Dr Jayshree Thakrar Email & Phone Number

St Ives, England, Gb

Funded by FCDO in strategic partnership with the World Bank, and other donors such as Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and UNICEF, the EdTech Hub is a global research partnership. Its goal is to expand the global evidence base and influence policy and practice on the use of technology in education (Edtech) in low- and middle-income countries. I am responsible for the overall technical excellence and efficacy of the Hub's monitoring, evaluation, learning, and adaptation (MELA) approaches, contributing to effective knowledge management and sharing of learning. This involves managing the MELA Strategy and Results Framework; engaging with FCDO and other donors; leading on MELA reporting; managing the MELA team; and championing the culture of cross Hub learning, reflection, knowledge sharing, and adaptation. In addition, I provide a technical liaison role to three ODI-led research studies and technical assistance to specific country engagement projects in Bangladesh and Pakistan.

FCDO Tanzania has been supporting the Government of Tanzania and the Tanzania Institute for Education and other government education bodies with technical assistance to complete the new plan for the implementation of Teacher CPD and strengthen governance through improved education data management and data-driven decision-making. This adaptive project will continue this work until the implementation of the new Education Programme for Results (EPforR) gets underway. I lead work planning, contracting and procurement across the various workstreams; manage the budget; facilitate reflection and course adjustment sessions; track, analyse and write up any data required for reporting; and support relationship and communication management.

Supporting the Risk-Informed Early Action Partnership (REAP) Secretariat Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Advocacy Coordinator as they implement the REAP MEL Framework, Monitoring Plan, and Developmental Evaluation activities.

Launched at the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit, the Risk-informed Early Action Partnership (REAP) brings together climate, development, and humanitarian stakeholders with the aim of making 1 billion people safer from disaster by 2025. I am leading the development of the REAP MEL Framework and supporting the REAP Secretariat with its implementation.

FCDO has engaged Tetra Tech to provide third party monitoring services to support theverification of programme monitoring in the Africa region across its Africa Regional Departmentportfolio of programmes. I'm conducting Data Systems Reviews for selected FCDO-funded programmes to assess the quality and suitability of delivery partners’ systems for results reporting, verification and aggregation along the delivery chain.

Providing MEL technical proposal development support for a live tender.

Coordinating data collection and undertaking data analysis to capture lessons and recommendations for future TVET interventions in the cross-border areas of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, part of the €14m, EU-funded Building Opportunities for Resilience in the Horn of Africa (BORESHA) programme.

The Prosperity Fund is a UK government initiative supporting inclusive economic growth in partner countries through a £1.2 billion portfolio of programmes over 7 years. The Fund’s activities will contribute to achieving SDGs while creating opportunities for international business as a secondary benefit. The Prosperity Fund consists of 24 programmes covering 153 projects in 20 countries. Scrutiny of the Fund’s work is undertaken by an independent evaluation, conducted by Tetra Tech International Development, in partnership with LTS/Niras and Integrity. A short-term assignment to support the Evaluation and Learning team as a content editor for selected evaluation reports.

The Zambia Accountability Programme (ZAP) is a £26.5m, five-year DFID-funded adaptive programme encompassing the following focal areas: education; political processes and democratic institutions; and inclusive growth. ZAP was conceptualised as an adaptive programme, where implementing partners would respond to/influence and exploit changes in the political environment and adapt the strategic and operational aspects of the programme accordingly. A theory-based evaluation design, framed as developmental evaluation (DE), has been implemented. DE enabled the evaluation to respond to the challenges of operating in complex adaptive systems by providing quick feedback (lessons learned and recommendations) to inform action, facilitate course correction and, where required, performance improvement. The evaluation will draw to a close in December 2019.

Provided technical bid development support in response to opportunities from donors such as DFID, across various sectors. Worked collaboratively across the bid development team, including, where relevant, across consortia partners.

AiiN is a seven-year, £46.3 million, DFID-funded technical assistance programme which aims to support the Government of Nepal to address key constraints to inclusive and transformational growth takes a “politically smart and adaptive” programming approach, and emphasises the involvement of local experts, as well as use of ongoing political economy analysis and continuous learning and reflection to inform programme decisions. As part of the mid-term review, supported the development of a MEL approach for the remainder of the programme.

Conducted evaluation data and context analysis as part of the final reporting for the impact evaluation of market sectors supported by the DFID-funded, seven-year, £18.4m, Samarth-Nepal programme that sought to improve income and growth for marginalised people within key economic sub-sectors using the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) approach.

Communications Facilitator for the Sustainable Agriculture Intensification Research and Learning in Africa (SAIRLA) project funded by the UK Department for International Development, which has a particular focus on Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Burkina Faso and Ghana. Civil Society Expert for the independent evaluation of the Zambia Accountability Programme. Team Leader for the Learning Partnership with MasterCard Foundation for their Young Africa Works Summit. Technical expertise towards business development of the education and employment portfolio, as well as learning development asects across other sectors, with a particular focus on Africa.

