Job Details

Contract

Full time

Lusaka, Zambia

Job Description

For the past 40 years, Mott MacDonald’s education consultancy Cambridge Education, has been transforming the lives of children and young people around the world and at the heart of our work is a passionate team, dedicated to ensuring that all children have the opportunity to receive a high-quality education. We do this by being a facilitator, an advisor, a catalyst for change and a critical friend to our partners and clients. In the last 10 years, we have led programmes that have worked with thousands of schools and supported the professional development of nearly half a million teachers – ultimately improving the learning outcomes of over 10 million children.

Cambridge Education is currently preparing to tender for the upcoming USAID-funded Zambia Foundational Learning Activity, which will work in collaboration with the Zambian Ministry of Education to support the delivery of foundational learning in the early grades to improve learning outcomes. There are three primary objectives:

1. Scale the Primary Literacy Program
2. Support the Ministry of Education to institutionalize PLP and early learning reforms/provide technical assistance to direct Government-to Government Education Sector Assistance
3. Enhance the delivery of remedial and catch-up education.

This five-year, $10 – $25 million program is forecasted for procurement in March 2024, and is expected to be awarded by October 2024. As part of our preparations, we are inviting expressions of interest from experienced experts who are interested in the Director of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) role as a part of this initiative.

The Director of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) is responsible for establishing and managing the project’s overall MEL system, tracking progress towards results, indicators, and targets, including impacts on access, retention, reading outcomes, community engagement, gender, and disability-inclusive measures, ensuring that they are being consistently and systematically documented, tracked and reported.

The MEL Director analyzes data; and supports training of personnel in quality assurance methods. They also collaborate with to design operations research to support learning, evaluation, and planning, and oversee the implementation, analysis, dissemination, and use of research products.

The MEL Director shares data and improvement plans and collaborates with staff and stakeholders on strategies for program improvements for greater program effects.

Candidate Specification

• A Master’s degree in a relevant discipline from an accredited, recognized university.
• At least seven years of monitoring and evaluation experience in monitoring and evaluation of large-scale development programs using large donor templates and systems, with previous experience in education a strong asset.
• Experience with USAID’s collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA) approach preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of inclusive data collection protocols – including with a gender focus and for children with disabilities, data analysis, and data communication skills.
• Experience in the development of performance monitoring systems, and associated data collection systems.
• Skilled in use of statistical software systems such as SPSS or STATA. Ability to use and mainstream ODK based mobile data collection software.
• Experience leading and building the capacity of MEL teams to meet program needs and deliverables is desired.
• Experience working in Zambia and within region preferred.
• Strong communication skills, both oral and written.
• Professional fluency in English is required.

Job Profile

The Director of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) is responsible for establishing and managing the project’s overall MEL system, tracking progress towards results, indicators, and targets, including impacts on access, retention, reading outcomes, community engagement, gender, and disability-inclusive measures, ensuring that they are being consistently and systematically documented, tracked and reported.

Other Information

Equality, diversity and inclusion
We put equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they have the opportunity to contribute.

Agile working
At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team and personal commitments. We embrace agility, flexibility and trust.

More about Mott MacDonald
We’re a global engineering, management and development consultancy.
Our purpose is to improve society by considering social outcomes in everything we do, relentlessly focusing on excellence and digital innovation, transforming our clients’ businesses, our communities and employee opportunities.
A fundamental part of this is respecting each person’s differences and striving to meet their needs.
Our values: progress, respect, integrity, drive, excellence