• Lead and manage the design of systems-in-action (human and technical) to appropriately:

o Monitor activity, including via gathering and quality-assuring diverse quantitative & qualitative data.

o Analyze data for information as well as quality.

o Develop data-analytic insights and/or intelligence.

o Develop key performance indicators.

o Inform responding; and

o Deliver regular reporting on the above.

• Contribute to the conceptual development of and deliver the written detail of investors and/or funder concept notes and full proposals.
• Conceptualize and develop evaluation briefs and/or concept notes; terms of reference & requests for proposals; and co-design of evaluations with external service providers and experts.
• Produce funder implementation reports.
• Ensure that as we grow and evolve existing programs and develop new programs, there is a review and adjustment of monitoring and evaluation systems. This includes analysis of large-scale randomized evaluation data in Southern Africa in the quest to bridge the ‘last mile of evidence’ – achieving both internal and external validity on ‘what works’ at scale.
• Including designing small-scale decision-focused randomized controlled trials to answer curriculum enhancement and delivery model questions.
• Responsible for designing non-randomized M&E systems and tools to assess whether we are achieving impact on a scale.
• Responsible for building a thriving MEL team and supporting external research and implementing partners.

• Interpret and execute the Company’s strategy into a departmental plan with specific objectives and targets and communicate to the team.
• Develop and keep up to date the MEL strategy and framework, in line with organizational strategy.
• Compile, implement and enforce departmental procedures in support of the business strategy.
• Evaluate and optimize departmental systems and procedures in support of the business plan/strategy.
• Ensure that the organizational structures and processes contribute to the achievement of the Company’s goals and objectives.
• Commission applicable IT systems for accumulating departmental efficiencies and enhancement of M&E controls.
• Participate in relevant networks, reference groups, and collaborative efforts to further strategic goals.
• Lead project design and implementation and provide technical oversight. This includes ensuring programs are implemented with fidelity to the research design, strategic decision-making, as well as analysing datasets and generating policy-relevant recommendations.
• Connect day-to-day learning with global learning agendas. Co-write papers, memos and articles summarizing results and takeaways for a global audience.
• Conducting background research and literature reviews on current and new high-potential programs and codifying theories of change to facilitate evidence-based program design.

• Analysis of large datasets and translation into actionable insights and better decision-making on a day-to-day basis.
• Design, lead and manage participatory processes to establish appropriate regional and country-wide M&E systems.
• Provide input and participate in programme design and proposal development.
• Design, lead and manage participatory data collection, analysis, and reporting for M&E Systems (Evaluation of Regional Structure, other regional monitoring, and evaluation tools and systems).
• Design, coordinate and/or deliver a cohesive training and capacity-building programme for Leads and partner organization staff that transfers and enhances the capacity to design, introduce and implement appropriate M&E systems.
• Develop and/or participate in the development of guidance and frameworks for regional procedures, policies, and processes that will institutionalize and support high-quality Design, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting.
• Lead in the establishment of M&E guidance and tools for strategic programming sectors and social change technical areas (advocacy, conflict transformation/peacebuilding, and partnership) as well as for general management.
• Develop and maintain an enabling environment for M&E within the organization; build staff capacity in the department and provide direct M&E technical support.

• Lead the Department and manage and coach staff.
• Develop and oversee integrated work plan for the department and coordinate technical assistance and related initiatives.
• Lead and support further development and implementation of regional Knowledge and Management Learning Strategy.
• Manage external service providers and short-term contractors as needed.
• Serve on organizational EXCO, to guide organizational strategy and development.
• Support the recruitment of the needed skills into the organization to ensure required strategic competency levels.
• Identify ideas to increase motivation and competencies in the department.
• Ensure succession plans are in place.
• Ensure that the team has clear work expectations and goals.
• Communicate and explain the impact of decisions on the department and organization.
• Management of a 5 – 10-person team on activities such as surveying, monitoring, data entry, data cleaning and data analysis.

• Develop and maintain easy-to-use, useful databases for all field information; possible types of information including survey monitoring data, pilot data and more.
• Survey design for Rapid Impact Assessments – a fusion of prediction & causal techniques – drawn from the technology sector (such as Google and Amazon) and economics, public policy, and public health – to rigorously assess the impact of day-to-day changes made in our curricula. This enables us to get leading indications of impact before running large-scale RCTs.
• Supporting partners to adapt, test, and scale programming.
• Collaboration across multiple departments and building out the team into a growing, cutting-edge rigorous M&E unit that fuses research and practice in-house for the organization.
• Communicate and disseminate information on M&E standards, policies, practices, and indicators by coordinating with M&E officer(s) in other regions in developing best practices and sharing lessons learned.
• Assist Leads in designing programmes and projects to pursue funding for strategic programming areas either through direct involvement or mentoring practice.
• Support M&E Officer(s) in providing hands-on technical assistance in all aspects of Design, Monitoring, and Evaluation, including development and implementation of M&E systems and tools, reviewing project proposals, leading, or assisting in mid-term and final evaluations.
• Oversee and update the theory of change and M&E standard indicator framework.
• Support the Monitoring and Evaluation team to ensure smooth operation and strengthening of M&E system, via adherence to and improvement of M&E Standard Operating Procedures.
• Support the M&E team to develop, test, refine and deploy data collection tools; and to oversee M&E database to ensure streamlined, efficient management, analysis, and use of data.
• Democratise access to and use of data across the organization and ensure data use is integrated into organizational operations.
• Support the Network team to oversee the strategy and operations of the Call Centre to ensure high-quality, timeous network support, data collection, and support for core business processes.
• Support MEL staff to coordinate between the M&E function and other departments to ensure alignment and collaboration.

