Country: Kyrgyzstan
Closing date: 16 Feb 2019
Overview
American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a US-based not-for-profit company specializing in education programming, educational assessment, and other social policy issues. AIR’s International Development Program seeks to enhance the capacity of people in developing countries to improve their quality of life through education and social development. We have worked in collaboration with local and international stakeholders in more than 80 countries over the past three decades. We seek to ensure children’s equitable access to all levels of education; improve the quality and relevance of education; and empower individuals, communities, and institutions as agents of social and behavioral change.
Responsibilities
AIR is seeking a qualified local candidate for a prospective USAID-funded project “Improved Basic Education in the Kyrgyz Republic," which aims to improve student learning outcomes in math and reading at the primary levels. This five-year primary education activity seeks to improve learning outcomes for 300,000 students in grades one through four and is also expected to improve instructional quality in reading and math, improve formal and non-formal learning environments, and promote a strengthened education system. This position is based in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic.
Under the supervision of Deputy Chief of Party, and in collaboration with other technical team members, the Educational Assessment Specialist will be responsible for leading the development, monitoring and execution of assessment components of the project, as detailed below.
• Collaborate with appropriate technical counterparts in the Ministry of Education (MOE), educational assessment institutions and other stakeholders in the Kyrgyz Republic to strengthen educational assessment capacity
• Plan for, co-design, conduct, and educational assessments at the primary levels
• Assist in the analyses of results of student assessments
• Provide technical leadership and capacity building on the development and use of standardized assessments to improve learning
• Provide input into the development of formative assessment tools for teachers in reading and math to improve instruction and student outcomes
• Support the design and implementation of training modules on psychometric analysis, designing and implementing standardized assessments, and using statistical (SPSS) software
• Collaborate with stakeholders to evaluate and improve the management and analysis of educational data, and to improve the use of data-driven, evidence-based decision making to improve instructional quality and system effectiveness
• Supervise and provide capacity building to MOE and other assessment institutions on data collection, statistical analysis, communication and use of data
• Develop, design and document techniques, procedures and guidelines related to this component to systematize and institutionalize activities and deliverables
• Assist in the preparation of work plans and results reports throughout the life of the project
Qualifications
• University graduate (graduate degree preferred) in the areas of education, educational assessment, evaluation, psychological measurement, quantitative measurement, or related field
• Training or proficiency in psychometrics, statistics, and research methods
• Minimum five years of experience working in the educational sector in the Kyrgyz Republic (e.g. instruction, assessment, policy, management)
• Experience with the development of early grade reading assessment required; experience with early grade math assessment desired
• Experience in a technical leadership role on a similar assessment or educational evaluation project, preferably USAID
• Fluency or high-level proficiency in written and verbal English, Russian and Kyrgyz
• Computer program skills, especially with statistical analysis software; mastery of basic MS Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work in teams across cultures
• Ability to guide, motivate and empower consultants and team members
Other Desired Experience:
• Experience planning and facilitating complex training workshops for adults
• Knowledge of best practices in evaluating teacher performance
How to apply:
Please apply using the following link: