Senior Evaluation Specialist

About Bodhi

Bodhi Global Analysis is a woman-led international development research consultancy established in London in 2017, with subsidiaries in Nairobi (2018), Singapore (2023), and Dar es Salaam (2025). We specialise in formative and evaluative research through participatory approaches, serving UN agencies, bilateral donors, INGOs, and foundations across fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Our services span political economy and conflict analyses, gender and inclusion analyses, baseline through endline evaluations, and capacity building. Bodhi Kenya, based in Nairobi, serves as our East African hub with a growing team of local and international specialists.

Bodhi holds framework agreements with UNICEF (LTAS for Gender Equality and Situation Analysis), the UN Secretariat (OCHA and SWEO), the German Federal Foreign Office, Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs (FACE), and pre-qualified vendor status with Mercy Corps, Plan International, and Search for Common Ground, among others. Our team of around 30 staff blends academic rigour with practical, context-specific insight, and we are proud signatories to the Women’s Empowerment Principles.

About the Role

We are recruiting a Senior Evaluation Specialist to join the Bodhi Kenya team on a permanent contract. This is a senior technical position that is primarily remote, with periodic in-person presence required in Nairobi for client meetings, conferences, and team collaboration. The role combines hands-on evaluation leadership with remote team management and international fieldwork across Sub-Saharan Africa and, where required, the Middle East and North Africa.

The successful candidate will lead and contribute to complex evaluations for our growing Francophone portfolio, which includes recent and ongoing assignments in Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tunisia, and Senegal. They will design rigorous mixed-methods studies, manage distributed research teams, build the capacity of national researchers and enumerators, and present findings to senior decision-makers within UN agencies, government ministries, and donor organisations. This role requires someone who thrives in field settings, is energised by in-person data collection, and is comfortable deploying at short notice for extended periods.

The position is particularly well suited to an evaluation professional with deep roots in participatory and feminist research traditions, who combines strong quantitative analytical skills with the ability to translate complex findings into clear, actionable recommendations for diverse audiences. Candidates with experience navigating the political economy and socio-cultural dynamics of conflict-affected Francophone African contexts will be strongly positioned.

Key Responsibilities

Evaluation Design and Technical Leadership

• Lead the design and implementation of evaluations across the full project cycle, including baseline, midline, endline, and final evaluations, applying OECD-DAC criteria and theory-based approaches such as Outcome Harvesting and Contribution Analysis
• Develop evaluation matrices, Theories of Change, sampling strategies, and performance measurement frameworks, ensuring each design is contextually grounded and methodologically sound
• Design and programme quantitative survey instruments using digital platforms (KoboToolbox, ODK, SurveyCTO), and lead data analysis (preferably using Python), producing rigorous statistical outputs including descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, and regression modelling
• Integrate gender-responsive, conflict-sensitive, and intersectional approaches into all evaluation designs, ensuring alignment with feminist research principles and Do No Harm standards

Fieldwork and Data Collection

• Lead and participate in in-person primary data collection, including key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and quantitative survey oversight, across project locations in Sub-Saharan Africa and MENA
• Travel on short notice and for extended durations (typically 2–4 weeks per fieldwork deployment), maintaining flexibility to adapt to changing security and logistical conditions
• Conduct data quality audits throughout collection periods, including daily review of incoming survey data, back-checks, spot-checks of enumerator performance, and validation of data points against known parameters
• Oversee piloting and refinement of data collection tools, ensuring instruments are culturally appropriate, linguistically accurate (in both English and French), and aligned with ethical research standards

Team Management and Capacity Building

• Manage and mentor distributed research teams across multiple countries and time zones, providing clear direction, regular quality feedback, and structured support to junior researchers and national consultants
• Design and deliver training programmes for enumerators, national researchers, and partner MEAL staff, covering research methodology, digital data collection tools, gender and conflict sensitivity, safeguarding, and ethical research practices
• Build the capacity of local research partners and female researchers through structured mentorship, contributing to Bodhi’s commitment to strengthening local research ecosystems and women’s professional development in the evaluation sector
• Support quality assurance across the team’s portfolio by reviewing deliverables, codebooks, analysis plans, and draft reports produced by other team members

