Assessment Director, Improved Basic Education Services Project (Ibesp), Beirut, Lebanon

Assessment Director, Improved Basic Education Services Project (IBESP), Beirut, Lebanon Company Profile: MSI is an international development firm in the Washington, D.C., metro area with a 30-year history of helping to deliver results across the developing world. In 2008, we became part of Coffey International Limited. Since that time, we have greatly expanded our ability to respond seamlessly and flexibly to client needs with Coffey's international development offices in the United Kingdom and Australia. We operate in some of the most challenging political and economic climates in the world, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and South Sudan. MSI currently employs 800 development experts in the fields of public sector management, monitoring and evaluation, governance, and anticorruption. For more information on MSI, please visit our website at www.msiworldwide.com. Project Summary: MSI is a key partner in the Improved Basic Education Services Project (IBESP), which is led by World Learning. IBESP will run from September 2014 through July 2018 and combines crisis response and development to expand equitable access to education and improve learning outcomes for children. MSI’s role is in four areas: 1) collecting and analyzing data on children’s reading levels by implementing early reading assessments; 2) conducting surveys on teacher’s knowledge of reading instruction; 3) designing and implementing an early warning system for children at risk of not learning to read; and 4) holding policy workshops based on the findings of the reading assessments and the reading instruction surveys. **Please note: Only Lebanese citizens are eligible for this position** Position Summary: MSI is recruiting an Assessment Director who will work on a full-time basis with the project over the next four years. The Assessment Director will serve under the IBESP Chief-of-Party, the IBESP Monitoring and Evaluation Director, and the MSI home office technical and management staff and will be based in the World Learning IBESP office in Beirut. The Assessment Director will lead annual student and teacher reading assessments. The Assessment Director will also organize assessment-related workshops, contribute to policy analysis, and build capacity for student and teacher assessment within the government. Responsibilities: Serve as the point person for implementing annual student reading assessments using the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) and teacher assessment of reading instruction in a sample of 300+ public schools in Arabic. Provide technical support for classroom based assessment in 900+ schools.  Facilitate workshops for adapting the EGRA tools and surveys to the Lebanese context. Organize the selection of a local data collection organization and the recruitment of Quality Control Officers (QCOs). Co-develop assessment schedules, training plans, and test administration manuals. Lead the training of the QCOs and the local data organization (i.e., supervisors and enumerators).  Monitor data collection by the local organization and ensure standardized test administration. Organize tasks related to electronic data devices (e.g., training, trouble-shooting, etc.). Collaborate on the development and implementation of classroom-based assessment tools. Develop, organize, and facilitate policy workshops with the government. Supervise an Assessment Specialist, Data Specialist and Accountant/Administrative Assistant.  Handle any other tasks as needed, including relations with USAID and the government. Qualifications: Minimum of 10 years of experience in implementing student and/or teacher assessments.  Field experience in the governorates of Lebanon (urban and rural). Experience with the Lebanese government, particularly the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. Demonstrated experience in monitoring and evaluation, management, and training. Master’s degree (or higher) in a related field (e.g., education, statistics, or policy). Ability to work independently and as a team member, and deliver timely results. Strong knowledge of data, including analysis, interpretation, and use. Excellent language, writing, and presentation skills in Arabic and English. Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.MSI is an EEO/AA/ADA Veterans Employer. To apply: Please visit our website, www.msiworldwide.com