United States of America: Director, Learning, Evaluation, and Research

THE ORGANIZATION
The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) prevents, mitigates and resolves violent conflicts around the world by engaging directly in conflict zones and providing analysis, education and resources to those working for peace.
USIP VALUES
These are the values we expect each USIP employee to live up to in their work and in their interactions with their colleagues.

• Commitment
• Respect
• Teamwork
• Accountability
• Openness

SUMMARY

The United States Institute of Peace seeks a Director of Learning, Evaluation, and Research (LER). The Director will be USIP’s lead authority on monitoring, evaluation and learning. In that role, the Director will lead USIP’s LER team within the Institute’s Center for Policy, Learning, and Strategy, which serves as the Institute’s hub for project design, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), knowledge management, research, and learning. The Director will also be an Institute-wide authority on performance management and review, with a primary focus on capturing learning from assessments of program performance.

The position provides a unique opportunity to provide technical leadership to the Institute as a whole and to lead a team dedicated to strengthening USIP’s processes and practice for organizational learning. The Director will help spearhead improvements in project design, monitoring, and evaluation practice; ensure that knowledge management systems are strengthened; improve research practice; and harness learning and evidence for more effective planning across USIP.

Desirable applicants will be leaders, who are dynamic, creative thinkers committed to understanding how to credibly monitor and evaluate complex programming in conflict-affected environments, how to enable and drive learning processes that improve programming, and how to lead change within organizations. Applicants should have a proven track record working with methodologies that employ both quantitative and qualitative data and have demonstrated experience leading teams devoted to organizational effectiveness in a highly collaborative environment.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Management and leadership

• Lead and drive Institute-wide commitment and capacity to design, evaluate, and improve programming.

• Lead the design and implementation of systems that advance institution-wide assessment of program performance.

• Manage a small team that works in a cross-cutting way throughout the Institute on issues of monitoring, evaluation, research, learning, and knowledge management.

• Contribute actively to the PLS leadership team to advance the center’s mission to strengthen USIP’s programs and policy engagement through more effective learning.

• Represent USIP to external audiences, particularly on issues of monitoring, evaluation, and learning within the peacebuilding field.

Project Design, Monitoring, and Evaluation

• Serve as senior advisor for all USIP staff on project design, monitoring, and evaluation challenges. Work with staff (both from headquarters and from field offices) throughout the project cycle to improve design, monitoring, and evaluation practice.

• Lead efforts to build capacity of staff on project design, monitoring, and evaluation processes.

• Oversee efforts to conduct rigorous and relevant evaluations of USIP programming.

• Develop a strategy to communicate the results of USIP evaluation initiatives to internal and external audiences.

Knowledge Management

• Oversee efforts to improve knowledge management systems, processes, practice, and infrastructure, including the introduction and roll-out of new tools and technologies such as SharePoint and SalesForce.

Research

• Lead, in coordination with other USIP centers, efforts to continue improvement in the quality of research throughout the Institute.

• Strengthen USIP’s relationships with communities of researchers, including those from academic institutions and think tanks.

Learning and Strategic Planning

• Lead efforts to improve learning systems and planning processes to ensure knowledge and evidence are fully utilized to improve program and project design. Support teams to formulate plans that are aligned with USIP strategic objectives and are informed by evidence about activities with greatest potential to achieve positive change in conflict environments.

• Lead USIP’s efforts to share learning with communities of practitioners and policymakers about effective peacebuilding practice and policy.

Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Applicants must be U.S. citizens or nationals of countries listed in a U.S. Collective Defense Arrangement per the Department of State. To see a list of those countries, go to http://www.state.gov/s/l/treaty/collectivedefense/index.htm.
• Masters degree is required in political science, economics, security studies or related social sciences discipline required (Ph.D. preferred).
• Ten to fifteen years of experience in the field of peacebuilding or related fields, including international development, human rights, national security, policy advocacy, etc. required.

• Minimum of five years of experience in monitoring and evaluation, including improving monitoring and evaluation systems within organizations required.

• Demonstrated ability to manage a high-performing team and motivate staff through effective leadership and mentorship.

• Deep knowledge of social science methodologies and experience using this knowledge to improve the rigor or research projects and evaluations. Ability to manage and analyze data, create data management systems, and effectively present the results of data analysis.

• Experience creating, strengthening, and promulgating knowledge management and learning systems within organizations.

• Highly effective in working in a cooperative, collaborative manner to foster positive organizational change. At ease combining deep technical expertise with flexibility and creativity in solving monitoring, evaluation, and learning challenges.

• Demonstrated capacity to manage multiple projects simultaneously, creatively problem-solve, prioritize effectively, and produce results under conditions of uncertainty

• Experience living or working in fragile or conflict-affected countries is desirable.

• Ability to speak effectively at high-profile events and write effectively for a wide-variety of audiences.

All USIP contract and employee positions are contingent upon the favorable completion of a suitability background investigation.

Compensation is commensurate with qualifications and experience. The hiring for this position is contingent on funding.

HOW TO APPLY:
To be considered for this position, please submit a complete application package consisting of:

1. Completed employment application including titles, dates of hire and salary history.
2. Cover letter
3. Resume
   If a link does not appear on your screen to "Complete your Application", please go to www.usip.org/work-us to submit your cover letter and resume.
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For questions about this position, please email recruitment@usip.org. Please do not send resumes or attachments to this email address. Due to the high volume of candidates, only those applicants that are selected for further discussions will be contacted.

USIP is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy and practice of USIP to offer equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, age, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, political affiliations or belief, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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