Evidence Action is seeking a (Senior) Director of Global Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MLE) to lead the organization's approach to evaluation for early-stage programs. This role involves the design and oversight of major evaluations for pilots, quality assurance of methodology, and ensuring that findings inform at-scale programs. The Director will provide strategic oversight of at-scale program MLE, drive organizational learning from findings, and develop centralized systems for evidence sharing. A key focus will be identifying cross-program blind spots and systemic risks while championing the use of data, technology, and AI to strengthen decision-making. As a senior leader, you will also serve as an external champion for the organization's MLE function with donors, board members, and government partners.
Key Responsibilities
Lead organizational MLE strategy
- Own and drive Evidence Action's approach to evaluation for early stage programs, including design and oversight of major evaluations for pilots and quality assurance of evaluation methodology and findings.
- Ensure alignment between early stage MLE findings and at-scale program execution, in coordination with the Director.
- Provide strategic oversight of at-scale program MLE through management of the Director, ensuring alignment between at-scale program MLE and the broader MLE function strategy.
- Lead the MLE Review process, driving organizational learning from findings and ensuring recommendations inform function-wide improvements.
- Develop and maintain centralized MLE systems for sharing, tracking, and applying evidence internally and externally, including at the regional level.
- Lead the development of Evidence Action's learning agenda, identifying the highest-value learning questions across the program portfolio.
- Identify and address cross-program MLE blind spots and systemic risks, translating complex challenges into clear diagnoses and actionable recommendations for senior leadership.
- Champion the strategic use of data, technology, and AI to strengthen MLE and organizational decision-making.
- Serve as the primary senior point of contact for regional MLE leaders on function-wide coordination.
Provide senior external and organizational leadership
- Serve as a senior thought leader and external champion for Evidence Action’s MLE Function with donors, board members, government partners, and peer organizations.
- Oversee the approach to external reviewers, vendors, and consultants across the MLE Function.
- Partner closely with Cost-Effectiveness and other internal evidence functions to ensure coherence across Evidence Action's evidence approach.
- Lead board and donor level communications on MLE progress, methodology, and organizational learning.
Lead and develop the Global MLE Function
- Provide direction and leadership to the MLE team, including direct management of a Director who leads at-scale program MLE and team management.
- Set strategic direction and priorities for the team and help foster a high-performing team culture.
- Oversee the Global MLE budget, maintaining visibility across global and regional MLE teams.
- Collaborate with program and organizational leadership to plan resources and recruit for strategic bandwidth.
Requirements
- 10+ years of progressive experience in monitoring, learning, and evaluation in a global development context.
- Experience including direct program implementation and technical assistance to governments.
- 5+ years in a senior leadership role, ideally within a matrixed organization.
- PhD or a comparable mix of advanced training and high-end technical experience in a relevant field (economics, statistics, public health, social science, or related).
- Expertise in program evaluation design and methodology (impact evaluations, process evaluations, and mixed-methods approaches).
- Real-world experience managing large-scale evaluations from design through dissemination.
- Proven track record of developing senior leaders and strengthening leadership bench capacity.
- Established networks across the MLE and leadership communities of peer and partner organizations.
- Clear orientation toward implementation over theory (Action Oriented).
- Ability to switch communication styles between technical specialists and non-technical audiences.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should apply online through the Evidence Action application portal on Workable. Visit https://apply.workable.com/evidence-action/ or use the job-specific link https://www.myjobmag.co.ke/apply-now/1231598 to access the application page.
