Senior Evaluation Specialist – USAID Mali Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Platform

Social Impact, Inc. (SI) is a global development management consulting firm. To advance development effectiveness, we provide monitoring, evaluation, strategic planning, and capacity-building services. We work across all development sectors, including democracy and governance, health and education, the environment, and economic growth. Since 1997 we have worked in over 100 countries for clients such as US government agencies, bilateral donors, multilateral development banks, foundations, and nonprofits.

Background

On November 10, 2022, USAID/Mali awarded the five-year Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Platform contract to SI. This contract has three major components: 1) USAID/Mali monitoring support through a Third-Party Monitoring (TPM) mechanism; 2) Evaluation Services and Surveys; and 3) Collaborating, Learning, and Adaptive Management and Communication Services.

The MEL Platform will assist USAID/Mali and its partners to generate empirical data and to foster learning and knowledge management through a participatory process to support stronger results and improve evidence-based programming. These efforts will facilitate informed program management decisions, shape the longer-term strategic direction of programs and decision-making within the Mission, and enable USAID/Mali to comply with USAID’s monitoring and evaluation guidance as mandated in the Automated Directives System (ADS), especially in ADS 201.

Position Description

SI is seeking a Senior Evaluation Specialist (SES) who, under the supervision of the Chief of Party (COP), will be responsible for designing, managing, and coordinating the technical work related to evaluations, surveys, and assessments under this contract. This is a full-time position based in Bamako for the five-year project. This position is open to ex-pats and Malian citizens who meet the required qualifications.

Responsibilities

• The SES will lead all evaluation and survey activities throughout the activity, including the scope of work development, data collection, design of methodologies and protocols, data analysis, and reporting.
• Ensure job descriptions for each technical team position are fit to the required roles outlined in the SOW and serve as a technical advisor on interviews for evaluation/activity technical team members.
• Lead the selection process of local MEL firm selection for evaluations and assessments as required.
• Work with the COP and the SI Project Directors (PD) to support reviewing and refining evaluations, surveys, and assessment statements of work, ensuring they align with USAID/Mali Program Office (PO) directives, ADS 201.3.6., and related guidelines.
• Oversee and coordinate with the Evaluation Teams (ET), especially the Team Leaders, and local firms so that all activities related to evaluation services, including design of methodologies, protocols, management of data collection, data analysis, and reporting result in the production and completion of high-quality deliverables aligned with the Mali MEL contract SOW and evaluation SOW.
• Oversee and coordinate with the ET to ensure that sound evaluation methods and approaches used, including the definition of evaluation matrix, sampling design, evaluation tools, and qualitative and quantitative data analysis protocols are robust and in line with USAID and SI standards.
• Backstop technically, especially in cases where there are gaps in ET skills, and support the ET in ongoing evaluations. Train Team Leader and ET members on the SI Ensuring Quality, Utilization and Impact (EQUI) evaluation management system for better coordination and communication towards quality delivery.
• Work closely with the MEL Platform Heads of technical components to ensure that TPM, evaluation, Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA), and communication activities are integrated to foster USAID/Mali-informed program management decisions on the CDCS interventions and feed Performance Management Plan (PMP) learning priorities.
• Supervise project MEL staff and consultants who participate in evaluation and survey teams as needed.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in development or a related development field, such as statistics, economics, evaluation sciences, political science, public administration, business administration, or other discipline related to development assistance required.
• At least eight years of relevant prior experience leading evaluations of international development programs, preferably in Africa. A Ph.D. with five years of relevant experience in leading evaluations will be accepted.
• At least five years of project management experience, including at least two years working in US Government-funded projects in Africa. Experience in the Sahel zone is preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in performance and impact evaluation designs, methodologies, and practical applications, including baseline data collection methodologies and qualitative data collection in non-permissive environments.
• Excellent qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills, including command of a qualitative data software program (Dedoose, NVivo, AtlasTi, MAXQDA, etc.) and command of sampling and code analysis methodologies, statistics, and software such as SPSS, STATA, and R.
• Experience leading training and building capacity in MEL.
• Familiarity with USAID’s objectives, approaches, and operations, particularly regarding evaluations, is required.
• General professional proficiency in English and French is required.

Please apply directly on SI’s Careers page: https://phg.tbe.taleo.net/phg02/ats/careers/v2/viewRequisition?org=SOCIIMPA2&cws=39&rid=4511

Join our energetic and innovative team!  We offer you the opportunity to play a leading role in the growth of our company, work as part of a creative and committed team, and make a difference in the well-being of our world.

To learn more about Social Impact, please visit our website: http://www.socialimpact.com.

SI is an EEO/AA/ADA Veterans Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

Only selected candidates will be contacted for an interview. Please, no phone calls.