Director, Evidence and Learning

Save the Children International has an exciting opportunity for a Director, Evidence and Learning to join our global team. 

The team co-owns the delivery of the Digital, Data & Evidence enabler, ensuring E&L standards, tools, and capabilities are embedded across countries to generate, communicate, and apply evidence effectively. It supports the Save the Children Movement by producing insights and learning to enhance programme quality, influencing, and thought leadership, while driving global standards, research agendas, and strategic partnerships aligned with the global strategy. The role of the Director is to establish and integrate high-quality MEAL practices and capacities across country offices, fostering a culture of impact and aligning with Save the Children’s impact agenda. This position also shapes the Innovation and Impact strategy to ensure work is locally led, globally connected, and rooted in equity, diversity, and inclusivity principles.

Job Title: Director, Evidence and Learning

Reports To: Chief Impact and Influence Officer

Work Pattern: Remote with flexible working options available  

Contract Length: Permanent

Grade: M5

Location: Any approved Save the Children International office location. For a full list of locations that Save the Children International can hire in, please visit: Hiring Locations

Time Zone (that the role holder must be available to work in): Any

Right to Work: The successful candidate must possess the unrestricted right to work in their current or preferred location for the duration of employment

International Travel Requirements: up to 20%

People Management Responsibility: Manager of multiple teams; 46 direct/indirect reports

Principle Accountabilities 

• Lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive global evidence and learning strategy and agenda in line with Save the Children Global Strategy and Theory of Change, including with key inter-agency and external research agendas.
• Ensure rigorous MEAL frameworks, standards, policies, procedures, and tools are in place across SCI entities and implemented to measure and analyse the outcomes and impact of our programmes and influencing interventions, drive accountability and inform decision-making. Guide and monitor the way in which evidence and learning roles are staffed and trained across country offices.
• Determine and ensure high quality monitoring, evaluation, research, context analysis, and learning practices used in programs and influencing are in line with Save the Children and sector standards. 
• Lead knowledge sharing and capacity strengthening efforts with a focus on Country Offices to strengthen our cadre of MEAL staff and leverage high-quality evidence and knowledge to enhance impact.
• Champion and promote a culture of learning and continuous improvement, fostering innovation and leveraging data to enhance the impact of our programmes across diverse contexts within Save the Children.
• Facilitate the identification, communication, and application into programs of relevant lessons and evidence from Save the Children and other sources including working with programs and influencing leaders on proposals development and new business opportunities. 
• Ensure alignment with our locally led commitment by developing and improving methods to involve communities, children and young people in monitoring, research, evaluation, and the design and delivery of program and influencing interventions, lifting up local voices and perspectives.
• Digest and make available insights in a way that is accessible to, and can be applied by, team members for influential storytelling and influencing.
• Contribute to efforts to diversify I&I team and build a culture of inclusion, allowing all voices to be heard equally and difference to thrive.  

Experience and Skills 

Essential 

• Significant experience in setting and applying Country Offices MEAL frameworks, processes and standards across programs cycle and proven track record in leading capacity strengthening to drive high quality evidence and learning agenda and ensure continuous improvement to streamline these processes
• Experience in leading systems and approaches to drive impact at scale tracking across a global organisation with adapatability and ambiguity
• Extensive experience and proven track record in leading high-quality research and evaluation agenda development and delivery in line with a global strategy
• Cultural Leadership: Leads by example, embodying the organization’s values and fostering a culture of inclusion, integrity, respect, empathy and excellence.
• Visionary Leadership: Demonstrates the ability to articulate a compelling vision for the future, inspiring and motivating teams to achieve ambitious goals.
• Motivational Communication: Exceptional communication skills with the ability to inspire and engage employees at all levels, fostering a sense of purpose and commitment.
• Positive Influence: Creates a positive and inclusive work environment that encourages collaboration, innovation, and high performance.
• Proficient Experience: in designing and implementing MEAL strategies across various levels of an organisation with dedicated experience leading country or regional MEAL agenda.
• Significant Experience: leading monitoring, evaluation, and research activities within a non-profit, ideally within an international context.
• Extensive Experience: in senior MEAL positions including at country or regional levels with demonstrable results in organisational learning, thought leadership, and evidence-based program improvement and influencing. 

Desirable 

• Stakeholder Engagement: Considerable experience engaging with diverse stakeholders, including community members, children, and young people, to incorporate their voices in MEAL activities.
• Innovative Thinking: A track record of fostering innovation and continuous improvement in multiple contexts. 
• Influence – Proven track record in influencing outcomes without direct authority through collaboration & challenge
• Inclusivity and Equity: A passion for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion and ensuring these principles are integrated into all aspects of MEAL 

Education and Qualifications     

Essential

• Advanced Degree: A post-graduate degree (Masters or PhD preferred) in a related field such as international development, social sciences, Planning & Statistics, with a specialization in Research and Evaluation

Desirable

• Recognised Certification: Certification in Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) and in research, evaluation methodologies is highly desirable.

Working at Save the Children International 

Save the Children is the world's leading organisation for children, employing ~25,000 staff. We save children's lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Through our work in 116 countries, we put the most deprived and marginalised children first. 

We know that great people make a great organisation, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued. 

The work here is challenging but is also immensely rewarding. At Save the Children, you will be in good company, working with talented, like-minded individuals who are determined to ensure that all children survive, learn, and are protected. Your contribution will help ensure children's voices are heard at the highest levels, and that we achieve our global strategy, Ambition for Children 2030, and reach every last child. 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Equal Opportunities 

DEI is core to our vision, values and global strategy. Save the Children is committed to creating a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation, and one which will support us in our vision to ensure every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation. 

We are committed to equal employment opportunities, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, disability, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, caring or parental responsibilities, age, or beliefs and religion. We are committed to diversifying our staff to better represent the communities we serve and actively welcome underrepresented groups to apply. 

Reasonable adjustments will be made should any candidate invited to interview require this. 

Application Information 

Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application. A full copy of the role profile can be found here via the job listing: 10486. It is recommended that you save a copy of the role profile as it will no longer be available after the advert closes. 

 
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the job advert may be closed earlier than advertised subject to the volume of suitable applicants. Please submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment. 

Our recruitment process: 

1. Application review by our recruiting team based on your CV and cover letter 
2. Two-stage competency-based interviews with the hiring team 
3. Some recruitment may include an additional assessment or case study stage, or a third stage interview 
4. If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment, followed by your contract subject to passing background checks 

We need to keep children and adults safe so our selection process includes rigorous background checks and reflects our commitment to the protection of children and adults from abuse. All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our Code of Conduct and all policies and procedures relating to Anti-harassment, Health and Safety, Safeguarding, and DEI and Equal Opportunities. 

Save the Children does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.