TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR RELI [COUNTRY] MONITORING, EVALUATION & LEARNING (MEL) CATALYST.

About RELI The Regional Education Learning Initiative (RELI) brings together over 50 civil society groups in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania) and the Democratic Republic of Congo working to improve education outcomes across the region. RELI’s strategic focus over the next four years will revolve around the following three key priorities:

● Transformation of individual RELI members and their organizations

● Knowledge hub for evidence around learning outcomes

● Policy impact towards learning outcomes

RELI is seeking to hire a part-time Consultant in each of the three countries of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, as Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Catalyst to undertake the following functions:

Overview of Role & Reporting Line
The role is Country-based and broadly comprises participation and contribution in thematic group processes/activities; facilitating and enabling learning; synthesis and analysis of knowledge and learning; co-creating, editing, linking and connecting knowledge and learning. The MEL Catalyst reports to in-country RELI MEL Mentor, works in tandem with in-country Thematic Group Leads and Country Facilitators, Lead Synthesizer and Principal Investigators; and performs other duties as may be assigned by the MEL Mentor from time to time.

Specific Functions & Responsibilities
The person will:
Participate and contribute. The role involves active participation in all of the country thematic fora – both in person and online. This will involve:

• Active involvement in online debates and resource platforms
• Participation in country thematic group fora and events
• Participate and contribute to country MEL events and meetings
• Participation in the country and regional meetings

Animate, challenge and enrich. The role involves acting as an enabler and facilitator of learning and knowledge generation within country thematic groups. It will involve:
● Animating discussions
● Supporting the clarification of learning questions
● Challenging assumptions within conversations to promote learning
● Ensuring that pertinent information (including but not limited to data, policy context, and literature) is available to the MEL Mentor, Thematic Leads and Country Facilitators, Lead Synthesizer and Principal Investigators (PIs).
● Liaise with and meet (as appropriate) with MEL mentors regularly to ensure relevant evidence is available to thematic groups.
Synthesize and analyze learning. The role involves adding value to both the learning that is taking place and the knowledge generated within Thematic Groups in Country. It will involve:
● Capturing learning and knowledge through thematic group fora, events, and activities
● Synthesizing discussions, mapping synergies and making connections for next steps
● Intentionally monitoring members transformation through Thematic Groups and triangulating with data available with MEL Mentor for Members learning.
● Identifying gaps, analyzing learning and discussing emerging patterns with MEL Mentor for feedback with Thematic Leads and Country Facilitators immediately after any fora, event or activity.
● Compiling synthesized and evidence-informed learning reports on a monthly basis and sharing through the platform and with the relevant MEL mentor, Thematic Leads and Country Facilitators.

Co-author and edit. The framing of learning through Country thematic groups into ‘what works’ will be a collaborative endeavor. The MEL Catalyst will have a key role in:
● Commenting on the writing of thematic group members and filling information gaps
● Editing the writing/s and knowledge products of thematic group members
● Synthesizing the writing of thematic group members
● Co-authoring publications with MEL Mentor, Thematic Leads and Country Facilitators, Lead Synthesizer, Principal Investigators and other members of RELI Support Team

Link and connect. The role involves enabling learning to be shared across RELI, and will involve:
● Making requests for additional literature and data from MEL Mentors, members, and the Support Team
● Ensuring that the work of the Thematic Groups are fully shared within the group and on the platform/website
● Liaising with regional MEL Mentor, Thematic Leads and Country Facilitators, Lead Synthesizer, Principal Investigators and the Support Team to stimulate and share learning regionally.

The Consultant Profile
● Applicants should hold a minimum of first degree in any social science field and have either 5 years’ or more of experience or a Masters degree in any social science field with over 5 years’ experience.
● Applicants should have at least five years of experience in program designs, delivery, monitoring, evaluation & learning or knowledge management and brokerage.
● The person should have at least practical knowledge of MEL, the ability to analyze and synthesize knowledge and information, knowledge management, and learning facilitation skills with local, regional and or international organizations.
● S/He should demonstrate good capacity on capturing, filtering, presenting and sharing learning and knowledge within and across multi-stakeholder arrangements and partnerships.
● The applicant must be able to work collaboratively and respectfully in a cross-cultural environment.

Application Process

A brief application letter (maximum half a page) outlining suitability against the roles outlined together with detailed CV, should be sent by email on or before October 15, 2018, to casego@aphrc.org quoting RELI MEL Catalyst [COUNTRY] as a reference in the subject line of your email. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.