Consultants Wanted: Assess Save the Children’s School Management Impact | Apply by 26 Aug 2026

Save the Children Norway is inviting experienced research institutions, consultancy firms, and expert evaluation teams to submit proposals for an independent evaluation of the School Leadership and Management (SLaM) Programme. The consultancy will assess the effectiveness, sustainability, localisation, and future scalability of the education improvement model across Nepal and Somalia.

The opportunity is designed for specialists in education evaluation, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), education systems strengthening, mixed-methods research, and programme sustainability assessments. Interested applicants must submit proposals by 26 August 2026.

About the School Leadership and Management (SLaM) Programme

The School Leadership and Management (SLaM) Programme is a school improvement model developed by Save the Children to strengthen leadership, governance, accountability, and community participation within schools.

The programme was initially developed and tested in Nepal between 2019 and 2022 through a Developmental Evaluation approach. Following successful implementation, SLaM has expanded to all Save the Children-supported schools in Karnali Province, Nepal, and has recently been adapted for use in Somalia.

The evaluation will examine two different implementation environments:

• Nepal: Assessing the sustainability and institutionalisation of SLaM practices after years of implementation.
• Somalia: Examining how the programme has been adapted and contextualised within a fragile education system.

The findings will help Save the Children strengthen the programme model and inform future expansion.

Purpose of the Consultancy

The evaluation aims to generate evidence on how effectively SLaM improves school leadership, governance, and children’s learning environments.

Key objectives include:

• Assessing the effectiveness of SLaM in improving school leadership and accountability.
• Examining whether SLaM structures and practices can be sustained over time.
• Understanding how the programme has been adapted to Somalia’s education context.
• Testing and improving the SLaM Theory of Change.
• Providing recommendations for future programme adaptation and scale-up.

The evaluation will support decision-making around strengthening education systems and improving learning outcomes for children.

Key Responsibilities of the Consultant

The selected consultant or evaluation team will lead a comprehensive mixed-methods assessment.

Responsibilities will include:

Designing the Evaluation Framework

The consultant will develop an evaluation approach that combines research evidence, programme monitoring data, and stakeholder perspectives.

Activities will include:

• Developing evaluation tools and frameworks.
• Supporting country-level documentation processes.
• Designing methods for assessing sustainability and localisation.

Conducting Field Research

The evaluation will involve qualitative fieldwork in Nepal and Somalia.

Possible research activities include:

• Key informant interviews.
• Focus group discussions.
• School observations.
• Engagement with education authorities and community stakeholders.
• Comparative case studies.

Data Analysis and Reporting

The consultant will analyse programme monitoring and outcome data provided by Save the Children and produce evidence-based findings.

Expected deliverables include:

• Inception Report.
• Nepal Sustainability Assessment Report.
• Somalia Localisation and Contextualisation Report.
• Cross-Country Synthesis Report.
• Validation workshop presentations.
• Final evaluation report with supporting annexes.

Timeline and Budget

The consultancy is expected to begin in September 2026 and conclude in December 2028.

Major stages of the assignment include:

• Evaluation design and inception phase.
• Country documentation and fieldwork.
• Nepal sustainability assessment.
• Somalia localisation assessment.
• Cross-country analysis.
• Final reporting and dissemination.

The estimated consultancy budget is up to NOK 800,000 including VAT.

The budget should cover:

• Evaluation design.
• Consultant fees.
• Field research.
• Travel costs.
• Data analysis.
• Reporting activities.
• Participation in learning workshops.

Geographic Focus

The evaluation will cover programme activities in:

Nepal

The assessment will include:

• Former pilot schools implemented between 2019 and 2022.
• Sahayatra II rollout schools.
• Relevant Sahayatra III schools.

Somalia

The evaluation will focus on:

• Eight pilot and rollout schools.
• Relevant district, regional, and education authorities.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Save the Children is seeking organisations or consultant teams with strong expertise in education research and evaluation.

Applicants should have:

• A Master’s degree or higher in education, social sciences, development studies, public policy, or related fields.
• Experience conducting complex education sector evaluations.
• Strong knowledge of mixed-methods research approaches.
• Experience assessing programme sustainability and institutionalisation.
• Experience working in fragile and conflict-affected settings.
• Knowledge of school leadership, education governance, and education reform.
• Strong qualitative research and analytical skills.
• Ability to manage local researchers and data collection teams.
• Excellent English communication skills.
• Experience working in South Asia or the Horn of Africa is an advantage.

Applicants must confirm they have a legally registered organisation or consultancy and the required permissions to operate in the relevant locations.

Compliance with GDPR requirements and Save the Children’s safeguarding and ethical research standards is mandatory.

How to Apply

Eligible organisations and consultant teams must submit an Expression of Interest through the official application portal.

Applications should include:

• A maximum three-page Expression of Interest.
• Understanding of the assignment.
• Proposed methodology and evaluation approach.
• Team structure and responsibilities.
• Estimated timeline and level of effort.
• Up to three CVs for team applications.
• Examples of previous evaluation assignments.
• Financial proposal covering all costs.
• Contact details for at least two professional references.

Applications submitted by email will not be accepted.

Application Deadline: 26 August 2026

This consultancy offers an opportunity for education evaluation specialists to contribute to evidence-driven approaches that strengthen school leadership, improve education systems, and support better learning outcomes for children in diverse contexts.

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Disclaimer: Remote Job Opportunities (RJO) is not the  organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the responsible organization directly. Please do not send your applications to RJO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of  emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.