Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Advisor with Security Clearance

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Job description

Overview The Contractor will provide monitoring, evaluation, and social science research services to support public diplomacy efforts, working closely with WHA/PDA leadership, field-based practitioners, and, as appropriate, with the Research and Evaluation Unit (REU), Office of Policy, Planning, and Resources for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (R/PPR), and related interagency monitoring and evaluation offices, including from the Department of Education and the Inter-American Foundation, as needed for best practices. The Contractor must be able to lead and work with cross-functional teams to conceptualize, design, and implement evaluation research projects, monitoring initiatives, and innovative strategic design. Candidates should have strong skills in qualitative competencies such as interviewing, synthesis, and analysis, as well as knowledge of survey design, performance management, and basic quantitative methodologies. Candidates should have some level of experience or the ability to quickly obtain understanding of WHA audience demographics and analysis paired with understanding of regional policy context and public diplomacy. Candidates should have strong project management skills including experience developing monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plans for programs and initiatives. Candidates should demonstrate skills in written and oral communications in English, including consultation with and training of stakeholders and the ability to quickly and concisely respond and consolidate key policy outcomes in response to taskers and other data reporting requests. Candidates demonstrating experience with strategic planning and audience analysis in support of developing and implementing strategic communications campaigns and/or public diplomacy programs will be preferred. Responsibilities Monitoring and Evaluation. Assesses the effectiveness of WHA's public diplomacy and public affairs programs and initiatives, through designing and conducting mixed-method evaluations, developing reliable ongoing monitoring systems, and developing and delivering technical and professional support to field practitioners in the area of M&E, with minimal direction. May identify indicators that can be utilized across grants and track and aggregate outputs and outcomes of public diplomacy activities across WHA. Provide analysis on request to clarify which initiatives are feasible, cost-effective, and can achieve the desired outcomes, taking into account other constraints such as time, security, and overall budget, including in response to short-fuse taskers. May support strategic planning and grants management processes, both domestic and overseas, including through activities such as analyzing proposals and providing input to selection panels.
Organizational Learning. Provides consultation to public diplomacy practitioners on how to design, manage, and use M&E tools to inform and improve initiatives and programs designed to advance foreign policy objectives, including in each phase of the grants cycle. May develop and conduct associated training modules for public diplomacy practitioners and implementing partners, including on basic principles of audience analysis. Travels to conduct fieldwork associated with organizational learning projects, including training, supervision of data Qualifications A Bachelor's Degree is required; a master's degree or higher is preferred.
Training should reflect training in qualitative and quantitative research methods.
Three or more years' experience designing and managing performance monitoring, performance measurement, and performance management for initiatives or objectives, including developing performance indicators, establishing data collection and data management processes, creating monitoring reports, and designing continuous improvement initiatives.
Skill in oral and written communications (in English), including technical writing experience, to interface with individuals at all levels, both within and outside the government; develop, negotiate, and defend recommendations; present briefings on sensitive and controversial subjects; transfer knowledge and provide guidance and instructions to further organizational learning.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
Experience with Stata, R, or comparable statistical analysis software, data visualization software such as Einstein or Tableau, and/or qualitative data analysis software such as NVIVO and Atlas.TI.
Skill in strategic and operational planning, organizing, directing, and conducting complex projects involving multiple stakeholders, including those with milestones occurring over at least six months to one year.
Experience working in regions particularly relevant to WHA/PDA's mission, with audience analysis, and with communications-related and/or public diplomacy programming is preferred.
Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.

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