Overview

Call for expressions of interest

Learning Consultant

Fee: To be negotiated

Location: UK, Europe, and Sightsavers Africa programme countries

Consultancy length: 3 months

About the consultancy

Evidence-based programming is one of the nine principles outlined in Sightsavers’ programme strategy. The MEL team aims to generate robust monitoring and evaluation data, and to strengthen the organisation’s capacity to systematically acquire, interpret, synthesise, and apply knowledge to inform project design and implementation.

The Sightsavers’ MEL team seeks to commission an external consultant to develop a technically robust and coherent package of learning methodologies, practical tools, and user-friendly guidance materials following inclusive and accessible design principles in both format and presentation. These products will enable project teams to independently structure learning activities, acquire and interpret evidence, synthesise insights across multiple data sources, and apply learning to inform strategic or operational adaptations, as well as to test and validate key project or programme assumptions.

Responsibilities

The consultancy has the following overarching objectives:

• Support the MEL team to develop a coherent methodological framework that sets out robust approaches for project‑level learning (acquisition, interpretation, translation, and uptake) at specific points during the learning cycle (e.g. mid- and end-term).
• Design a suite of practical tools and templates that operationalise the framework in ways that are accessible and suitable for use by diverse project teams.
• Produce user‑friendly, context-sensitive guidance materials that enable teams to independently apply the methodologies and tools within their implementation contexts.
• Ensure conceptual integrity, methodological rigour, and alignment with adaptive management and evidence‑informed programming principles.

Summary of the specific outputs

An inclusive learning toolkit to be used as an overall guide to evidence acquisition, interpretation and analysis, knowledge translation, and evidence uptake. The toolkit will comprise:

• Guidance on appropriate methodologies and approaches for generating and interpreting project-level learning.
• Sample tools and processes for the development of learning-focused review questions and analytical frameworks, tailored to Sightsavers’ different thematic areas.
• Learning workshop planning tools, including planning templates, sample activities, session guide templates.
• Reporting guides and templates tailored to different learning activities (including inclusive learning workshops, desk reviews, partner review meetings).

All templates, guides, and planning tools should follow inclusive and accessible design principles in both format and presentation, ensuring they are accessible to support wider use.

The consultancy comprises 12-16 working days to be completed within an agreed timeframe following contract signature. Check-in meetings will be scheduled by either the MEL Head of Operations or MEL Advisor, and work on the above deliverables is expected to be carried out between July and October 2026.

Skills and Experience

The consultant should demonstrate the following expertise:

• Advanced knowledge of organisational learning, knowledge translation and evidence uptake.
• Extensive experience in designing learning methodologies, analytical frameworks, and conceptual models for international development organisations.
• Proven ability to translate complex theoretical constructs into practical, user-friendly tools that can be used by project teams.
• Extensive experience working with project-level learning and insights, including organising and facilitating workshops, learning events and other evaluative learning activities.
• Strong understanding of adaptive management, project cycle processes, and evidence‑to‑action pathways in social development contexts.
• Experience working on disability inclusion or social inclusion programming is highly desirable.
• Excellent analytical, conceptual and writing skills, including the ability to produce high-quality technical and guidance materials.
• Experience or expertise in using AI software for learning purposes is desirable
• Fluent written and spoken English skills

This is a highly varied and involved consultancy position, and the above is not an exhaustive list of deliverables or required professional skills. Please see the Terms of Reference for full details.    

Candidates are welcome to demonstrate their ability to match the person specification by expanding on how their experience, training and/or qualifications might have provided them with the knowledge or skills required for the role. Successful candidates will be appointed on merit.

• Support the MEL team to develop a coherent methodological framework that sets out robust approaches for project‑level learning (acquisition, interpretation, translation, and uptake) at specific points during the learning cycle (e.g. mid- and end-term).
• Design a suite of practical tools and templates that operationalise the framework in ways that are accessible and suitable for use by diverse project teams.
• Produce user‑friendly, context-sensitive guidance materials that enable teams to independently apply the methodologies and tools within their implementation contexts.
• Ensure conceptual integrity, methodological rigour, and alignment with adaptive management and evidence‑informed programming principles.

• Advanced knowledge of organisational learning, knowledge translation and evidence uptake.
• Extensive experience in designing learning methodologies, analytical frameworks, and conceptual models for international development organisations.
• Proven ability to translate complex theoretical constructs into practical, user-friendly tools that can be used by project teams.
• Extensive experience working with project-level learning and insights, including organising and facilitating workshops, learning events and other evaluative learning activities.
• Strong understanding of adaptive management, project cycle processes, and evidence‑to‑action pathways in social development contexts.
• Experience working on disability inclusion or social inclusion programming is highly desirable.
• Excellent analytical, conceptual and writing skills, including the ability to produce high-quality technical and guidance materials.
• Experience or expertise in using AI software for learning purposes is desirable.
• Fluent written and spoken English skills.

• Advanced knowledge of organisational learning, knowledge translation and evidence uptake.
• Extensive experience in designing learning methodologies, analytical frameworks, and conceptual models for international development organisations.
• Proven ability to translate complex theoretical constructs into practical, user-friendly tools that can be used by project teams.
• Extensive experience working with project-level learning and insights, including organising and facilitating workshops, learning events and other evaluative learning activities.
• Strong understanding of adaptive management, project cycle processes, and evidence‑to‑action pathways in social development contexts.
• Experience working on disability inclusion or social inclusion programming is highly desirable.
• Excellent analytical, conceptual and writing skills, including the ability to produce high-quality technical and guidance materials.
• Experience or expertise in using AI software for learning purposes is desirable.
• Fluent written and spoken English skills.