocacy decisions.
• Experience building and managing strategic partnerships with academic institutions, technical organizations, and other NGOs.
• Excellent data analysis, writing, and presentation skills.
• Substantial professional experience working in low- and middle-income countries
Preferred Qualifications:
• Proficiency with CARE's preferred digital tools for data collection, analysis and visualization (e.g., Power BI, DHIS2, KoboToolBox, R), with experience using the Dioptra costing tool strongly preferred.
• Experience working in a large, complex international development or humanitarian organization
• Professional proficiency in French or Spanish
There are individuals who may use CARE’s name and trademark in emails and on websites in an attempt to solicit fees from interested job-seekers. Some examples of these fees are placement fees or immigration processing fees. CARE does not use recruiting or placement agencies that charge candidates an up-front fee of any kind. Occasionally, CARE does employ recruiting or placement agencies to help us identify candidates for specific employment within CARE. If you’re contacted by a legitimate recruiting or placement agency, there should be no charge to you. If you suspect that you have been a victim of fraud from someone purporting to be CARE, please contact us at legal@care.org. Please do not email legal@care.org to apply for this position. Instead, click "apply now" below in order to submit your interest.
CARE is an Equal Opportunity employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable law.
Starting salaries are based on internal equity, candidate experience, and the cost of labor where the job is based. Salaries listed only apply to jobs based in the US.
Work Location : US - Atlanta, GAType of Post : Not ApplicableOther Possible Location : United Kingdom - LondonFunding : APPROVEDExpected Travel : up to 20%Type of Contract : Language Requirement : EnglishApplication Deadline : Employee Duration : Full-Time
Pay Range Details
$109,139.97 - $152,250.26 Annually
USA Grade D
• Starting salaries are based on various factors, including candidate experience, education, knowledge, skills, and the cost of labor where the job is based. Salaries listed only apply to jobs based in the US.
Who We Are:
As a global leader, CARE is shaping the future of the humanitarian and development sector. Each year, we deliver support and services to millions of people globally. We do this by focusing on our mission and vision, and the values of equality and excellence that guide our organization. We seek dedicated individuals who align with our mission and are passionate about making it a reality by collaborating with others, embracing learning and innovation, and delivering results.
What We Are Looking For:
At CARE, we value diversely talented people who can bring different experiences and perspectives to our organization. We know that not all applicants will have every skill and qualification. We encourage everyone who meets the minimum required qualifications to apply. Having one or more of the preferred qualifications will strengthen an application. But, even if you are earlier in your career or followed a non-traditional educational or professional path, we hope you will consider a career at CARE.
Job Title: LEAD ECONOMIST | DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC EVALUATION
Job Location(s): US - Atlanta, GA
JOB SUMMARY
As the Lead Economist | Director of Economic Evaluation, you will play a pivotal role in shaping how CARE measures and maximizes the value for money in our global programs, ensuring every dollar spent drives the maximum impact. You will provide global leadership for CARE USA's use of economic evaluation, generating critical evidence on the cost-effectiveness, efficiency, affordability, and scalability of our solutions. This role will lead the institutionalization of value for money as a core decision-making lens across CARE, positioning us as a sector leader in delivering quality, community-driven impact.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Leadership & Institutionalization of Value for Money
Lead the development and execution of an organization-wide strategy to systematically integrate economic evaluation and value for money (VfM) principles into CARE’s programming and decision-making frameworks. This responsibility is critical to achieving CARE's 2030 vision of becoming a global leader in community-driven impact per dollar.
Principal Tasks:
• Develop and implement a strategic roadmap to embed economic evaluation evidence into design, budgeting, and evaluation processes to optimize resource use and scale cost-effective solutions.
• Lead and mobilize technical support for cost analysis across the organization, with a goal to unlock significant cost-efficiency gains in our top programs.
• Lead fundraising efforts to grow the Economic Analysis function, including through proposal writing and developing relationships with donors focused on return on investment.
• Collaborate with Finance, IT, and Digital departments to develop and integrate systems (like PeopleSoft, Power BI) and tools (like Dioptra's costing tools) that enable all teams to conduct cost analysis easily.
• Institutionalize VfM thinking by embedding cost-efficiency checkpoints and decision tools across CARE’s program and product lifecycles.
Technical Oversight of Impact & Economic Evaluations
Lead and oversee CARE’s VfM evidencing agenda, strengthening impact evaluations and cost analysis efforts to build a robust case for the cost-effectiveness of our work. This ensures our programs are not only cost-effective but also have the potential for scalability.
Principal Tasks:
• Provide strategic leadership on CARE's impact evaluation portfolio, overseeing a pipeline of evaluations and strengthening processes for high-quality data collection, analysis, and use.
• Develop and manage a sub-team of economic evaluation experts and roster of vetted costing consultants
• Lead the establishment and operation of country-based "Impact Efficiency Labs" to co-create and test cost-effective design innovations in priority countries.
• Guide teams in using evidence to make the economic case for programming, focusing on cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness of proposed approaches.
VfM Thought Leadership, Partnership and Sector Influence
Represent CARE externally and leverage strategic partnerships to shape sector practice around Value for Money, amplifying our ability to generate and use evidence. This responsibility positions CARE as a leader in applying cost-effectiveness to outcomes that matter for women and girls.
Principal Tasks:
• Develop, nurture, and evaluate global strategic partnerships with academic and research institutions, technical partners, and consortia around VfM
• Translate and present complex data and evidence to promote its use in decision-making for internal and external audiences, including donors and policymakers.
• Represent CARE in key external forums and meetings, shaping the sector’s conversation on "quality value for money" with a focus on women-centered design.
• Lead the creation of public-facing knowledge products, such as a "VfM Casebook," to document and share learnings on how cost-effectiveness improves outcomes.
Required Qualifications:
• PhD in Economics or a related field
• 8-10 years of professional experience in impact evaluation and economic evaluation, including cost-effectiveness, cost-efficiency, and cost-benefit analysis.
• Proven experience leading and managing research and evaluation teams, including geographically dispersed teams.
• Successful track record of fundraising for research and evaluation through proposal development and donor engagement.
• Strong track record of translating complex data and evidence into actionable insights for non-technical audiences to inform program, policy, and advocacy decisions.
• Experience building and managing strategic partnerships with academic institutions, technical organizations, and other NGOs.
• Excellent data analysis, writing, and presentation skills.
• Substantial professional experience working in low- and middle-income countries
Preferred Qualifications:
• Proficiency with CARE's preferred digital tools for data collection, analysis and visualization (e.g., Power BI, DHIS2, KoboToolBox, R), with experience using the Dioptra costing tool strongly preferred.
• Experience working in a large, complex international development or humanitarian organization
• Professional proficiency in French or Spanish
There are individuals who may use CARE’s name and trademark in emails and on websites in an attempt to solicit fees from interested job-seekers. Some examples of these fees are placement fees or immigration processing fees. CARE does not use recruiting or placement agencies that charge candidates an up-front fee of any kind. Occasionally, CARE does employ recruiting or placement agencies to help us identify candidates for specific employment within CARE. If you’re contacted by a legitimate recruiting or placement agency, there should be no charge to you. If you suspect that you have been a victim of fraud from someone purporting to be CARE, please contact us at legal@care.org. Please do not email legal@care.org to apply for this position. Instead, click "apply now" below in order to submit your interest.
CARE is an Equal Opportunity employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable law.
Starting salaries are based on internal equity, candidate experience, and the cost of labor where the job is based. Salaries listed only apply to jobs based in the US.