Admitted as a full-time doctoral candidate under Professor Gary Minkley, South African National Research Chair in Social Change, for a PhD in Social Science. Proposed, awarded and managed National Research Foundation grant ZAR 1.8million. Short-term technical consultancies: - Facilitated LED strategy development for Nkonkobe local and OR Tambo district municipalities (PriceWaterhouseCoopers); - Co-developed and facilitated the Fort Hare Autumn School programme that aims to enhance critical thinking, leadership qualities and knowledge of social democracy and political economy. The leadership programme involves students selected across three regional universities and remains active (Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, South Africa) - Project managed the SAHECEF Seminar Series funded by the Talloires Network and Walmart Foundation; - Developed a discussion document on human development for the Eastern Cape Planning Commission (WYG international). - Conducted a final evaluation of the predominately European Commission funded Community Based Natural Resource Management Enterprise Support Project (CESP); a mixed-method approach including interviews with project stakeholders and beneficiaries and on-site visits of enterprises supported.

Established a new Centre that acts as a repository of community engagement initiatives; undertakes research in community engagement; develops, monitors and evaluates associated policies and practices; and sustains dialogues on community engagement in higher education. Raised over ZAR 3 million in research and development funds. Hosted a series of colloquia, student seminars and workshops on community engagement and an international conference ‘Community Engagement: The Changing Role of South African Universities in Development’.Elected member (Treasurer) of the South African Higher Education Community Engagement Forum (SAHECEF) and raised ZAR 250,000 towards its implementation.Short-term technical consultancy to produce LED training materials and a Toolkit for District Support Teams for Thina Sinako, the European Union-funded Eastern Cape Provincial local economic development (LED) Programme (WYG International)

Reporting to the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, project managed the development of the institutional Strategic Plan 2009 – 2016: Towards our Centenary. Reporting to the Dean of Education, facilitated TESSA communications across the consortium, including the design and development of an African-wide newsletter, leaflets and information letters and presented at the eLearning Africa conference.Short-term Technical Consultancies: Researched LED education in the Eastern Cape Province and beyond for Thina Sinako, the European Union-funded Eastern Cape Provincial Local Economic Development (LED) Programme (ACE Development Consultants); Designed LED training materials including facilitator guide and resources for Thina Sinako (Mbumba Development Services).

Reporting to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, project managed the development of the institution’s self-evaluation report in readiness for the institutional quality audit conducted by the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC), Council of Higher Education in May 2008. Communicated to internal and external stakeholders using a variety of platforms, including blogs, newsletters, posters, presentations and workshops. Managed a core project team: 14 members of the executive leadership and senior management, plus an extended project team of 55 university staff and students.Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa (TESSA) is a research and development programme, involving 16 institutions across Africa, UK and Canada, creating ‘open content’ multimedia resources and guidance for teachers/teacher educators (www.tessafrica.net). Reporting to the Dean of Education, coordinated the development of the South African version of TESSA resources. Presented papers at the British Education Research Association (BERA) Conference and the UKFIET Oxford Conference.

Researched and drafted new policies including the Quality Management & Assurance Framework and Continuing Education Policy. Supported Faculties undergoing National Reviews and Professional Body Accreditation of their programmes. Fundraised a total of R460k raised for the Unit and promoted quality assurance literacy across the Fort Hare community.

Conceptualised, researched and developed a financial management training and academic framework, curriculum and materials for all levels of staff, across all Eastern Cape Provincial Government Departments. Managed a team of 17 staff; the design team of the Short Courses, Certificates, Diploma and Honours Degree and Post Graduate Studies. Project managed the Financial Skills Audit, conducted across all Eastern Cape Provincial Government Departments, Province-wide (2095 personnel profiled in 2004). Designed and implemented an Internship Programme that provided much-needed work experience for the plethora of unemployed graduates in the Province. Hosted the SADC Conference on Public Sector Finance; speakers from SADC region and beyond and the Supply Chain Management Conference. Managed new business development, examples include National Treasury, Amatole District Municipality, Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (UK).

Supported and trained all staff with finance duties in all the SCFUK offices within Southern Africa and technically advised the Regional Director of Southern Africa. Facilitated ‘train the trainer’ workshops for UK-based staff and finance workshops for SCF staff in Western Africa and Latin America regions.

Project managed the implementation of the SUN system in Malawi, Burundi, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Guatemala and Haiti (working in each country for up to 5 months), tailoring the system to local requirements.Trained all finance staff located across head and field offices to use the system and co-developed a user manual (translated into French and Spanish).

Taught Grades 8-12 in a new post-apartheid rural school some 200km from the Angolan border; achieved 100% pass rate in IGCSE Accounting. Additional subjects taught included English and History. Undertook research on effective school management of financial resources for the Namibian Presidential Commission on Education and Training.

Systems and year-end audits as well as two value for money investigations.

Standards 4 - 6, Little Flower School, India; full and part-time students at CESAL, France; and private tuition to adults, Limassol, Cyprus.

A portfolio of audit clients covering the media and communications, retail and manufacturing industries. Internal secondments to Corporate Finance Investigations, working on two six-month long fraud cases, one involving overseas work in Holland; Management Consultancy on the privatisation of water companies; and Internal Training and Development, training first and second-year accountants on in-house auditing courses.

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Social Sciences

Master'S Degree, Education, Cum Laude

Bachelor Of Education (B.Ed.), Business Information Technology Education, 2:1

Association Of Chartered Certified Accountants, Accountancy, Levels 1, 2 And 3

Association Of Accounting Technicians, Accountancy, Qualified Member

Teach English As A Foreign Language (Tefl) Certificate, Teaching English As A Second Or Foreign Language/Esl Language Instructor, Pass