Deep dive into different roles

Understanding the different types of roles in evaluation is key to navigating the field and finding the right fit for your interests.

Now that you have an overview of the different career opportunities in evaluation, let's take a closer look at specific roles within the field. This section breaks down a few common positions, providing insight into the background, responsibilities, and day-to-day work of professionals like evaluation specialists, managers, and consultants. These are fictional but are based on real position descriptions found in job advertisements. By exploring these roles in detail, you can get a better sense of what might suit your career goals.

Evaluation Specialist, international development agency

As an Evaluation Specialist at an international development agency, I’ve spent the past five years working on program evaluations in various settings. My role involves reviewing project reports and data to prepare for evaluation planning and implementation. I work closely with project managers to design evaluation plans, choose the right sampling methodologies, and develop data collection tools.

Once the data is collected, I’m responsible for analysing it to identify key findings, trends, and lessons learned. A big part of my work is collaborating with other teams to ensure that our evaluation findings are integrated into our performance monitoring frameworks. In the end, I write detailed reports and present the results to stakeholders, including recommendations and assessments on program impact.

Manager, evaluation unit at a government agency

"I’ve spent ten years working in program evaluation, with the last five focused on the government sector. As the Manager of an evaluation unit, I oversee the design and implementation of evaluations for various education programs and policies. I lead a team of evaluators, ensuring their work is of high quality and providing guidance when needed.

A key part of my role is collaborating with senior officials and stakeholders to advocate for the use of evaluation, identify priorities, and make sure the findings are useful. I also synthesise evaluation reports to inform policy decisions and program improvements. Communicating these results to different audiences helps ensure that decision-making is based on solid evidence."

Impact Measurement Specialist at a philanthropic organisation

"With seven years of experience in public health and impact evaluation, I specialise in designing and implementing impact measurement frameworks for grant programs and initiatives. My work involves collaborating with grantees, partners, and internal teams to collect and analyse data on program outcomes and overall impact.

I spend a lot of time developing and refining tools and methods to track progress and evaluate effectiveness. Once I have the data, I synthesise the findings and communicate them to program officers, leadership, and external stakeholders. My work also contributes to shaping the organisation’s broader impact strategy and learning agenda."

Evaluation Commissioner at a public health agency

"With twelve years of experience in commissioning and managing evaluations, I currently work as an Evaluation Commissioner at a public health agency, where I identify evaluation needs and priorities in partnership with stakeholders. I’m responsible for developing the terms of reference and scope of work for evaluations, and I manage the procurement process for evaluation consultants.

I work closely with teams to ensure high-quality evaluation design, data collection, and analysis. I also review evaluation reports and provide feedback to ensure the findings are relevant and actionable. A key part of my role is making sure these findings are effectively communicated to stakeholders and used to inform policy and program decisions."

Evaluation Consultant

"With twelve years of experience in evaluation, my work as a consultant involves responding to requests for proposals to secure contracts and working closely with clients to understand and define their evaluation needs. I’m often responsible for writing terms of reference and scopes of work that match the identified requirements.

I lead the evaluation process from start to finish, ensuring high-quality design, data collection, and analysis. After this, I share the findings and recommendations with stakeholders, supporting them to use the results to inform their decisions and improve their programs."

Evaluation Capacity Expert at an international development agency

"As an Evaluation Capacity Expert, I’ve spent twelve years strengthening evaluation capacity for individuals and organisations. I've done this as an indivdual consultant as well as part of an in-house team at larger organisations, such as a university and (in my current role) at an international development agency. My work involves developing and implementing a range of activities to strengthen these capacities, including delivering training and awareness-raising events, offering mentoring and coaching and providing consultancy services to help organisations understand their current capacity and developing guidance and materials to suit their particular needs.

I also foster peer exchange and learning, and provide information and resource referrals. In my day-to-day role, I work closely with evaluation actors from both government and non-government sectors worldwide to assess their evaluation capacity and define their needs. From there, I create comprehensive capacity-building plans and lead activities like training sessions, mentoring, and peer exchange to help them grow their skills and improve their evaluation practices."