Deadline: June 10, 2022.
Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI) Research Associate Application 2022 – GEI Hands on Learning Program for South Africans
Strengthening the capacities of young and emerging evaluators (YEE) is gaining more and more importance within ECD: building a cadre of well-qualified evaluators and monitoring specialists is necessary to meet the growing demand for better monitoring and evaluation of projects and programs. While the offer of trainings and university courses has partly responded to this by providing M&E (especially on evaluation) courses or including the topic of evaluation in related political science courses, there is still a need to address the demand for hands-on practical experience in developing and implementing M&E activities, as well as in planning, designing, implementing, disseminating, and using evaluations. This is particularly important since first practical experience represents an entry point into the M&E labor market and contributes to networking of YEE. Hands-on training is a critical part of professional development in any field because it provides an opportunity for the students to immerse themselves in their selected field and hone skills that are valued by employers in the field. Through learning by doing, they interact with professionals who have worked in the field for years and benefit from their professional mentorship.
The hands-on learning is essential not only in acquiring technical/professional skills but also soft skills, such as the ability to work in teams, understanding of business needs and workplace expectations, and access to a professional network. The exposure to real-world problems provides an opportunity for students not only to apply the classroom knowledge but also to build cross-functional knowledge and insights to create sustainable solutions. The early practical experience is also critical for YEEs to make decisions about their long-term career goals.
GEI’s Hands on Learning Program for Young and Emerging Evaluators
The Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI) is an inclusive global partnership committed to developing country-owned, sustainable monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks and capacities to promote the use of evidence in public decision-making, enhance accountability, and achieve better results.
GEI’s Hands on Learning Program for YEEs is a 6 months-long traineeship for young professionals, who are interested to pursue a career in monitoring and evaluation, to gain relevant work experience and benefit from broader learning opportunities and professional networks across the GEI Network.
The Program aims to provide young and emerging evaluators with an opportunity to strengthen their practical M&E skills and soft skills through hands on learning (on the job training) and mentorship, as well as to broaden their professional networks. This
experience will enable YEEs to position themselves better when entering the job market.
GEI Hub will support the contracting and appointment of young and emerging evaluators as junior research associates/research associates, provide funding, as well as support the Centers to broaden knowledge sharing and networking opportunities for them across the GEI network. The GEI Hub in consultation with the GEI Task Team will review the results of the pilot program. The lessons from the pilot will inform the next phase of the Hands on Learning Program which will be launched in 2023.
The hosting institution: CLEAR-AA
To better acquire technical and professional skills, GEI through its implementing partner Centre for Learning on Evaluation and Results Anglophone Africa (CLEAR-AA) at Wits University would want to host one research associate/junior research associate to benefit from the work of the Centre. CLEAR-AA works in English-speaking African countries to develop and strengthen M&E systems; and promote the use of monitoring and evaluation evidence in policymaking to promote development across Anglophone Africa. The Center works to support monitoring and evaluation systems across the region by strengthening the supply of, and demand for, monitoring and evaluation simultaneously.
CLEAR-AA has four programmatic areas which are:
(i) Evaluation Systems
(ii) Strengthening Legislative
(iii) Capacity Strengthening
(iv) Research & Learning.
These programmatic areas are the organs that drive CLEAR-AA’s system-wide M&E capacity strengthening program in a partner countries.
Research Associate eligibility
The following eligibility criteria will apply to program applicants:
• Interest in the field of monitoring and evaluation;
• A graduate (master’s) degree
• A degree in a related field of public policy, sociology, international development, economics, monitoring and evaluation, development studies etc.)
• A qualification in monitoring and evaluation is an added advantage
• No more than three years of evaluation experience
• Fluency in English
• Strong qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills
• Strong writing and communication skills Employment specifications
• Remote working based in Johannesburg, South Africa, with mandatory office hours of at least twice a week
• Valid South African work permit
• Duration of the contract is up to 6 months, starting July 1, 2022
• The research associate will be hired through World Bank short-term contracts
• Citizenship from developing countries is required
• Covid-19 vaccination or presenting negative PCR every week
• The research associate will be mentored, supervised and reporting to the Programme Officer/Manager in the Capacity Strengthening Business Line
• GEI will provide the full cost of a research associate, unless there is an external funding available. The funding for each research associate will include:
o A stipend (for food, local transport, etc.),
o A housing allowance (for an on-site program only),
o A subsidy for lowest fare economy class airplane or train ticket for a research associate not living in Gauteng province (Johannesburg), South Africa.
Key duties and responsibilities
The research associate will work in the Capacity Strengthening business line at CLEAR-AA/Wits University. The key duties and responsibilities will include but not limited to the following:
• Assist the Programme Managers in the coordination of the development of an Impact Management and Measurement course
• Support the Programme Managers in the coordination and preparation of knowledge sharing events, in particular the CLEAR-AA Evaluation Indaba
• Contribute to the review and development of open enrolment M&E curriculum for CLEAR-AA, as well as its stakeholders and partners
• Assist in facilitating M&E training courses
• Participate in the impact evaluation of the British Council Learning2Code/Microbit intervention in partnership with the London School of Economics.
• Participate in GEI-related events
• Other reasonable duties allocated by the Capacity Strengthening Programme Officer/Manager
Applications for the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI) Research Associate Application 2022 – GEI Hands on Learning Program for South Africans
• Applications must submit a CV with at least 2 references, and highest completed qualification.
• Interested applicants should submit one-page motivation letter stipulating “how do you expect this internship will boost your M&E career”
• Applications should be emailed to [email protected] with the title GEI Research Associate Application and your name, by midnight 10 June 2022
• Please note that only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interviews
• If you do not hear from us within 1 week of closing date of submission of application, your application will not be successful
