Title: National Economist: UPLIFT MEL, SPRING – Philippines

KEY INFORMATION

Job Title: National Economist: UPLIFT MEL

Reports to: Senior Statistician

Direct Reports: None

Location: Philippines, with remote coordination as required

Duration: Up to 15 days, October–December 2026.

SUMMARY OF PROJECT

The DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) Social Protection, Inclusion and Gender Equality (SPRING) program is Australia’s flagship investment of support to the Philippine Government on Social Protection, Gender Equality, Disability, Social Inclusion and Indigenous Inclusion. It is an AUD 40 million investment over 5 years that will support the joint Development Partnership Plan (DPP 2024-2029) between the Government of Australia and the Philippine Government. The investment is DFAT’s primary avenue in the Philippines for supporting poverty reduction and bilateral funding on gender equality and social inclusion at the national level and with some select Local Government Units (LGUs). SPRING supports efforts under Australia’s new International Development Policy and DFAT’s forthcoming new strategies on gender equality, disability equity, and rights, and translate these into implementation in the Philippines.    

SPRING contributes to the goal that the social and economic transformation in the Philippines reduces poverty and provides equal opportunities to all Filipinos in line with the Philippine Development Plan. 

The objective of SPRING is that Australia works in partnership with the Philippine Government to improve systems and structures that reduce poverty and inequality, and advance gender equality and the rights of people with disabilities.  

SPRING has four mutually reinforcing End of Program Outcomes (EOPOs):  

1. Philippine Government social protection plans, policies and programs increasingly close gaps in the social protection floor. 

2. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and select LGU systems increasingly deliver quality social protection that is inclusive, gender and shock responsive, and climate sensitive.  

3. The Philippine Government increasingly invests in gender responsive policies, plans, programs and systems. 

4. The Philippine Government improves data, systems and targeting to enable people with disability and Indigenous Peoples improved access to targeted service.

SUMMARY OF POSITION

The National Economist: UPLIFT MEL will provide economic, analytical, and data support to the Senior Statistician for the UPLIFT MEL Early Cohort Assessment and Mid-term Review. The role will support preparation and management of analysis-ready datasets, production of weighted descriptive statistics and cross-tabulations, interpretation of findings on transfer adequacy, transaction costs, food security, coping and household welfare, and preparation of report-ready tables, charts, annexes, explanatory notes and assigned report sections for the Wave 1 Findings Note and integrated Mid-Term Review Report.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The National Economist will work under the direction of the Senior Statistician to ensure that UPLIFT survey, administrative, disbursement and related datasets are documented, cleaned, analysed, interpreted and presented in a rigorous, reproducible and policy-relevant manner.

1. Data preparation, quantitative analysis, and quality assurance

• Support the receipt, organization, cleaning and management of de-identified CATI datasets, fieldwork files, UPLIFT administrative and disbursement data, and DSWD pulse survey results, if available.
• Prepare analysis-ready datasets, consistent variable and value labels, derived indicators, codebooks and data dictionaries for review by the Senior Statistician.
• Conduct completeness, range, skip-pattern, internal-consistency and cohort checks, and document issues requiring clarification by the survey firm or SPRING.
• Produce weighted descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations and summary tables on targeting, payment delivery, transaction costs, UPLIFT application and cash-out experience, use and adequacy of assistance, food security, coping and household welfare.
• Apply approved sampling, weighting, variance-estimation, confidentiality and interpretation requirements, and check outputs against unweighted bases to flag unstable estimates or missing-data concerns.

2. Economic interpretation, reporting, coordination and presentation support

• Analyze the economic and social protection implications of findings on transfer adequacy, transaction costs, use of assistance, food consumption, coping strategies and household welfare.
• Assess differences across beneficiary groups, with particular attention to the near-poor group and households that may not be covered by existing social protection programs.
• Support interpretation of survey findings alongside relevant UPLIFT administrative information and the available FIES microsimulation benchmark.
• Prepare report-ready tables, charts, technical annexes and explanatory notes for the Wave 1 Findings Note and integrated UPLIFT Mid-Term Review Report.
• Draft assigned report sections and revise analytical outputs based on comments from the Senior Statistician, SPRING and relevant DSWD counterparts.
• Support technical validation sessions, government presentations and priority follow-up analysis requested by SPRING or DSWD.

DELIVERABLES AND TIMELINES

*Timelines depend on the timely receipt of the paid-beneficiary sampling frame and survey datasets, completion of the two survey waves, the UPLIFT disbursement schedule, and the availability of SPRING and government counterparts.

QUALIFICATIONS AND Requirements

Education

• Advanced degree in economics, public policy, statistics, development studies, social protection, or a related discipline.

Minimum Experience

• At least five years of relevant experience in quantitative economic analysis, survey data analysis, social protection, poverty reduction, public policy, development research, or monitoring, evaluation and learning assignments.

Key Abilities and Skills

• Strong skills in quantitative analysis, survey data management, data cleaning, indicator development, weighting, tabulation and interpretation of household survey data.

• Demonstrated ability to prepare clear, accurate and policy-relevant analytical outputs, including statistical tables, charts, technical annexes, explanatory notes and report sections.

• Experience working with government counterparts, survey firms and multidisciplinary teams, preferably on social protection, poverty, targeting, cash transfers, food security or shock-responsive programming.

• Demonstrated commitment to and understanding of GEDSI principles, with knowledge or experience in promoting gender equality, disability, and social inclusion especially within adaptive programs like SPRING. This includes a clear understanding of and practical experience in safeguarding, particularly in the context of child protection (CP) and Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH), with the ability to integrate safeguarding measures into program implementation. 

• Compliance to DFAT policies on fraud control, financing terrorism, child protection and other social safeguards 

APPLICATION PROCESS 

This is a rolling short-term technical assistance recruitment. Applications will be reviewed and vetted sequentially as they are received. We encourage interested individuals to apply as early as possible.

For your application to be considered, please upload your documents as follows: Candidate Last Name, First Name, date, Title of the Position. 

Please send your cover letter addressing the position selection criteria and CV with name and contact details (phone and email) of three professional referees to hr@springphilippines.org, mentioning the position you are applying for in the subject line “SPRING National Economist” or apply online.

Women, persons with a disability and Indigenous Peoples are highly encouraged to apply. 

Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer, basing employment on merit and qualifications as they relate to professional experience and position expectations. Cowater does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or any other basis protected by law. Persons with disabilities may send a request for reasonable accommodation to participate in the recruitment process to hr@springphilippines.org. 

Cowater International adheres to the highest standards of protection of children and vulnerable adults in the delivery of programs and services. Cowater is committed to the prevention of sexual abuse, exploitation and harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. 

Cowater International upholds standards of ethical conduct and has zero tolerance against fraud and bribery. 

Prior to any offer of employment, applicants will be subject to appropriate background checks. 

We thank all applicants, however only those shortlisted will be contacted. 

About Us 

Founded in 1985, Cowater International is a leading global development consulting company. Headquartered in Ottawa and with corporate hubs in Auckland, Berlin, Brussels, Helsinki, London, Madrid, Manila, Nairobi, Singapore and Stockholm, Cowater International has successfully delivered a portfolio of over 2500 projects and assignments in more than 95 countries. We work with governments, private sector actors and communities implementing projects that support socio-economic development, institutional strengthening, environmental improvements and advance equal opportunities for all. We are a diverse and experienced team committed to building a better tomorrow for the people we serve. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our yearly award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies since 2017.