Learning Lead, USAID/Sri Lanka, and Maldives Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Activity. At Social Impact

Proposal Objective

The USAID Sri Lanka and Maldives MEL activity will aim to conduct rigorous monitoring, research, and evaluation of development assistance funded by the Mission. The activity will also build capacity to strengthen the Mission’s capacity as a learning organization, including leading ‘pause and reflect’ workshops and supporting the production of fact-based, data-rich documentation for reporting and outreach. Additionally, the activity will provide technical and advisory services in planning, designing, facilitating, conducting, and learning from monitoring and evaluating the Mission’s strategies and activities.

Position Summary

SI seeks a Learning Lead to support USAID Sri Lanka and Maldives MEL activity to foster and advance effective collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA) culture. It also brings innovative approaches to plan and implement collaborative events and activities of learning from evidence. This full-time proposal position is expected to be based in Sri Lanka and contingent on contract award.

**Please Note: Only Sri Lankan citizens are eligible to apply.**

Roles and Responsibilities

• Support the implementation, review, and update of the Mission’s learning agenda by facilitating learning events and action plans that respond to learning priorities and questions.
• Track progress on data collection relevant to the Mission’s learning priorities and questions; analyze this data for learning activities focused on directed at the Mission’s learning agenda.
• Guide learning for IPs by facilitating learning events and developing learning resources.
• Synthesize key findings and recommendations of USAID-funded programs to inform decision-making, theories of change, and future programming.
• Lead learning events, fairs, or other activities that support large-scale knowledge-sharing with USAID, IPs, and other stakeholders
• Conduct focused learning events – such as data parties and panel discussions – to explore learning questions or support strategic programmatic pivots for the Mission.
• Coordinate debriefs, brown bags, or other initiatives to facilitate learning for USAID/Sri Lanka or IPs around topics of interest or emerging issues.
• Facilitate structured reflections with USAID and IPs, such as pause-and-reflect sessions.
• Strengthen CLA capacities of Mission and IP staff through trainings on learning and adaptation, as well as supplementary activities such as coaching and peer-to-peer learning.
• Oversee knowledge management through the maintenance of repositories, activities, and processes that encourage learning and sharing.
• Review and support development of learning sections of activity MEL Plans for USAID IPs.
• Support and increase skills in data gathering, analysis, and visualization through the development of data management tools and communication material.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in international development, public relations or policy, or a related field.
• At least five years of experience after graduate studies in international development. Experience working on USAID activities is strongly preferred.
• At least three years of demonstrated experience in CLA, including implementing learning agendas, facilitating learning activities, or leading reflective learning exercises.
• Experience strengthening capacities in learning and adaptation, especially through trainings and supplementary activities such as coaching and peer-to-peer learning.
• Experience with knowledge management, particularly managing repositories of learning and outreach products, as well as facilitating knowledge sharing and learning.
• Strong presentation, reporting, and communication skills, and the demonstrated ability to interact diplomatically with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Experience working in Sri Lanka, and demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the economic, ecological, social, cultural, and political characteristics of Sri Lanka.
• Oral and written fluency in English and Tamil or Sinhala is required.