REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

EDUCATION AND RESEARCH Specialist

(CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT SELECTION)

Country                               Ghana

Project Title                       Learning and Evidence Agenda for Regional Collaboration in Eastern and Southern Africa (LEARN-ESA)

GRANT No.                         E7330TD

Project ID No.                     P516274

Assignment Title                Education and Learning Specialist

The Association of African Universities has received financing from the World Bank towards the cost of the Learning and Evidence Agenda for Regional Collaboration in Eastern and Southern Africa (LEARN-ESA) and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services for the engagement of an individual consultant as the Education and Research Specialist at the AAU Headquarters in Accra, Ghana.

Roles and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Director of Special Projects, the Education and Research Specialist will provide technical and academic leadership for the projects regional learning agenda and implementation research initiatives. The Specialist will manage relationships with regional research partners, research teams, and technical consultants, ensuring that all regional public goods and knowledge assets align seamlessly with country demands.

Functionally, the Education and Research Specialist will serve as the core technical anchor for Component 1 and Component 2 execution, collaborating closely with the Policy Specialist, M&E Specialist, and country networks to translate empirical evidence into actionable, system-wide basic education policy reforms across the six participating member states (Angola, Comoros, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Malawi, and Mozambique).

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be found at the following link: https://repository.aau.org/index.php/s/znpMttR39r6bxWa

The Association of African Universities now invites eligible individuals (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services.

Competency and Expertise

Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience and competencies to perform the Services as elaborated in the Terms of Reference.

Applications dossier

1. A cover letter including a statement of interest and suitability for the position and an indication of the date on which the candidate is available to start work.
2. A detailed curriculum vitae describing the candidate’s professional experience and qualifications for the position
3. Supporting documents for the qualifications listed in the curriculum vitae (copies of certificates)
4. At least two (2) letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a country outside the candidate’s country of origin

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.13, 3.14, and 3.16 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers Seventh Edition, September 2025 (“Procurement Regulations”), [Procurement in Investment Project Financing; Goods, Works, Non-Consulting and Consulting Services], setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest available on this link. https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099120102072534901/pdf/SECBOS-a43bff5f-35cb-48e0-9609-10773aaa8d12.pdf

A consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant Selection method set out in Section VII of the Procurement Regulations and the selection process outline under Section 4.5 of the Terms of Reference.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 0900 to 1700 hours Monday to Friday per email to smkandawire@aau.org

Submission Instructions and Applications Deadline

1. Applications and supporting documents must be submitted online at https://www.research.net/r/EduResS26, no later than Monday 2^nd November at 23:59 GMT.
2. At least two (2) letters of recommendation must be sent directly by the reference persons, online at https://www.research.net/r/RefEduResS26, with the subject line “Confidential Reference – Sahel RELANCE”, no later than Monday 9^th November 2026 at 23:59 GMT.

Applications not complying with the submission requirements above may not be considered.

The AAU subscribes to the principle of equal opportunities. In line with its commitment to reflecting the diversity of the African academic world, applications from women are strongly encouraged.