Job description

SRD Center is seeking a qualified National Evaluation and Field Coordination Expert to support a proposed mid-term evaluation of a major education programme in Iraq. The assignment will assess programme relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, inclusion, and progress toward education system-strengthening results.

The expert will play a key role in contextualizing the evaluation, coordinating field data collection, supporting stakeholder engagement, and contributing to analysis and reporting. The position requires strong evaluation and data collection experience, good understanding of the Iraqi education context, and excellent networking, facilitation, and communication skills.

Tasks

The National Evaluation and Field Coordination Expert will be expected to:

1. Support the evaluation team in contextualizing the evaluation design and methodology to the Iraqi context.
2. Contribute to stakeholder mapping, sampling design, fieldwork planning, and data collection protocols.
3. Coordinate and support field data collection with education authorities, schools, teachers, school leaders, CSOs, parents, communities, and other relevant stakeholders.
4. Conduct or support key informant interviews, focus group discussions, remote surveys, and field observations.
5. Facilitate communication and coordination with national and subnational stakeholders, including ministries, GDoEs, schools, CSOs, and implementing partners.
6. Support training, supervision, and quality assurance of field data collection where needed.
7. Contribute to data cleaning, coding, analysis, triangulation, and synthesis of findings.
8. Support the preparation of fieldwork updates, preliminary findings, validation materials, and report inputs.
9. Help identify implementation bottlenecks, operational challenges, good practices, lessons learned, and recommendations.
10. Ensure compliance with ethical requirements, informed consent, confidentiality, safeguarding, and do-no-harm principles during fieldwork.

Qualifications

Applicants should have:

1. Bachelor’s degree in education, social sciences, development studies, public administration, statistics, evaluation, or another relevant field. A master’s degree is an asset.
2. At least 6 years of experience in evaluation, research, data collection, monitoring, education studies, or programme assessments.
3. Good understanding of the education sector in Iraq and its main stakeholders.
4. Proven experience in qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, including KIIs, FGDs, surveys, and field observations.
5. Experience supporting or coordinating fieldwork for evaluations, assessments, surveys, or research studies.
6. Strong networking, communication, coordination, and facilitation skills.
7. Ability to engage professionally and diplomatically with government institutions, schools, civil society organizations, communities, and development partners.
8. Understanding of child rights, ethical data collection, informed consent, confidentiality, and safeguarding principles.
9. Previous experience with UN agencies, international organizations, or donor-funded evaluations is an asset.
10. Fluency in Arabic and proficiency in English are required. Kurdish language skills are an asset.
11. Readiness and ability to travel within Iraq, subject to access and security conditions.
12. Strong organizational skills and ability to work under tight timelines.

How to apply

Interested candidates should fill in this short application form:
https://ee-eu.kobotoolbox.org/x/rxHlmdjI

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further steps and information.