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Title: USAID Education Activity Baseline Evaluation Team Lead
Location: Kathmandu
Type: Contractor
Workplace: remote JobDescription:Who we are
Bixal is a mission-driven, woman-owned small business determined to improve people’s lives through human-centered strategies and transformative technologies, with a firm belief that everyone has the right to an effective government.
We deliver on this belief by partnering with leading Federal agencies to design, develop, and deliver powerful customer experiences through holistic digital product solutions and strategic communications initiatives bringing a high standard and unique creative energy to our clients and our wonderfully erse culture is what makes it all possible.
Bixal unites different people with different perspectives from all over the world! We provide our team with an open and empowered environment where collaboration thrives and solutions flourish.
Location
This position is open to candidates across various worldwide locations, depending on the candidate’s geographic location and experience. Position will primarily work remotely, but 1 trip to Kathmandu anticipated.
Background
The USAID Learning for Development Activity is a 5-year award led by Bixal Solutions, Inc. that provides USAID/Nepal with technical and advisory services in planning, designing, conducting, and learning from the monitoring and evaluation of the Mission’s strategies, projects, and activities in an efficient manner. USAID Learning for Development supports USAID/Nepal by providing services including a) learning and knowledge management; b) evaluations, assessments, and other studies; c) performance monitoring technical support; d) capacity building; and e) development outreach and communications support.
What Will You Do?
USAID/Nepal has requested Learning for Development to conduct a baseline evaluation for a new Education Equity and Inclusion activity, which is expected to launch in September 2023. The purpose of the USAID Education Equity and Inclusion activity is to improve equitable education outcomes for marginalized youth in grades 6-10. The activity will support local governments to bring out-of-school children into school, increase retention of learners through grade 10, and ensure equitable and quality learning opportunities for marginalized youth. The activity will be implemented in Madhesh and Karnali Provinces starting in September 2023 and will support community schools that have grade 6-10 classes. The activity will have three objectives:
- Reduce barriers to access and retention in grade 6-10
- Improve quality of education for marginalized students in grades 6-10
- Ensure quality implementation of disbursement linked indicators related to equity and inclusion activities under the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology’s School Education Sector Plan
The baseline will be a mixed methods evaluation that will include secondary data analysis, primary data collection to establish a baseline on learning outcomes (including design or adaptation of an appropriate assessment instrument), and qualitative methods to understand barriers to education for marginalized groups. The evaluation is currently in the very early stages of design, and we anticipate that the Evaluation Team Leader will play an important role in co-designing the baseline approach with USAID and the implementing partner.
The Evaluation Team Lead will lead all aspects of the study, including design, implementation, and reporting, under the technical supervision of the USAID Learning for Development Senior Evaluation and Research Lead or another senior team member designated by the Chief of Party. The Evaluation Team Lead will be supported by a team of consultants and/or data collection subcontractor, with the team’s composition to be determined based on the evaluation design. The period of performance for the baseline evaluation is expected to start in September 2023 and last for approximately 8 months and may involve travel within or to Nepal. This consultancy is estimated to involve approximately 65 85 days level of effort (LOE) for the Team Lead, to be refined following the finalization of the evaluation design. The consultancy is open to host country nationals, third country nationals, and US nationals.
Qualifications
- Minimum master’s degree in education, psychology, social sciences, or a related field with 10+ years’ experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL)
- Extensive experience in monitoring and evaluation of the education sector, with at least some experience related to educational inclusion programs
- Experience leading the adaptation and piloting of educational assessment instruments, using qualitative data in a mixed methods design, and working with secondary data from Education Management Information Systems (EMIS)
- Experience in qualitative and quantitative methodologies (including experimental/quasi-experimental designs and statistical analysis), with the ability to advise stakeholders on design considerations and propose a feasible design that can answer the evaluation questions
- Substantial prior experience as a member of evaluation teams for international development actors
- Familiarity with issues related to education equity and inclusion
- Prior experience serving as an evaluation team lead a strong plus
- Strong interpersonal skills to work with a variety of evaluation stakeholders in a cross-cultural setting, including Bixal, USAID/Nepal, the Ministry of Education, the implementing partner, and others
- Fluent English and strong English language writing skills
- Prior experience in Nepal or knowledge of Nepali languages a plus
Bixal is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. It ensures equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, national origin, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are dedicated to promoting ersity, equity, and inclusion within our organization and beyond.