Analysis, Reporting, and Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead integrated analysis combining quantitative and qualitative data, employing triangulation across data sources and producing findings structured against evaluation frameworks
• Write high-quality evaluation reports, thematic factsheets, policy briefs, and human impact stories that balance academic rigour with accessibility for non-technical audiences
• Prepare and deliver presentations and validation workshops to diverse stakeholder groups including UN country teams, government officials, donor representatives, implementing partner staff, and community representatives
• Facilitate bridging exercises and participatory analysis sessions that promote stakeholder ownership of evaluation findings and strengthen the link between evidence and programming decisions

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• Master’s degree in evaluation, social sciences, international development, statistics, public policy, or a closely related field (PhD welcomed)
• A minimum of 8 years of progressive experience designing and leading evaluations in international development or humanitarian contexts, with at least 3 years in a senior or lead evaluator role
• Full professional fluency in both English and French (written and spoken), with demonstrated ability to design data collection tools, conduct interviews, and produce publication-quality reports in both languages
• Demonstrated experience with qualitative analysis software (NVivo or equivalent) and qualitative methods including semi-structured interviewing, focus group facilitation, and thematic coding
• Proven experience managing and coordinating research teams remotely across multiple countries and time zones, including mentoring junior researchers and national consultants
• Track record of designing and delivering training and capacity-building programmes for enumerators, partner staff, and local researchers
• Experience conducting systematic data quality audits during field data collection, including enumerator monitoring, back-checks, and data validation protocols
• Demonstrated ability to present evaluation findings to diverse stakeholder audiences, from community-level validation sessions to senior UN and donor briefings
• Willingness and enthusiasm for extended in-person fieldwork in challenging environments, with the ability to travel on short notice for deployments of 2–4 weeks
• Based in Nairobi or willing to be based in Nairobi, with the ability to attend in-person meetings, client engagements, and conferences in the city as required

Strongly Desirable

• Experience working in Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in conflict-affected contexts such as the Sahel, Great Lakes, or Central Africa
• Familiarity with UNEG norms and standards, ALNAP evaluation criteria, and UN Women or UNICEF evaluation frameworks
• Knowledge of digital data collection platforms such as KoboToolbox, ODK, or SurveyCTO
• Published evaluation reports or peer-reviewed research in relevant thematic areas
• Advanced quantitative analysis skills, including proficiency in Python (pandas, NumPy) for data processing, cleaning, and statistical analysis. Working knowledge of Git for version control and Docker for reproducible analytical environments
• Additional language skills relevant to Bodhi’s operating contexts (Arabic, Swahili, Somali, Portuguese) are an asset

What We Offer

• A permanent contract offering long-term engagement with a growing, mission-driven organisation
• Competitive gross monthly salary of KES 350,000 to KES 450,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications
• Opportunity to lead technically challenging, high-profile evaluations for UN agencies, bilateral donors, and leading INGOs
• Regular international fieldwork across diverse and stimulating contexts in Africa and beyond
• Professional development support, including access to Bodhi’s internal training resources and mentorship from senior leadership
• A collaborative, intellectually rigorous working culture that values women’s leadership, local expertise, and academic standards
• A primarily remote working arrangement, with periodic in-person collaboration in Nairobi for client meetings, conferences, and team events

How to Apply

To apply, please visit our careers page at bodhiglobalanalysis.com/jobs and follow the application instructions for this role. You will be invited to submit:

• A CV demonstrating relevant evaluation experience, technical skills, and language proficiency
• A cover letter addressing your evaluation experience in Francophone contexts, your approach to mixed-methods research, and your experience with fieldwork.
• Proof of right to work in Kenya

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Early application is encouraged, as we may close the vacancy before the deadline for exceptional candidates.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Bodhi is a women-owned enterprise committed to gender parity at all levels of the organisation. We recognise that diverse teams produce stronger research and more equitable outcomes. We particularly welcome and encourage applications from women evaluation professionals and candidates from the Global South, especially those who bring lived experience from the regions where we work. We actively seek to strengthen women’s representation in senior technical and leadership roles within the evaluation sector.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religious beliefs, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, socioeconomic background, or disability. Reasonable accommodations will be made for candidates with disabilities throughout the recruitment process.

For more information about our organisation and the work we do, please visit www.bodhiglobalanalysis.com.