School To School International in Tanzania Assessment Specialist

School-to-School International (STS) is a non-governmental organization based in the United States. STS has a subcontract with Creative Associates to implement a mid-line Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) to support the evaluation of the USAID-funded Tanzania 21st Century project (TZ21). The fieldwork for EGRA and other surveys will happen in October 2013.

The mid-line EGRA will focus on a representative sample of schools targeted by TZ21 in Mtwara, Lindi and Zanzibar to measure the long-term impact of TZ21. The results of the mid-line school survey will be shared with USAID, Ministry of Education officials, the World Bank and other donors working in education in Tanzania.

STS is recruiting two (2) Assessment Managers/Specialists who will work on a consulting basis with the project during the preparatory, data collection and reporting stages of the mid-line (July 2013 to February 2014). The Assessment Managers/Specialists will oversee the development of the EGRA tools and surveys, organize and coordinate training, supervise data collection and support and advise on the management and implementation of project–level assessment efforts.

Key Responsibilities:
1. Coordination of tasks, including the development of the tools, training of local enumerators, pilot testing, implementation of the operational testing, and data entry/cleaning/analysis.
2. Supervision and coordination of the work of local assessment specialists and enumerators in following test administration guidelines and data entry protocols.

Specific Tasks:
1. Support the US-based Assessment Specialist and Program Manager in the implementation of the EGRA assessment activities.
2. Collaborate with STS and Creative Associates on the development and revision of the EGRA student tools in English and Kiswahili.
3. Support the recruitment of local Assessment Specialists and enumerators.
4. Establish the work plan and monitor implementation for data collection and data entry with the local organization for both the pilot and operational testing efforts.
5. Assist in the development of a training plan and training manual for the enumerators.
6. Co-facilitate the training of the enumerators for both pilot and operational test administrations (with local Assessment Specialists).
7. Monitor all data collection activities (pilot and operational administrations).
8. Ensure that all EGRA students, teacher and head teacher and SMC surveys, and teacher observation forms are returned for data entry according to the work plan and following the provided protocols.
9. Supervise the data entry and data cleaning with the local Assessment Specialist.
10. Assist STS data analysts in the analyses of the data and in the preparation of technical reports.
11. Handle any other tasks as needed, including relations with, Creative Associates, USAID and the Government of Tanzania.

Requirements:
1. Knowledge of and experience in employing best practices in assessment of student learning.
2. Knowledge of and experience in implementing student assessments and surveys.
3. Field experience in Tanzania, preferred.
4. Experience in monitoring and evaluation with USAID-funded projects, preferred.
5. Minimum of 7 years of experience in a Technical/Management capacity in the area of assessment on USAID-funded education projects, either with a prime or subcontractor, preferred.
6. Ability to work independently and as a team member, learn quickly, assume responsibility for a set of tasks, solve problems, and deliver results.
7. Master’s degree in education or a related field.
8. Proficiency in English required and working proficiency in Kiswahili, preferred.
9. Excellent language, writing, and presentation skills; strong knowledge of data and data processing.

How to apply:

Interested candidates must apply by sending their application to bfincham@sts-international.org. Applications should include a detailed letter of interest, describing experiences relevant to the position; curriculum vitae (CV); and the names of three professional references (with email addresses and phone numbers).