Expression of Interest
Abt Associates Governance and Development Practice Canberra
Senior Advisor – Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning
Unique opportunity
Open to all applicants
Flexible global location
The Opportunity
The Canberra Governance and Development Practice (the GDP) provides technical support and advice to Abt’s aid and development programs overseas through three global offices: in Australia (Canberra and Brisbane), in the UK (London) and in the US (Rockville, Maryland). The GDP team is currently comprised of six development specialists (GESI, governance, and economics). Our purpose is to contribute to improved development outcomes for men and women in lower and middle income countries. We do this through the provision of development and sectoral expertise to Abt-managed programs overseas, as well as smaller consultancies managed by the GDP. We now are seeking expressions of interest for an additional senior advisor to undertake MERL consultancies – with a view to becoming a permanent member of the team to drive the company’s strategy and technical approach in MERL. Refer to attachment for more information.
The Successful Candidate:
You are passionate about MERL and committed to improving MERL theory and practice in development. You believe wherever possible that MERL approaches and methods should be implementable, locally-led and locally-owned in development programming. You are resilient, self-reflective, know how to empower others, enjoy setting and leading strategies (often with high autonomy). You are entrepreneurial: you have an ability to see opportunities for growth, thought leadership or new collaboration/partnerships in MERL, and a willingness to turn ideas into action (and learn from failure). Your MERL technical background is strong, especially in MERL design, review and learning or evaluation systems – but you are eminently practical in your application of MERL methods.
a solid, demonstrable background in, and understanding of, development issues and MERL trend
demonstrated talents in their technical area as it relates to monitoring, evaluation, learning systems and methods and/ or research and analysis
entrepreneurial nous and resilience
ability to lead work units and work effectively in a small team which often has to respond quickly to issues as they arise
ability to think clearly, write clearly and express oneself clearly and persuasively and deliver quality work on time
more than 10-15 years relevant experience in a foreign government, NGO/CSO, a donor, a managing contractor, or a consultancy
experience working for DFAT, DFID/FCO, the Asian Development Bank or the World Bank would be particularly valuable.
relevant undergraduate and post-graduate qualifications in research, social sciences or international development or its related areas. Candidates with undergraduate degrees and work experience are welcome to apply.
At this stage we are seeking no more than an expression of interest: please send your CV (two pages maximum providing details of positions held and responsibilities), as well as a few paragraphs (maximum one page) summarizing your interest and what you would bring to the GDP.
Please submit your application through our careers site: (https://jtai.turborecruit.com.au/job/job_details.cfm?id=1061995&from=direct)
If you are unable to apply directly through the link above, please email your CV and overview to donna.wilson@abtassoc.com.au/
Applications close Sunday 10th January 2021
Abt is committed to creating a diverse working environment and is proud to be an inclusive employer. Preference will be given to Indigenous applicants, those from the Pacific, Asia and Africa, and those from diverse backgrounds.
We welcome and thank all applications, however only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
About Abt Associates
Abt Associates is a recognised leader in the international development sector. Working with our many partners, Abt Associates implements bold innovative solutions to improve the lives of the community and deliver valued outcomes for our clients. We provide a comprehensive range of services from policy to service delivery in the public and private sectors contributing to long term benefits for clients and communities. Operating in remote and challenging environments, we offer innovative solutions, extensive experience in the region, strong technical capacity, and a proven project management track record. We are committed to gender equity in our employment strategies and encourage applications from capable women. Abt Associates is a child safe organisation and promotes the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of all children.