Social Impact (SI) is a global development management consulting firm. We provide monitoring, evaluation, strategic planning, and capacity-building services to advance development effectiveness. We work across all development sectors including democracy and governance, health and education, environment, and economic growth. Since 1997 we have worked in over 100 countries for clients such as US government agencies, bilateral donors, multilateral development banks, foundations, and nonprofits.

Project Description: 
On January 19, 2023, USAID/Tanzania awarded International Business Initiatives (IBI) and SI a four-year contract for the Tanzania Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Adaptation (T-MELA) Activity. This activity is to assist the USAID/Tanzania Mission with strategy- and activity-level performance monitoring, evaluation, and learning. This activity will also provide data gathering and verification, data visualization (including Geographic Information Systems), data quality assessments, impact and performance evaluations, assessments, organizational learning, and collaboration among USAID’s implementing partners and DO teams. The MEL Support Platform will also implement a capacity-building agenda for the mission, developing a baseline of M&E knowledge within the mission and tailoring a curriculum to provide skills development to mission staff. USAID/Tanzania has commissioned SI to conduct a mid-term evaluation of the Jifunze Uelewe Activity.

Background of Jifunze Uelewe Activity 
Jifunze Uelewe (JU) is USAID/Tanzania’s flagship foundational learning activity. JU aims to improve student outcomes in literacy, numeracy, and social and emotional skills. With a TEC of $38 million, JU is being implemented at scale in 5 regions (Iringa, Morogoro, Mtwara, Ruvuma, and the two islands of Zanzibar. In each target region, JU works with all pre-primary and primary (Grades 1- 4) classrooms, collaborating closely with all education system actors to build capacity for the sustainability of interventions. JU fully aligns with GoT’s curriculum and policy reforms and several of the approaches/materials/models developed under JU in partnership with GoT, have been adopted by GoT for national implementation.

JU works at the national, district, and ward levels to build the capacity of GoT education sector actors such as Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE), Zanzibar Institute of Education (ZIE), MoEST, Z/MoEVT, and PORALG. This means (1) working with key stakeholders on teacher guides, student materials, and teacher training; (2) building school-based and virtual coaching and mentoring support for teachers through teacher continuous professional development (TCPD); and (3) collecting data for evidence-based decision making. JU also mobilizes parents to partner with schools to contribute to a healthy learning environment for learners.
As JU is halfway through implementation, it is an opportune time to take stock and analyze what is working or not working within its 3 objectives:

• Improve teachers’ literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional instruction.
• Strengthen local and regional ability to sustain and increase improved learning.
• Increase community support for safe and inclusive education in and out of school.

Purpose and use of Lishe Endelevu Endline: 
Overall evaluation questions and sub-questions

1. To what extent is JU making progress toward improving the learning outcomes (literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional skills) of its target beneficiaries?

• Based on current reading and math scores, which subtasks have seen the greatest improvements, and which have seen the fewest improvements? Why?
• What variances in learning outcomes, if any, exist amongst the following sub-groups: x, y, z*. What factors are influencing these variances in learning outcomes?
• How has the project's strategy for incentivizing and monitoring influenced teacher attendance patterns, and what are the predominant reasons for any reported absences across regions and demographic groupings?
• To what extent are teachers implementing JU's social and emotional learning (SEL) and well-being approaches?
• How well do the teaching and learning materials align with the training and curriculum?
• How and to what extent are School Information System (SIS) users utilizing SIS?
• What incentives, barriers, or challenges are encouraging or discouraging SIS use?
• To what extent are government officials, school administrators, teachers, and PTPs implementing JU initiatives as intended?
• How are teachers incorporating the phonics-based teaching approach with students, and how do students utilize the books provided by JU? What challenges are encountered in both contexts?
• Describe the nature and frequency of TCPD, and how WEOs are adopting their new role of coach/mentor. What challenges are faced in these areas?
• How often do teachers access Teaching and Learning Materials during JU training, and in what ways are PTPs contributing to enhancing learning?
• Across the board, what common challenges, such as time constraints, resource limitations, or lack of interest, are reported by stakeholders in implementing JU initiatives?
• What are the factors that influence the sustainability of JU interventions?

The results will primarily be used by USAID/Tanzania, and the GoT (MOEST, PORALG).  Donor partners such as FCDO, Swedish SIDA, UNICEF, Global Partnership of Education, and the Canadian High Commission will also benefit from the results.

