Position: Provincial Data Specialist
Number of Positions: 1
Programme: Samartha: Enhancing Gender and Human Development Outcomes through Systems Strengthening
Location: Lumbini Province (with frequent travel to local level governments)
Type: Full-time
Reports to: Province Head, with technical reporting to Innovation, Evidence and Learning (IEL) Lead and Samartha Programme Management Unit (PMU)
Start Date: 01 August 2025 (subject to funding approval from the donor)
End Date: 31 March 2026

ORGANISATION PROFILE

Adam Smith International (ASI) is a global advisory firm that works with governments, international development partners, and the private sector to deliver long-term, transformative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Operating across more than 30 countries, ASI specialises in governance, economic reform, climate resilience, and inclusive development - applying rigorous analysis, technical expertise, and locally led strategies to achieve sustainable impact.

PROGRAMME BACKGROUND

Samartha: Enhancing Gender and Human Development Outcomes through Systems Strengthening is a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funded programme implemented by Adam Smith International. The programme works in close partnership with the Government of Nepal and aims to enhance the capacity of provincial and local level governments to deliver social sector services.

This programme will focus on improving the systems and capacity of local government to deliver its social service mandates with a specific focus on improving access to quality health and education services, especially by women, girls and marginalised communities. This will be complemented with national policy support in the Health and Education sectors to ensure sector policies and resource allocations align to support Nepal in building responsive and resilient Health and Education service delivery systems. Through systems strengthening, Samartha aims to enable more equitable, accountable, and inclusive development outcomes.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Provincial data specialist based in Lumbini province will play a central role in supporting the use of data and evidence to inform adaptive programming and inclusive governance under the Samartha programme. Working across clusters and local level governments, the specialist will lead on data collection, analysis, visualisation, and translation of insights to inform planning, budgeting, service delivery, and decision-making processes in the education and health sectors. The position will work closely with federal technical team, provincial technical experts, local level government officials, and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen the use of evidence at all levels of subnational governance.

The role demands strong quantitative, qualitative, and analytical skills, alongside a sound understanding of Nepal’s federal governance context. A core expectation is the ability to promote data-informed service delivery that supports gender equality, disability inclusion, and social equity. The Data Specialist will also play an active role in research, evidence generation, and capacity-strengthening initiatives aimed at enhancing data literacy and improving the responsiveness and accountability of public institutions.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

Data Management and Analysis (40%)

• Conduct statistical and spatial analysis to identify trends, service delivery gaps, and performance disparities across municipalities and clusters
• Compile, clean, and manage datasets from multiple sources including programme monitoring systems, municipal data platforms, sectoral information systems (e.g. EMIS, HMIS), and financial systems (e.g. SuTRA, LMBIS).
• Maintain an up-to-date, organised database of key indicators across health, education, governance, resilience, GEDSI, and economics, disaggregated by local level government, geography, gender, caste/ethnicity, and other relevant dimensions.
• Maintain up-to-date records on relevant province, local, cluster, and district-level stakeholders, including government officials, development partners, and technical focal points, to support programme coordination and engagement.
• Undertake any other tasks as assigned to support the effective delivery of the Samartha programme in Lumbini Province.

Evidence Use, Innovation and Learning, and Adaptive Management (30%)

• Collaborate with the federal IEL team in designing and implementing research activities, rapid assessments, and learning studies at the provincial, cluster and local levels.
• Develop data visualisations and analytical briefs to inform policy dialogue, technical assistance, and government planning processes.
• Provide analytical support to the development and use of indicators for tracking outputs, outcomes, and equity benchmarks in service delivery.
• Document good practices, lessons learned, and innovations in evidence-informed governance from across municipalities and clusters.
• Support the organisation of provincial learning reviews, pause-and-reflect sessions, and thematic exchanges across sectors.
• Contribute to the development of knowledge products such as case studies, infographics, and technical summaries for internal and external dissemination.

Support to Programme Teams and Thematic Areas (15%)

• Work closely with provincial education, health, governance, and GEDSI leads to generate actionable evidence that supports adaptive programme implementation.
• Assist in reviewing and analysing government budget, expenditure, and sector performance data to inform local development planning and programme alignment.
• Contribute to technical products such as presentations, briefs, and reports that support cross-sectoral coordination and joint planning.
• Coordinate with other British Embassy Kathmandu programmes and with other development partner programmes.

Capacity Strengthening and Systems Support (15%)

• Provide hands-on support to municipal and cluster-level officials in data management, analysis, reporting, and the use of digital systems
• Facilitate technical workshops and coaching sessions to build local capacity for data literacy, monitoring, and results-based planning.
• Support municipalities to institutionalise the use of data in Education Development Plans (EDPs), Health Improvement Plans (HIPs), and inclusive budgeting.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Education and Professional Background

• A Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Statistics, Data Science, Public Policy, or a closely related field.
• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in data analysis, monitoring and evaluation, research, or evidence-based programme support, preferably within development, governance, or public sector reform contexts.
• Experience working with current governance and data systems and/or subnational governments in Nepal is highly desirable.
• Experience with donor funded education programmes is preferred.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in statistical and data visualisation software (e.g.: STATA, SPSS), and spreadsheet tools (e.g. Excel) for quantitative analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct thematic analysis of quantitative data, identifying key patterns and insights that inform sectoral performance and governance decisions.
• Experience in supporting or conducting field-based research, including data collection, cleaning, coding, and analysis aligned with research ethics and rigour.
• Skilled in using data visualisation and presentation platforms (e.g.: Canva, Power BI, Tableau) for developing dashboards, infographics, and user-friendly data products.
• Familiarity with Nepal’s sectoral information systems and municipal-level data platforms.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to non-technical audiences
• Demonstrated ability to distil complex datasets into concise, policy-relevant insights and translate technical findings into accessible formats for diverse audiences.

Other Requirements

• Willingness to be based in the field, with extensive travel within the assigned LG, cluster or province.
• Candidates with a valid driving license is a distinct advantage.  
• Excellent communication, analytical, and report writing skills in both English and Nepali; knowledge of local languages (e.g. Tharu, Bhojpuri, or Awadhi) is a significant advantage
• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively in dynamic, collaborative settings, and to adapt strategies based on real-time feedback and contextual learning.
• Ability to work independently in complex and evolving political and institutional environments

TERM OF REFERENCE (ToR)

A detailed Terms of Reference outlining the scope of work, responsibilities, and expected deliverables will be shared with shortlisted candidates during the recruitment process.