Data Collectors

DevTech Systems, Inc. (DevTech) is an international consulting firm dedicated to development, with 38 years of experience providing advisory services and technical assistance to government, private sector, and civil society stakeholders in more than 100 countries. DevTech core practice areas include: Monitoring Evaluation, Research and Learning; Data Solutions; Public Financial Management and Fiscal Sustainability; and Education, Gender, and Youth.

At DevTech, we care deeply about doing work that leads to positive change in the world. We value diverse perspectives and are committed to an inclusive work environment. We encourage each person to learn, develop, and meet their professional potential. We rethink and evolve how we do things to grow and improve our company.

DevTech is seeking local data collectors to support collecting data from schools, learners and families (parents) to inform the design for the impact evaluations of the USAID CATALYZE EduFinance project in Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa and Zambia, implemented by Palladium. The aim of CATALYZE EduFinance is to improve the educational and learning outcomes in disadvantaged children and youth by mobilizing private capital for the non-state education sector. Under this mechanism, USAID is funding public-private sector partnerships (PPPs) and private sector activities in several countries (hereafter called “EduFinance activities”).

Independent evaluations will measure the association between EduFinance activities and change in education outcomes as operationalized by the targeted education levels by country:

1. Rwanda – Early Childhood Education (Pre-Primary)
2. South Africa – Early Childhood Education (Pre-Primary)
3. Tanzania – Early Childhood Education (Pre-Primary)
4. Zambia – Primary Education, 1^st to 6^th grade

Findings of the evaluations aim to strengthen implementation and support adaptive management and learning of EduFinance activities and inform future activity design. USAID will share evaluation findings with key stakeholders, such as Congress and the EduFinance Community of Practice, to expand the body of evidence about Private Sector Engagement (PSE) initiatives strengthening development outcomes.

Implementing Partners (IPs) on the ground have some information about the intervention types by school, and some overall school characteristics (education levels offered, province, school fees, among others). However, critical information about the intervention combinations and dosages, as well as data on school retention and drop-out rates, school infrastructure, language of instruction, etc. is not readily available to IPs and the main subcontractor. Through local data collectors, DevTech seeks to collect and analyze data on school characteristics, intervention and other relevant variables in a sample of EduFinance schools in the four countries. Data collected will inform the sample and design approach through first-hand data on observable covariates.

DevTech expects to contract 8 data collectors, two by country. DevTech will cover costs associated with transportation, per-diems, materials, as well as other reasonable costs that the consultants will incur to collect the data. The consultants should have the means to participate in online coordination meetings, and the means to mobilize in-country.

The Data Collectors will work under the supervision of the Field Coordinator and a Regional Advisor. The task assigned to the Data Collector is to collect school-level and family-level data to inform the impact evaluation of the CATALYZE EduFinance intervention in the Data Collector’s country of residence.

Data collectors will be responsible for the following duties:

• Participate in online meetings to coordinate activities with the field coordinator.
• Get to know and understand the data collection tools.
• Participate in a dry-run of the data collection exercise
• Visit a sample of schools (around 20 by data collector) to collect administrative data and relevant covariates defined by the evaluation design blueprint.
• Data collectors will also collect data from the learners and their families. Logistics will be coordinated between DevTech and the Implementing Partners.
• Digitalize, clean data, and share a database to the field coordinator in an agreed template.

The Data Collectors will work under the supervision of the Field Coordinator and a Regional Advisor. The task assigned to the Data Collector is to collect school-level and family-level data to inform the impact evaluation of the CATALYZE EduFinance intervention in the Data Collector’s country of residence.

• Bachelor’s Degree
• Experience collecting high-quality data using both digital and paper-based forms
• Experience managing data bases in Microsoft Excel
• Fluency in written and spoken English, as well as local languages within the evaluation countries
• Only locals with availability to travel within Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa, and Zambia

NOTE: This job posting should not be construed to imply that the requirements are the exclusive standards of the position nor will it be the sole basis for any subsequent employee evaluations. Incumbents will follow any other instructions and perform any other related duties as may be required by their supervisor.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), age (40 and older), physical and mental disability, genetic information (including family medical history) or characteristics, military status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship or alienage, or any other protected status as established by applicable federal, state, or local law.