The Mid-term evaluation results will be used as a tool to bring USAID/Tanzania, MOEST, PORALG, and donor partners together to discuss what the program has achieved in its first half of life; changes or adaptations that could improve the project’s performance for the remainder of the activity; and ways for MOEST, PORALG, and other donor partners to work together to scale up the program or specific components nationally. USAID/OCE also plans to use the findings to inform its recommendations for subsequent activity design and evaluation (this should not be mentioned with Jifunze Uelewe implementers and stakeholders as it could be procurement sensitive). Top of Form

Position Description: 
SI is seeking a Team Leader to support T-MELA with the Jifunze Uelewe Mid-term evaluation.
The Evaluation Team Leader shall be an English speaker evaluation expert with strong evaluation experience in the education sector. She/he will lead the evaluation team through all stages of the evaluation, responsible for leading the team in generating all key deliverables including a Design Report, Draft Evaluation Report, Final Evaluation Report, and other key knowledge products. The Evaluation Team Leader will conduct data collection in Tanzania along with a subject matter expert, evaluation specialist, and data analyst. She/he will work under the guidance of the Senior Assessment and Evaluation Specialist in Tanzania and SI’s Project Director in Washington DC.

Responsibilities:
The Team Lead will:

• Line-manages the Evaluation Team collaboratively with the T-MELA’s Chief of Party and Senior Evaluation Specialist.
• Lead desk review, initial stakeholder consultation, and identify additional information/analyses required.
• Lead the team to prepare and finalize evaluation design, methodologies, analysis strategies, work plan, and timelines for USAID and partners.
• Lead and oversee data collection efforts and consultation with implementing partners based on research/logistical needs.
• Take responsibility for ongoing data analysis and iteratively develop findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Write the evaluation report in coordination with team members, taking into consideration feedback from a preliminary finding session.
• Take the lead in the preparation and presentation of the key findings, conclusions, and recommendations to USAID, key stakeholders, and research users following SI's and USAID's standards.
• Take responsibility for leading the team to respond to USAID and USAID T-MELA’s comments and feedback and deliver high-quality deliverables that meet USAID and SI's standards.

Deliverables: 

• With support from USAID/T-MELA and team members, the Team Lead will be expected to take overall responsibility for the production and management of the following:
•   Final Evaluation Design: A detailed, full evaluation design and work plan following an initial consultation with USAID that will include chosen methodologies and data collection tools.
•   Kick-off meeting/In brief: A PowerPoint/Google Slides presentation summarizing the Inception Report for USAID/T-MELA and key partners prior to the launch of data collection.
•   Findings Conclusions and Recommendations (FCR) Matrix: An analysis tool through which data is triangulated and findings, conclusions, and recommendations specific to each evaluation question are produced. Two FCR matrixes are expected, a preliminary document after the first full week of data collection, and a final matrix at the end of the data analysis period.
•   Preliminary Findings PPT: The team will present the key findings to the wider USAID/Tanzania Mission through a PowerPoint/Google Slides presentation. The TL is expected to update this PowerPoint after the final report.
•   Draft Report: A draft report with fully developed findings, conclusions, and recommendations, no longer than 30 pages excluding annexes, will be submitted to the T-MELA COP who will submit to the USAID COR for T-MELA activity. The format will include an executive summary, table of contents, methodology, findings, and recommendations. USAID/T-MELA and key local stakeholders will provide comments on the draft report.
•   Final Report: The team will submit a final report that incorporates responses to USAID's/partner's comments and suggestions. The report will be submitted electronically in English. The report will be disseminated within USAID and key stakeholders.

• At least 10 years of senior-level experience working on evaluation is desirable, with extensive experience evaluating education interventions required.
• A postgraduate degree in education, PhD will be an added advantage
• Extensive experience in leading evaluation teams and preparing high-quality documents.
• Experience designing and/or implementing EGMA and EGRA preferred
• Experience with qualitative data collection and analysis (including KIIs and Focus Groups).
• Excellent oral communication and written skills in English is a must.
• Demonstrated experience in communicating with local stakeholders at managerial and technical levels.
• Experience working with international donors, especially USAID.
• Preferably, the applicant will possess experience conducting evaluations in the education sector in East Africa, Tanzania in particular.