The Implementer-Led Evaluation and Learning (IMPEL) Associate Award has been funded by USAID/Office of Food for Peace (FFP) to improve the design and implementation of development food security activities (DFSAs) through implementer-led evaluations and knowledge sharing. The objective of the implementer-led approach is to increase the involvement of the food and nutrition security community of practice of implementing partners (IPs), leading to greater ownership of evaluations, wider dissemination of findings and increased learning. IMPEL will employ creative approaches to promote data use and dissemination and to encourage lessons learned to be applied by partners across countries. IMPEL is an Associate Award of the Implementer-Led Design, Evidence, Analysis and Learning (IDEAL) Activity, also funded by FFP, which aims to enhance the food and nutrition security of vulnerable populations through improving the design, implementation, and overall effectiveness of development and emergency food security activities.

The Director will work with evaluation partners to ensure that collaborative baseline studies, evaluations and learning activities are well designed, conducted on time and are of the highest technical quality, providing support to evaluation partners as needed to enable this outcome. Together with IDEAL leadership, the Director will coordinate with USAID/FFP and the implementing partner (IP) community to determine the learning strategy and ensure the priorities of these critical stakeholders are met.

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

• Oversee the implementation of collaborative baseline studies, evaluations, and learning activities, including the identification and subgranting of evaluation partners.
• Work with evaluation partners to ensure the technical quality of studies and evaluations. Methods may include qualitative, quantitative, mixed method, impact evaluations, the conducting of randomized control trials (RCTs) and experimental methods as needed.
• Together with evaluation partner, work closely with FFP, including AOR and Survey Methods Specialist, to finalize evaluation design, determine timing, define the questions and identify approaches of mutual interest.
• Together with evaluation partners, collaborate with IPs on design, timing and implementation of studies and evaluations. To foster greater learning, IPs should be able to contribute to these products, including the introduction of indicators or lines of research to better track the applicability of the activities’ Theories of Change.
• Provide leadership in the development and implementation of a strategy for capturing and sharing findings in a variety of formats to fit the needs of diverse stakeholder groups in the field and in Washington (e.g. implementing partners, FFP Washington, USAID Missions, academic partners, and the broader implementing partner community). Support the application of findings both within the focus countries and beyond.
• Supervise and work with Learning Advisors as needed to increase the level of IP buy-in to, and application of, external evaluation findings and recommendations in order to improve the overall quality and effectiveness of FFP’s development programming.
• Collaborate with IDEAL’s MEL Lead to advocate for improved evaluation design and scope as needed for better cost effectiveness and learning,
• Represent IMPEL with USAID, both in DC and at the regional or mission level,
• Travel to DFSA countries, Washington DC and other locations as needed to conduct consultations, lead meetings and other activities as needed,
• Work collaboratively with IDEAL and other Associate Awards to enable coherent strategies and communication with IPs and other stakeholders and enable activities to build on one another.
• Use adaptive management approaches that ensure functioning feedback loops and opportunities to pause, reflect and course correct activity interventions, focus content, and management to ensure that activity interventions remain appropriate, with challenges met and new opportunities capitalized on,
• Oversee operations of IMPEL AA, ensuring smooth and collegial relations with IDEAL’s administrative and financial staff and processes,
• Ensure IMPEL implementation is on time, on scope and on budget,
• Oversee the monitoring and evaluation of the IMPEL AA, and provide reporting to donor and IDEAL as needed.

Required Qualifications

• At least ten (7-10) years of experience in management, preferably in senior positions, particularly in managing evaluations and large-scale, mixed-method surveys or managing IP activities that utilize such evaluations;
• A Bachelor’s degree in economics, agricultural economics or development studies, management, project evaluation, or other relevant field of study;
• A food security and resilience expert with demonstrated evaluation experience;
• The incumbent should have at least three years’ experience in managing consortiums (ideally of evaluation awardees) and liaising with different implementers and USAID;
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to deliver quality products both in writing and verbally (reports, presentations);
• Demonstrated experience in organizational capacity development and learning
• Demonstrated experience developing agendas for strategic workshops and learning events and overseeing logistical staff
• Experience working overseas in low-resource environments
• Ability to work with adaptive management systems
• Collaborative work style.
• Proven ability to work well with multiple stakeholders and diverse teams and to bring teams to consensus on recommendations for technical practices and knowledge management and dissemination
• Sensitivity to cultural differences and ability to work effectively across a wide variety of cultural contexts
• Strong team player – able to develop and maintain effective working relationships within diverse and dynamic teams
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
• Willingness and ability to travel 25% internationally

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a related field
• Experience with USAID/FFP Development Food Security Activities strongly preferred;

Why you should join the Save the Children Team

Save the Children US offers outstanding benefits that include health, dental, vision and life insurances, pet insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage, an Employee Assistance Program, 403(b), generous vacation, personal sick leave, family leave, parental/adoption leave, commuter benefits, dress for your day, and much more.

Click here to learn more about how Save the Children US will invest in YOU!

About Save the Children

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom Save the Children is in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse. In addition, it is Save the Children’s policy to create and proactively maintain an environment that aims to prevent and deter any actions and omissions, whether deliberate or inadvertent, that place children at the risk of any kind of child abuse. All our representatives are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation. Any violations of this policy will be treated as a serious issue.

We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws.