Manager, MLE Strategy

About Evidence Action

Evidence Action is a global nonprofit organization with an approach distinctive in international development - we exclusively scale interventions that are backed by strong evidence and can be delivered with exceptional cost-effectiveness. Our programs have grown since our founding in 2013 to reach over 280 million people annually. We deliver high impact for every dollar spent, as recognized by GiveWell, The Life You Can Save, and Charity Navigator.

We do development differently. We take a data-driven approach to identifying, scaling, and continuously improving programs which deliver immense impact, ensuring these solutions measurably improve the lives of millions. Our Deworm the World Initiative has helped governments in Africa and Asia deliver over 1.4 billion childhood deworming treatments, improving health, education, and incomes. Dispensers for Safe Water provides sustained safe water access to over 4 million people in rural Africa, preventing childhood illness and deaths.

We drive innovation: Our Accelerator builds the next generation of exceptional programs, taking an approach most similar to a venture capital model. We are ruthless in exiting programs which do not meet our criteria; those that advance deliver outsized impact for millions of people.

We are global. Across eight countries in Africa and Asia, our 400+ people are united by a tremendous passion for our mission and impact. We are strong because of our diversity of experience, geography, and background - with over 90% of our people in the countries where our impact is focused.

We have big ambitions. Our goal is to double our impact by 2024, to fulfill our vision of a world where hundreds of millions of people in the poorest places have better opportunities and their lives are measurably improved. We believe in bold and urgent action - because poverty doesn’t wait, and neither should we.

We need great people. Our success to date is due to the collective work of our amazing staff. To achieve our ambitious goals, we are looking for people who share our passion for evidence, cost-effectiveness, and scale. We seek individuals who take an entrepreneurial approach, enjoy tackling hard problems, and have a bias to action and results. If our vision and approach excite you as much as it does us, we invite you to join us.

What We’re looking for

Evidence Action is looking to hire two dynamic and motivated MLE Strategy Managers who can serve as the MLE lead for one to two Evidence Action programs. From coordinating MLE support for programs to developing and iterating on monitoring plans to managing research and learning projects, the MLE Strategy Manager will play a critical role in ensuring MLE activities are comprehensive, cost-efficient, and well-designed to meet program goals. The MLE Strategy role provides a unique experience for individuals interested in a more practical application of technical knowledge and those interested in collaborating closely across teams to shape how MLE can strategically serve the programs. These dynamic and critical positions will report to the MLE Strategy Associate Director.

Responsibilities will include:

1. Design the monitoring, learning, and evaluation plans for one to two programs, in close collaboration with Program teams (~45%)

• Iterate on program theories of change to conceptualize how programs intend to create impact and identify key process and performance indicators for monitoring and evaluation.
• Develop “right fit” monitoring and evaluation plans that appropriately capture key indicators and facilitate the technically sound measurement of program progress and outcomes.
• Create and maintain program “learning agendas” to explore decision-relevant questions, and support the development and implementation of program decision frameworks that utilize MLE results.
• Develop research and learning projects to address specific gaps in knowledge about the program
• Informed by relevant research and international best practices, draft and pilot well-designed surveys and survey protocols to ensure relevant and reliable data is collected for MLE plans.
• Conduct scoping trips to ensure MLE strategies are appropriate, realistic, and a good use of resources.
• Improve on and adapt the program MLE strategies, ensuring we account for insights gained about the program and communities served or any substantial changes in program strategies (e.g., COVID disruptions, program expansion, or program sustainability efforts).

1. Manage and coordinate the MLE strategy for each program, working closely with MLE Delivery leadership in the Africa region and India (~45%)

• Manage the annual MLE team scope of work for each program and track activities against the work plan, ensuring monitoring and reporting timelines are met.
• Draft annual program MLE Strategy budgets and support MLE Delivery leads to properly budget for planned program MLE activities.
• Review and track MLE results to support the interpretation and application of the results, facilitating data-driven decision-making by Program staff.
• Support the compliance to and the high-quality implementation of all M&E activities.
• Establish and maintain clear and comprehensive reporting templates and timelines for internal and external reporting requirements.
• Lead and manage research and evaluation projects, including developing the design (methods and sampling), drafting analysis plans, supervising/tracking data collection, cleaning and analyzing data, and reporting.
• Support donor engagement by reviewing and providing feedback for donor reports and developing high-quality M&E documents to share with donors, as requested.
• Travel, as appropriate, to meet with country and MLE Delivery teams and observe aspects of the program’s MLE activities.

1. Support the strengthening of the MLE work more generally and the MLE Strategy team’s role within the organization (~10%)

• Support the development of MLE best practices within the organization and facilitate lesson sharing across Evidence Action geographies.
• Establish and manage strategic partnerships with M&E vendors, where needed, to achieve program MLE goals.
• Working with the Program and MLE Delivery teams, identify areas for M&E capacity development and develop plans to address those areas for improvement.
• Provide global leadership support in all aspects of MLE for the programs assigned.
• Provide team leadership support and contribute to establishing team management systems and tools.
• Contribute to further defining Evidence Action’s approach to MLE, and standardizing our work across programs and geographies (where reasonable).

Other duties, as assigned

• Manage and mentor direct reports.
• Manage IRB processes for MLE activities, as per organizational and country protocols.
• Support the monitoring of program piloting and ensure pilot learning objectives are met through monitoring plans.
• Manage or conduct descriptive and statistical data analysis on large data sets to support emerging programs.

Location

Washington, DC; Nairobi, Kenya; or, remote.

Qualifications

Required qualifications:

• Master’s degree in economics, public policy, statistics, international development, or any other relevant quantitative field and a minimum of 3 years of M&E experience; or, a minimum of 5 years M&E experience

• Deep knowledge of M&E design concepts and methodologies, and experience designing M&E plans and surveys/data collection tools; in particular, experience with the development of program monitoring frameworks and Theories of Change

• Experience with program or project management, and a familiarity with basic organizational and management tools

• Demonstrated knowledge of and familiarity with using statistical software like Stata and Excel, including experience managing, analyzing, and interpreting large quantitative data sets

• Strong critical and analytical thinking skills to identify appropriate MLE design needs for different program countries and in line with global program strategies, and problem-solve for the realities of implementation

• Strong writing skills to deliver high-quality deliverables to international program teams and donors

• Excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills to effectively communicate technical concepts to both technical and laypersons, including the ability to present sensitive issues/positions

• Ability to maintain effective and respectful working relationships with a team that is geographically dispersed and willing to work in a global matrixed work setting

• Demonstrated ability to self-manage, problem solve and prioritize assignments in an efficient manner and in alignment with program deadlines

• Strong attention to detail, accuracy, and quality in all deliverables and projects

• Flexibility to adapt to shifting priorities and timelines according to requirements of program teams

• Commitment to being a good steward of resources and Evidence Action’s mission to implement cost-effective programs

• Willingness to travel to program locations in countries such as India, Uganda, Malawi, Nigeria, Liberia, and Kenya; travel is likely to be up to 25% of the year, pending travel restrictions as a result of COVID-19

Preferred qualifications:

• Previous work experience supporting in international settings and international organizations

• Previous work experience conducting qualitative research and analysis

• Knowledge and experience using softwares such as PowerBI, R, ArcGIS, QGIS, Nvivo

• Familiarity with the evidence base and best practices for leading global health interventions

• Familiarity with international health data, research, and surveys

To apply please submit your resume. In lieu of a cover letter, please fill out the brief questionnaire on our application.