Learning and Scaling Lead, Sierra Leone

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

From Geneva, UNOPS facilitates the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working with governments, other United Nations (UN) agencies and partners by providing quality servces, integrated solutions and management support through strategic, cost-effective and results-oriented approches. This includes supporting platforms and hosting high-profile, flagship initiatives and funds focusing on health, nutrition, water and sanitation, sustainable cities, environment, energy, climate and trade. UNOPS is a recognized resource for the UN system in Geneva – from fund management and oversight and advisory services, to providing hosting solutions to a range of global initiatives, as well as operational support to partner organizations.

From Geneva, UNOPS facilitates the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working with governments, other United Nations (UN) agencies and partners by providing quality servces, integrated solutions and management support through strategic, cost-effective and results-oriented approches. This includes supporting platforms and hosting high-profile, flagship initiatives and funds focusing on health, nutrition, water and sanitation, sustainable cities, environment, energy, climate and trade. UNOPS is a recognized resource for the UN system in Geneva – from fund management and oversight and advisory services, to providing hosting solutions to a range of global initiatives, as well as operational support to partner organizations.

About the Region

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

About the Country Office

From Geneva, UNOPS facilitates the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working with governments, other United Nations (UN) agencies and partners by providing quality services, integrated solutions and management support through strategic, cost-effective and results-oriented approaches. This includes supporting platforms and hosting high-profile, flagship initiatives and funds focusing on health, nutrition, water and sanitation, sustainable cities, environment, energy, climate and trade. UNOPS is a recognized resource for the UN system in Geneva – from fund management and oversight and advisory services, to providing hosting solutions to a range of global initiatives, as well as operational support to partner organizations.

About the Country/Multi-Country Office (if applicable)

Education is one of the most powerful drivers of progress, yet seven out of ten children in low- and middle-income countries cannot read with understanding by age 10. Meanwhile, half of education programmes show no measurable impact on learning or employment.

Global spending on education is falling short by an estimated $100 billion each year. Traditional approaches have not delivered the transformation required to meet Sustainable Development Goal 4.

The Education Outcomes Fund (EOF) was created to address these challenges — by shifting how education is funded, how success is measured, and how systems are held accountable. We are part of a global movement to turn education financing into real learning and employment outcomes, especially for the most disadvantaged children and youth

Job Specific Context

The Education Outcomes Fund (EOF) is a global initiative transforming how education and skills are financed and delivered. We partner with governments, donors, investors, and implementers to make education systems more effective, equitable, and accountable. Through our Outcomes Partnership model, funding is tied to measurable results, aligning incentives across all actors to ensure that resources lead to real improvements in learning and employment outcomes. EOF’s approach is grounded in systems change - we align incentives, strengthen data and delivery capacity, and foster collaboration across public, private and social sectors. By embedding results-based principles within national systems, we help governments shift from inputs to outcomes, ensuring that every investment leads to a measurable, lasting impact for learners.

The Government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) is prioritizing improvements in Foundational Learning outcomes, particularly literacy, numeracy and socio-emotional skills, as a cornerstone of human capital development. Despite significant achievements under the Free Quality School Education (FQSE) programme, challenges remain in ensuring that all children achieve minimum proficiency in foundational skills. Strengthening system-wide coherence, instructional quality, use of data, and delivery mechanisms is critical.

The Learning and Scaling Lead will support the Country Lead to develop and implement a learning, scaling, and evidence synthesis agenda that translates programme evidence into operational insights and actionable policy recommendations.

Government Systems’ Strengthening and Institutionalization

• Support the Country Lead to provide recommendations to MBSSE leadership on policy decisions and reforms related to foundational learning and early childhood education outcomes.
• Contribute to sector planning and reviews of Foundational Learning and ECCE outcomes.
• Document lessons related to workforce development, service delivery models, inclusion practices, supervision systems, and quality assurance mechanisms among others.
• Support development of transition and institutionalization plans.
• Draft policy briefs, learning notes, and strategic recommendations.
• Support the Country Lead to interpret and apply evidence in planning and decision-making processes.
• Contribute evidence inputs to national policy discussions and technical working groups.

Technical Advisory

• Provide technical inputs to MBSSE directors and other partners when designing or implementing foundational learning and ECCE policies and programmes.
• Promote piloting and testing of innovative approaches
• Contribute to translating global research into practical policy guidance.
• Conduct analyses of scale potential, cost drivers, implementation models, and sustainability options.
• Support the Country Lead to identify barriers and enablers to scaling successful interventions.
• Convene stakeholders from government, civil society, donors, research institutions, and implementing partners.
  
  

Programme Design and Implementation

• Support design and scaling of activities under the Foundational Learning Compact
• Ensure programmes are cost-effective, scalable and sustainable.
• Facilitate continued learning about data and evidence use in foundational learning and ECCE interventions, including annual review of progress
• Promote a culture of data-driven improvement.
• Lead the collection, synthesis, and interpretation of implementation evidence.
• Collaborate with Monitoring, Evaluation and Research partners to analyze quantitative and qualitative data.
• Identify emerging lessons, bottlenecks, and opportunities for improvement.

Partner Coordination

• Act as a focal point for all partners supporting foundational learning.
• Under supervision of the Country Lead, contribute to ensuring alignment of donor-funded programmes with national priorities engaging on cross-sector evidence and collaborative action.

Capacity Development

• Under supervision of the Country Lead, contribute to ensuring reforms are evidence-based, reduce duplication, lead to impact, and implemented in line with policies.
• Build the capacity of government counterparts to use data and evidence in routine decision-making moving the system towards learning outcomes.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in International Development, Public Policy, Education, Business, Economics, Political Science, Finance or similar.

Desired

• Master’s degree in International Development, Public Policy, Education, Business, Economics, Political Science, Finance or similar.

Required

• Minimum of 7 years experience in Education, skills-for-employment, development and/or policy programs.

• Experience working with national and/or provincial governments, preferably within the education, skills-for-employment or broader development sectors.

• Experience in education and/or skills-for-employment policy and systems strengthening, including pathways for program scale-up and sustainability.

Desired

• Experience should ideally include evidence generation, policy analysis, system reform or scaling innovative practices.
  

• Experience with innovative financing mechanisms (particularly outcomes funds), performance management frameworks or large donor-funded programs is an asset.

• Experience working in the Early Childhood sector and familiarity with ECCE data and indicators.

• Proven track record of producing high-quality analytical reports, policy briefs and evidence-based recommendations.

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