The Learning Research Specialist will extend the Department of Education and Child Protection’s (DECP) ability to provide technical support to country offices to expand access to quality learning opportunities. Responsibilities include enhancing the reach of the DECP team to focus on learning outcomes across Sponsorship, Save the Children International and partner sites. This role accomplishes this primarily through support of the implementation of the Literacy and Numeracy Boost assessments and International Development and Early Learning Assessment (IDELA), including data analysis and evaluation report writing.
The Learning Research Specialist will support evidence-based programming in Sponsorship, SCI and partner sites by building the capacity of US and country office staff to successfully measure and report on Literacy and Numeracy Boost, Emergent Literacy and Math (ELM) and related programming activities. In leading the assessment component, this role will consult on evaluation design and use statistical analysis methods to produce findings for evidence-based program design/improvement, and ensure timely feedback into programming. This position will be responsible for the dissemination of evaluation and research results to the Country Offices and the DECP team.
Technical Leadership and Quality Programming (70%)
- Design and implement evaluations for DECP current and future programs, including in-country technical assistance for research design and data collection as well as analysis and results communication
- Support tool development, data analysis, and data use to inform literacy, numeracy, and early childhood development in Save the Children programs
- Strengthen Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning (MEAL) staff capacity to measure learning and development
- Develop and implement training modules in quantitative/qualitative research foundations for country office and regional staff
Program Learning and Innovation (25%)
- Ensure technical quality of learning outcomes in Save the Children sites, including analysis and utilization of findings to realize impact for the program, advocacy, and fundraising.
- Work with colleagues across the Save the Children movement to consistently link programmatic supports, technical messages, and resource development for literacy, numeracy and gender programming
- Work with the research team to conduct cross-country studies to inform DECP’s program advances and advocacy messages
Public and Private Resources (5%)
- Support the monitoring and evaluation components of proposal development for the US government and private foundations/donors
- Minimum of 3 to 5 years of experience in applied research
- Proven technical knowledge in evaluation designs including experimental, quasi-experimental, and mixed-methods
- Independent judgment and discretion on setting evaluation plans for programs
- Ability to travel up to 25% of the time internationally and domestically (with most of the travel being international)
- Ability to take initiative and work independently and as part of a team
- Computer skills: proficiency in STATA, Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelors degree in international education, international development/development economics or related field strongly preferred
- Experience in behavior change and attitudes measurement, in particular as it relates to gender
- Experience in qualitative research methods
- Experience in rigorous quantitative and qualitative approaches in a development setting
- Proficiency in French, Spanish, or Arabic
- Aetna Medical and Dental insurance with a concierge service
- Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
- Vision Insurance
- Life insurance
- Employee Assistance Program
- Commuter Benefit Program
- Vacation and Sick leave
- Paid holidays
What makes us special!
- Generous Retirement Savings with matching company contributions of up to 8%
- Family Leave – 10 additional days of paid time off for you to use to care for your family members
- Additional Maternity and Paternity Leave – 30 days where parents can take additional paid leave (beyond short-term disability and FMLA) at the birth or adoption of a child during that critical first year!
- Critical Child Illness Leave – We hope you never have to use it, but we will provide an additional 30 days of paid leave per year should your dependent child be faced with a critical illness.
- Pet Insurance, Critical Illness Insurance, Identity Protection, Home, Auto and additional Life insurances
- Summer Fun Fridays – During the summer months, early release at 1:30 pm every other Friday!
- Volunteer Day – One paid day a year to support the causes that matter to you!
- Ergonomic Options – Every employee at our HQ offices has the option of a sitting/standing desk
- Leadership and Employee Development Training, including:
- Our remarkable in-house CORE, Senior Management Development, and Leadership Development Programs
- Language learning opportunities
- Continuous Improvement skill development programs
- Brown Bag information sharing sessions
- Work hard/Play hard! We make sure there’s ample opportunity for fun, engagement, and celebration while you work, such as networking events, March Madness, World Cup, Dodgeball Tournaments, Take Your Child to Work Day, Founder’s Day, and our annual Day of Service