Director - Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

Job Description

Position Description

EDI Global seeks a visionary, entrepreneurial Director of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) to drive the growth of the business and realise its vision of expanding from a leading data collection organisation into a larger research and MEL firm. This vision will be achieved with the full backing and resources of EDI Global’s parent organisation, Mathematica.

In this newly created role, the Director will have full responsibility for growing and shaping EDI Global’s MEL portfolio. This will involve leading business development efforts in the MEL area, creating and leading MEL project implementation teams, and hiring staff to service this growing business. Working closely with EDI’s Managing Director and business development team as well as colleagues in Mathematica, the Director will engage with clients and partners to identify their evidence and learning needs and craft a tailored strategy for meeting these needs that leverages both EDI Global and Mathematica’s wide-ranging capabilities and expertise.

Passionate about building a business, the Director will have a can-do attitude; a strong track record in winning and delivering MEL projects in the international development context; and deep experience using measurement, evaluation, and learning to drive strategy and decision-making for a range of partners.

The Director should exemplify EDI Global’s mission and commitment to innovation and quality. The ideal candidate will have substantial content knowledge across a range of programme and policy issues and be comfortable engaging with other thought leaders, clients, and decision-makers.

Position Responsibilities

Strategy and business development

• Develop and operationalise a strategy for securing EDI Global’s position as a leader in the generation and use of data and evidence within the international development field in Africa.
• Create a business development approach that is systematic, strategic, and forward thinking in its ability to anticipate future trends and funding priorities across international development clients.
• Lead business development efforts including client outreach, opportunity identification, partnership formation and technical/financial proposal development.
• Deepen and cultivate relationships with key government, philanthropy, bilateral and multilateral agencies, and other clients in the international development space in Africa.
• Create and pursue opportunities to present and discuss EDI Global’s work to funders, policymakers, implementers, and other stakeholders.

Staff development and management

• Determine the staffing needs of the MEL team and play a lead role in attracting new and agile talent to deliver on the vision and growth of EDI Global.
• Mentor, develop and manage the MEL team providing growth and development opportunities for team members.
• Lead by example and promote a sense of community and shared experience, engaging with staff, seeking input, and fostering high staff morale.

Thought leadership and capacity-building

• Develop and oversee processes to deepen and expand staff expertise and know-how in MEL; such processes could include targeted internal staff training, ‘brown bag’ sessions, and informal knowledge exchange among staff members.
• Support dissemination of EDI Global’s work through articles in peer-reviewed journals, grey literature publications, conference papers, blog posts, social media, and other dissemination channels.
• Participate in key conferences and other forums, as well as expert groups and advisory committees, to engage with key players in the sector, keep abreast of critical trends, and share EDI Global’s work where it is most useful.

Project leadership and quality assurance

• Lead large and complex MEL projects and serve as a trusted advisor and learning partner to clients.
• Provide thought leadership and support across EDI Global and Mathematica’s MEL portfolio to ensure technical excellence and responsiveness to client and other stakeholders’ learning and decision-making needs.

Position Requirements

• Visionary leader who is strategic and passionate about EDI Global and Mathematica’s mission and delivering the best solutions to our clients
• Strong desire to shape and grow a business coupled with the understanding of the effort that requires
• Strong commitment to client-centred approaches that prioritise client needs and goals
• Demonstrated leadership, strategic thinking, relationship-building, and management skills
• Proven capability in successfully developing and leading new areas of work and managing teams to perform that work
• An entrepreneurial and creative approach to developing new, innovative ideas that will stretch the organisation
• Powerful communicator and careful listener who effectively engages and inspires clients and colleagues
• At least 10 years of experience leading initiatives and projects that use measurement, evaluation, and learning to drive strategy development, programme design, and decision-making for bilateral and multilateral agencies, foundations, and/or other organisations
• Understanding of the international development MEL landscape and a track record of securing contracts and/or grants from bilateral and multilateral agencies, foundations, and other organisations
• Stellar written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to (1) convey complex technical issues to non-expert audiences and (2) present and share information in a way that resonates with clients, practitioners, and policymakers
• PhD or Master’s degree in monitoring and evaluation, social science, economics, or relevant discipline, with a minimum of 10 years of professional experience in the international development MEL field
• Experience in Sub-Saharan Africa is essential
• Ability to travel internationally
• Fluency in at least one language in addition to English is preferred.

EDI Global offers our employees competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package. We take pride in our employees and in their commitment to excellence. We encourage staff to collaborate in developing creative solutions to difficult problems and to share the responsibility and enjoyment of carrying out complex projects. This collegial spirit has helped us earn our reputation for innovative and high-quality work.

This position offers an anticipated annual base salary range of £60,000 to £90,000 for the UK (or equivalent in Kenyan Shillings if the successful candidate is based in Kenya). This position is eligible for a discretionary bonus based on company and individual performance.

EDI Global offers a hybrid model of working with staff splitting their time between working from home and the office. The Director, MEL role will be based in the UK (ideally London but not essential) or Nairobi, Kenya depending on the preferred location of the successful candidate. Please note that you must have the right to live and work in your preferred location.

One of EDI Global’s core values is a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our research is more robust because it is informed by a variety of diverse perspectives, and our mission to improve societal well-being is strengthened by a greater understanding of issues and challenges facing the populations we serve. Our ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion is woven into our everyday actions, policies, and practices. We are dedicated to maintaining a work environment in which everyone is treated with respect and dignity.

How to Apply

If you are interested in applying for this position, please email your CV and a covering letter to MEL_Director_applications@edi-global.com. The closing date for applications is August 28^th 2022. We will review candidates on a rolling basis so encourage early applications. Please be advised that only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

About the Organization

EDI Global provides world-class data collection and research services to a broad range of international development clients in Africa. From our offices in Bukoba, Nairobi, Kampala and London, we deliver surveys and research studies on behalf of donors, universities, research institutes and philanthropic foundations. These normally cover large sample groups (2000+) and include impact evaluations, panel surveys, health and biometric data collection amongst others. Qualitative data collection and mixed methods studies also feature among the services EDI Global provides to clients.

Since our foundation in 2002, EDI Global has grown to become one of East Africa’s most respected research houses with a strong reputation for high quality survey design and data collection services aimed at assessing international development programme impacts, measuring results, and evaluating potential solutions to global poverty. We have worked across multiple sectors and conducted research projects in agriculture, economic development, education, health, social protection and water and sanitation.

In late 2018, EDI Global became part of Mathematica. Mathematica applies expertise at the intersection of data, methods, policy, and practice to address complex social challenges and improve well-being around the world. Mathematica creates and uses evidence to help bilateral and multilateral donors, government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and philanthropic and private sector actors improve programmes, refine strategies, and advance knowledge. Over the past two decades, Mathematica has developed a large portfolio of international development work that spans more than 50 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe. Mathematica’s work provides actionable learning to guide decision-making and improve outcomes in a range of policy areas, including health, agriculture, climate change, energy, education, and workforce development.