Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor, Education Support Initiative,

Job Description

Dexis Consulting Group is recruiting for a Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor that will be embedded within USAID’s Office of Education and support specifically the Evidence Team.

The USAID Office of Education focuses on supporting the implementation of education foreign assistance, with the goal of achieving a world where education systems in partner countries enable all individuals to acquire the education and skills needed to be productive members of society. To accomplish this goal, the U.S. Government has two principal objectives: Improve learning outcomes; and expand access to quality education for all, particularly marginalized and vulnerable populations.

The Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor is a member of the Evidence team within USAID/E3/ED and will report to the Evidence Team Lead.

The Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor will sit on the Evidence Team within the Education Policy and Planning Division, Office of Education, Bureau for Economic Growth, Education, and Environment (EGEE/ED/EPP). As a Bureau technical expert, the incumbent will substantially contribute to improving USAID’s M&E practice in the education sector. Responsibilities will include both a) client-oriented technical support to Mission and Bureau staff who are developing project or activity-level evaluations (30% time) and b) design and management of technical initiatives designed to elevate the M&E, data, and evidence practices of the USAID education sector as a whole (70%). One example of a current technical initiative managed by the E3/ED/Evidence team: Oversee the development of globally-applicable standard indicators, data collection instruments, and guidance to measure improved youth employment circumstances associated with USAID-supported programming. Responsibilities will also include increasing the M&E capacity and efficiency of USAID education staff and strengthening the evidence base in the USAID education sector.

The incumbent will provide strategic leadership, technical input and advice onE3/ED evaluation and knowledge activities, support USAID Missions with technical assistance for monitoring and evaluation activities, and engage with USAID partners, including implementing and donor partners, to advance the quality of evidence building for the international education sector. Although it is anticipated that the incumbent support M&E, data, and evidence practices relevant to youth workforce development and higher education programming, the position is not limited to these areas of specialization and the specific initiatives supported by the incumbent may evolve over the course of their employment.

Responsibilities

Technical Assistance

• Provide expert technical assistance to USAID Missions worldwide to develop evaluation (impact and performance) strategies, frameworks, designs, and operational plans and solicitations
• Provide expert technical assistance to USAID Missions worldwide in the development of performance monitoring strategies, frameworks and operational plans
• Contribute to Office of Education evaluation awards/contracts, with an emphasis on technical input related to youth workforce development and higher education activities

Professional Engagement and Deliverables

• In collaboration with Evidence Team colleagues, engage with global partners in the education sector to enhance USAID’s investments in evaluation and research
• Lead and/or contribute to monitoring, evaluation and learning initiatives in the education sector (particularly the youth workforce development and higher education technical areas), including development of measurement frameworks, indicators, and associated technical documentation.
• Contribute to development and implementation of research and learning agenda; advise upon, direct, monitor, and/or contribute to research activities intended to deepen the knowledge base of what works in education (particularly in youth workforce development and higher education).
• Provide quality assurance services to USAID Washington/Mission education offices for M&E-related deliverables (e.g., evaluation designs, performance monitoring plans, data collection plans and instruments)
• In collaboration with Evidence Team colleagues, develop education-specific M&E tools (e.g., sample scopes work, design guidelines, indicator banks) to improve the quality of USAID’s M&E practice and increase efficiencies for USAID Mission staff
• Travel internationally as needed to engage USAID Mission personnel

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of relevant professional experience required. Minimum of 5 years of experience designing and conducting evaluations in the international education sector preferred, with a strong preference for experience with impact evaluations and applied research
• Extensive knowledge of measurement and evaluation issues associated with education (particularly youth workforce development, higher education, early grade learning, systems strengthening, and education in conflict and crisis) strongly preferred
• Knowledge of statistics (with an emphasis on sample design, power calculations and data analysis), statistical software packages and experience with systematic review methodologies highly preferred
• Field experience conducting evaluation activities (e.g., planning, joint design with stakeholders, data collection, enumerator training) in developing countries required
• Consulting (internal or client-based) experience strongly preferred
• A minimum of 3 years of program management experience strongly preferred
• Master’s Degree in relevant field required, Ph.D. preferred

Dexis is an equal opportunity employer offering employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, citizenship, physical or mental handicap, or status as a disabled or Vietnam Era veteran of the US Armed Forces.

About the Organization

Since 2001, Dexis has provided innovative management solutions for a secure and prosperous world. In the last three years alone, Dexis has worked in 90 countries supporting critical missions of agencies in the global development and security assistance space. With triple digit growth in recent years, Dexis was ranked in the top 10 consulting firms by funding at the US Agency for International Development in FY16 and FY17. Dexis was also among the highest rated employers on Glassdoor, where many of its 250-plus employees cited a people-centered leadership and culture as the main drivers to its success.