Principal Level Evaluator (Call for applicants)

Job Title: Principal Level Evaluator

Project Name: Scaling Access and Learning in Education (SCALE) MEL

Job Type: Consultant

Location of Position: Malawi (remote)

Reporting to: SCALE MEL Team Lead

Remuneration: Fees are subject to negotiation and shall not exceed established market rates

LOE/Time Frame: Part-time (25 days + 5 days for follow-up study in final evaluation)

Language Requirements: Fluency in English (written and spoken)

Application Deadline: Open until filled

Application Instructions:

• Cover letter is mandatory to be considered. Cover letters should detail how your experience and qualifications match the opportunity, your daily fee and current availability.
• To apply for this position, please click the Apply Now link.
• Only successful candidates will be contacted. No phone calls please.

Alinea is an international development consultancy providing technical and management expertise that helps people improve their lives. We work with governments, investors, companies, and communities to create lasting change. Over 38 years, Alinea has successfully delivered more than 1000 projects worldwide. alineainternational.com

Alinea International does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment and hiring process. All offers of employment or job opportunities with Alinea International that include any form of a request for payment of fees or collect information on bank accounts are fraudulent. Any requests for such payment or information should be refused and reported to your local law enforcement authorities for appropriate action and to Alinea International.

At Alinea International we value diversity, equity, inclusivity, accessibility and belonging in everything we do. We are an equal opportunity employer opposed to all forms of discrimination. We actively seek and encourage applications from people of diverse backgrounds recognizing that an inclusive workforce enriches our organization and achieves smarter, more innovative results. Alinea is committed to the protection of children and vulnerable adults. Due to the nature of our work, all candidates will be subject to due diligence checks and extensive background checks where appropriate.

Project Description:

The Scaling Access and Learning in Education (SCALE) programme is a centrally managed initiative of the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), providing up to £68m over four years to enhance education financing effectiveness in low and lower-middle-income countries. SCALE aims to influence domestic and other ODA spending on education to increase the uptake of cost-effective interventions that deliver foundational learning outcomes, particularly for disadvantaged girls and boys. The programme supports:

• Demand-driven Technical Assistance (TA) projects
• Pilot testing of evidence-based interventions
• Strategic partnerships to mobilize education financing

Alinea International has been contracted (2024-2028) to provide independent Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) services for SCALE.

The Role:

We are seeking an experienced Principal Level Evaluator based in Malawi to support the Monitoring, Formative, and Summative Evaluations of the SCALE programme. The evaluator will conduct data collection across multiple evaluation rounds, engage with senior stakeholders, and contribute to high-quality reports that assess SCALE’s progress in improving education outcomes at scale.

Key Areas of Expertise

Candidates should have expertise in one or more of the following areas:

• Education sector evaluations with a focus on scaling interventions
• Theory of Change (ToC)-based evaluations and contribution analysis
• Public sector engagement and government stakeholder coordination
• Monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) methodologies
• Value for Money (VfM) analysis in development programs
• Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) in education

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the data collection process in Malawi across multiple evaluation rounds.
• Conduct key informant interviews (KIIs), focus group discussions (FGDs), and workshops with stakeholders, including FCDO staff, government officials, implementing partners, and strategic partners.
• Facilitate workshops with stakeholders to evaluate progress using predefined scaling metrics.
• Conduct political economy analyses to assess the factors influencing successful scaling.
• Deliver high-quality evaluation reports, including formative and summative case studies.
• Integrate Value for Money (VfM) analysis into country case study reports.

Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s degree (or higher) in education, social sciences, or a related field.
• 5-10 years of experience conducting education sector evaluations, particularly in scaling interventions.
• Proven expertise in Theory of Change-based evaluations and contribution analysis.
• Strong experience engaging senior-level government officials and international donors.
• Excellent writing, communication, and presentation skills in English.
• Familiarity with the education sector landscape in Malawi.
• Experience integrating GEDSI considerations into evaluations.
• Prior experience working with FCDO, USAID, or similar donors is highly desirable.
• Strong analytical and research skills with the ability to produce high-quality written outputs.