Researcher and M&E Officer (Consultant)

The Youth Cafe is seeking a Researcher and Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Officer to join as a consultant. This role is critical to the success of the SAFE-MIT MMD III project, where the consultant will lead monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning activities. The primary focus is to develop robust M&E frameworks, conduct baseline and endline assessments, and ensure project impact is accurately measured, documented, and reported to donors and stakeholders. Additionally, the consultant will conduct research on youth migration and governance, translate findings into actionable policy recommendations, and build the capacity of project staff.

Key Responsibilities

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Develop and implement the project’s M&E framework, tools, and methodologies.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret quantitative and qualitative data related to project outcomes and outputs.
• Monitor progress against performance indicators and generate periodic M&E reports (monthly, quarterly, and final).
• Lead baseline, midline, and endline assessments, including data analysis and reporting.
• Ensure high data quality, secure storage, and timely submission of donor-compliant reports.

Survey Design, Execution, and Support

• Ensure the design, execution, and analysis of surveys are accurate, ethical, and provide actionable insights.
• Support Education Outreach Officers (EOOs) to administer pre-training surveys to a sample of 225 teachers prior to their participation in the teacher training.
• Analyze survey results to identify capacity gaps, challenges, and opportunities.
• Translate findings into recommendations for project teams, trainers, and policy stakeholders.

Training Material Review and Adjustment

• Collaborate with education and training teams to refine and adjust the teacher handbooks and training materials.
• Ensure materials are evidence-informed and effectively address the needs identified through pre-training surveys and assessments.
• Provide ongoing input to improve the pedagogical quality and relevance of content delivered to teachers and other stakeholders.

Research and Learning

• Conduct research and policy analysis on youth migration, reintegration, and governance challenges and opportunities.
• Lead participatory research processes including interviews, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and stakeholder mapping.
• Develop knowledge products such as research papers, case studies, policy briefs, and infographics.
• Engage with academic and policy institutions to validate findings and broaden knowledge dissemination.

Capacity Building & Internal Learning

• Train project staff and partners on M&E tools and ethical data collection protocols.
• Organize learning workshops and adaptive management sessions to share findings and improve implementation.
• Lead outcome harvesting and facilitate continuous reflection on project impact.

Reporting

• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and final narrative reports summarizing project activities, key performance indicators, outcomes, and insights.
• The final narrative report shall be inclusive and aligned with the financial report.
• Contribute M&E data and findings to donor and internal reports and ensure consistency and accuracy of data presented.

Deliverables

• M&E framework and tools by June 2025.
• Baseline report by July 2025.
• Pre-training teacher survey report and analysis by August 2025.
• Revised training handbook and materials by September 2025.
• Monthly and quarterly M&E/narrative reports.
• At least two research or policy briefs and one comprehensive research report.
• Final endline report and learning documentation by April 2026.
• Presentation of key findings at the end-of-project policy forum.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Education, Development Studies, Migration Studies, or related field (Master’s degree preferred).
• At least 5 years of experience in research and M&E roles within education, youth empowerment, migration, or development sectors.
• Strong knowledge of survey methodology, participatory research, and data analysis (quantitative and qualitative).
• Proficiency in M&E and data tools (e.g., KoboToolbox, Excel, SPSS, NVivo, PowerBI).
• Proven experience in developing and adapting training content based on evidence and feedback loops.
• Strong writing, reporting, and presentation skills.
• Fluency in English (French is an added advantage).

How to Apply

Interested consultants should submit:

1. A one-page cover letter outlining suitability and availability.
2. An updated CV.

Applications should be emailed to: human.resource@theyouthcafe.com

Subject Line: Researcher, Monitoring and M&E Officer (Consultant) – SAFE-MIT MMD III Application

Deadline for submission: 30th May 2026.