• Promote a culture of innovation across, by contributing to the design of new projects, sharing relevant research and resources, running ideas-generation and problem-solving workshops, and running formal and “brown bag” discussions and learning sessions in collaboration with different departments.
• Plan and implement internal evaluation and quality assurance processes, support external evaluations, and contribute to the research agenda.
• Collate franchisor quarterly and annual reports to gather learnings, challenges, and innovations and share them with the network to improve franchise implementation.
• Establish and maintain mechanisms for capturing, analysing, reporting/sharing, and applying M&E findings, information, lessons learned, and best practices to the organization.
• Keep up-to-date technologically and apply new knowledge to your job.

• Working in collaboration with the IT Department on improvements on our and other data collection systems and processes.
• Providing timeous monthly dashboards to Relationship managers and the CEO for the respective franchisors.
• Improving monthly dashboards by developing and improving existing systems to promote learning and innovation from trends.
• Oversee accurate and timeous support to users of the system.
• Keep track of the changes on the system to be able to support franchisors and coaches to improve the end-user experience.
• Develop a data quality assurance system to ensure the accuracy of data on all platforms.
• Ensure that quality assurance is rigorously applied before data is added to the system.
• Check completeness of data and contacting franchisors/ trainers to support them on how to complete it.

• Ensure funder reports are delivered on time, accurate, and of high quality.
• Develop good working relations with senior staff, funders, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Exchange information and experience and actively lead organizational learning efforts.
• Serve as primary contact person for M, E&L-related matters and support efforts to enhance agency M, E&L systems, and standards.
• Support and contribute to the development of a Management Information System through the implementation and coordination of standardized reports.
• Represent the technical content of M, E&L systems externally to donors and other organizations.
• Establish and maintain an effective working relationship with suppliers, media representatives, implementing partners, and funders.
• Communicate opportunities to relevant stakeholders that will improve franchise sustainability and quality delivery.
• Support the CEO and Exco in their dialogue with key funders, to ensure that the organization’s M&E activities are meaningful and achievable.

• Manage reporting to funders, ensure reporting deadlines are met, and ensure reports are of a high standard.
• Manage the budget for the department, ensuring effective cost allocation and use of company resources.
• Optimise asset utilization and efficiency.
• Oversee the SLA terms and conditions with customers and suppliers.

• Be accountable for your work to the Leadership Team, Board, staff, and funders.
• Update online systems, email inboxes, and company websites.
• Perform ad hoc tasks as and when required.

• At least 10 years’ relevant experience in research, monitoring and evaluation, non-profit programme development and delivery, the education sector, and/or other relevant experience.
• Bachelor or Masters’ degree in economics, statistics, public policy, public health, or a related discipline from an internationally recognized university, a PhD is a plus.
• At least 5 – 10 years of relevant experience in research management, program design and/or evaluation, including the design and execution of surveys, focus groups, & interviews, preferably within the context of randomized controlled trials or scaled M&E systems and in low-income or developing country settings.
• Demonstrated ability to manage various tasks effectively & coordinate amongst project members and departments.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills are essential, in particular, the ability to communicate complex thoughts and ideas simply and effectively and tailor communications to the audience.
• Strong ability to turn a visual reality or imagined outcome into a codified set of steps, actions, and goals on paper.
• The individual must be a highly motivated self-starter who can creatively ensure that the engagement between different delegations (mainly Innovation, Curriculum and Research) is cohesive, while ensuring that the main decisions are evidence-based.
• Energy, motivation, and stamina – The role can be demanding and, at times, subject to external pressures for timely completion. The candidate must be adaptive, creative, organized, and highly motivated.
• This role needs someone to see the big picture of strategy and systems; and to attend to and wrestle with the details of monitoring practices, key performance indicators, and data quality.
• Clear curiosity and learning orientation are crucial.
• Excellent research skills, including the ability to design, conduct, interpret and communicate both quantitative and qualitative research; experience managing external research projects desirable.
• Experience working in education, literacy development, early childhood development and/or behaviour change campaigns is advantageous.
• Experience leading a diverse team, managing staff, developing and managing budgets, and working across departmental boundaries.

• To succeed, the incumbent needs to be able to manage people, including through goal setting, ongoing feedback, performance-and-development conversation, and coaching, and to create the conditions in which a team can perform and improve.
• Strong time-management skills, and demonstrated ability to work proactively and independently, meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment, and juggle multiple projects.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills and experience using various software for analytics and modelling.