Re-advertisement - Regional Evidence and Learning Specialist at Save the Children

Job Description

The Regional Evidence and Learning Specialist provides leadership to Save the Children's on-going evidence generation and research agenda across the region, and ensures a strong learning culture is embedded in our programmes and operations. He/She will ensure consistency, quality and strategic focus in the generation of evidence from our work and support Country Offices to use that evidence to design, monitor, report on and improve quality programmes based on what works for children.

The position will institutionalize evidence uptake and learning practices for adaptive Child Rights Programming geared towards achieving lasting outcomes for children. He/She will support alignment and tracking of country office programme results towards our progress in achieving our Breakthroughs in survival, learning and protection. The E&L Specialist will build off of our Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) system that is already established, and will collaborate and share good practice with colleagues in other regions and offices. The position will be responsible for highlighting areas of achievement towards our Breakthrough Plans, and what we have learned through our innovations.

The position contributes to the following components of program quality as supported by the regional office:

1. Ensuring development and monitoring of country strategic plans that include clear research agendas, including assisting country offices to effectively utilise reporting tools to articulate impact;
2. Developing and tracking a relevant regional research strategy and plan, leading to multiple learning opportunities for COs, and effective representation of CO programme outcomes and impact in regional and global forums;
3. Facilitating learning within countries based on their research strategy, but also across countries in the region and externally; and
4. Coordinating inputs to global reports, initiatives and evidence agendas to learn and demonstrate results.

Duration: 24 months

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• 7-10 years expertise, and Master's level qualification required, preferably with a focus on research or evaluation methods.
• Demonstrated credibility and influence (externally and internally) through depth and breadth of expertise; ability to give professional support and direction to senior country office staff, communicating the value and implications of evidence in accessible ways that drive action.
• Knowledge of international humanitarian and development systems, institutions and donors, and of procedures, accountability frameworks and best practices.
• Proven intellect, curiosity, creativity and judgement: original ideas; creative approach; relentlessly seeks to understand what works and why to drive improvement; sound judgement and ability to encourage ideas, initiative and innovation in others.
• Personal effectiveness/self-management: ability to work under time pressures, but also to allow flexibility and adapting of the research and learning agenda.
• Leadership and vision: clear vision; ability to secure commitment to vision; experience in initiating and managing change; inspiring to colleagues and model of integrity and honesty.
• Considerable proven experience in undertaking and leading the production of policy, research and evaluation outputs in similar organisations similar to Save the Children, or other development settings.
• Knowledge and demonstrated experience of designing and managing high level research and evaluations, including the ability to commission and quality assure research/ evaluations using experimental and quasi-experimental methods.
• Extensive experience in analysing the situation of children using the child rights programming/principles framework.
• Demonstrated ability to think critically, strategically and analyze complex information and offer creative, practical and effective solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in a matrix management environment.
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching.
• Commitment to Save the Children values, including safeguarding of staff and children.

Desirable

• Ability to quickly and competently consolidate and summarise information across multiple data sources.
• Strong written and verbal skills in English.
• Ability to make compelling and informative oral presentations.
• Ability and willingness to change work practices and hours when essential to success of endeavours.
• Willingness to travel within the region.