Background

The USAID Higher Education System Strengthening Activity (HESSA) is a five-year (2021- 2026) activity with an overarching goal of enhancing the employability potential (capacity, relevance, adequacy, and inclusiveness) of Pakistani workforce (i.e., university graduates). The University of Utah is the lead implementation partner of USAID in executing this project. To steer the project implementation, the University of Utah has established a Project Management Unit (PMU) in Islamabad, Pakistan.  We are seeking a qualified candidate to fill the position of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Expert.

Terms of Reference

The Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist will work under the direct supervision of the Chief of Party (COP), including his/her designated representative, such as the Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP). The primary responsibility of the M&E Specialist is to lead the implementation of the project's MEL framework in close collaboration with other members of the project team. While aligning with USAID reporting requirements, the MEL framework's core focus lies in evaluating the effectiveness of project interventions, tracking progress toward intended goals and objectives, and fostering a culture of continuous learning to facilitate necessary adjustments. The incumbent, based in Islamabad, will perform the following specific tasks:

• Develop indicators for impact analysis in accordance with the project's theory of change, identify data requirements, institute a robust data collection and analysis process, and present results to enable evidence-based decision-making.
• Create and maintain a comprehensive MEL database, ensuring it remains updated to support impact analysis throughout the project's lifecycle.
• Develop questionnaires and data collection forms for pre- and post-training assessments, gather data from the participants and share the results with instructors and project leadership.
• Collect and analyze data related to SRIs and timely report them into the PakInfo system to ensure compliance with the USAID requirements.
• Provide support and guidance to M&E experts from HESSA partner universities in establishing effective M&E processes at their respective campuses.
• Prepare quarterly monitoring reports demonstrating the impact or change triggered by the project interventions utilizing both quantitative and qualitative data collected through formal and informal methods.
• Undertake any other tasks as assigned by the COP/DCOP.

Qualifications and Experience

The M&E Specialist should have the following minimum set of qualifications:

• A master’s degree (a minimum of eighteen years of education) from an internationally recognized or accredited university in Statistics or any relevant Social Sciences discipline.
• Overall, a minimum of seven years of M&E experience with USAID, government agencies, and/or other organizations/donor systems.
• A minimum of three years of experience working in developing country settings, preferably on higher education programs.
• Strong M&E skills, research, data analysis and management, and report writing skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including synthesis and presentation of quantitative and qualitative data.
• English language fluency is required; knowledge of Urdu or other Pakistani local language is preferred.

Application Process

Please send your application and CV in English to sovanna.behrmann@utah.edu. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.