The e-Learning for Strengthening Higher Education is a project led by MoE in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, Arizona State University, and Shayashone PLC. It is one of the transformative projects under the ministry with the primary mission of supporting Ethiopian higher education institutes to realize digital education. Along this trajectory, the e-SHE addresses critical ecosystem-level issues that undermine the teaching and learning process, quality of education, and act as a barrier to the transformational aspirations of the education sector.

To deepen e-SHE's impact and advance Ethiopia’s higher education reforms, covering seven key areas and forty sub-areas, the Higher Education Delivery Excellence Enhancement Program (HDEEP) has been designed as a strategic extension to consolidate and scale the achievements of e-SHE. HDEEP focuses on strengthening institutional capacity, enhancing teaching quality, governance, and inclusivity, and promoting innovation and employability across universities.

One of the program’s key components is the establishment of the Higher Education Reform Delivery Unit (HERDU) as a central mechanism to coordinate and oversee reform implementation across 47 public universities. Staffed with professionals specializing in higher education policy, pedagogy, leadership, digital technology, and institutional capacity building, HERDU will ensure consistency, efficiency, and accountability in reform delivery.

The main intervention areas of the HDEEP includes (1) strengthening universities’ implementation capacity through delivery units, leadership development, and institutionalized teaching and learning centers; (2) developing reform-oriented policies, guidelines, and manuals to enhance quality and sustainability of higher education ; (3) building capacity in monitoring, evaluation, and data-driven supervision to improve performance; and (4) advancing leadership development to enhance governance, teaching quality, and graduate employability. Together, these interventions aim to build a more effective, inclusive, and future-ready higher education ecosystem in Ethiopia.

Under HERDU, a dedicated Evidence-Based Policymaking Unit will be established to conduct research, collect and analyze data, and disseminate evidence to policymakers and stakeholders. The unit will also identify and address knowledge gaps within the higher education sector. The Higher Education Policy, Research, and Knowledge Management Senior Expert, who will lead this unit, will be responsible for providing policy, strategic, technical, and leadership support to strengthen Ethiopia’s higher education reform initiatives. This role involves leading policy gap assessments, guiding the development and review of national and institutional policies, and ensuring that reforms are evidence-based, contextually relevant, and aligned with national higher education priorities.

The Senior Expert also oversees research, data management, and knowledge management, translating findings into actionable insights, reports, and policy recommendations. The position provides technical guidance and capacity building for MoE staff, universities, and HDEEP teams, particularly in leadership development, performance management, and monitoring and evaluation, contributing directly to improved institutional delivery, graduate employability and entrepreneurship, and sustainable higher education reforms.

Key Roles and Responsibilities 

Policy development and review

• Conduct a comprehensive policy gap assessment across Ethiopian higher education institutions to identify barriers in governance, curriculum relevance, leadership, performance management, and reform implementation.

• Based on the result, lead the development, review, and updating of national and institutional higher education policies, strategies, and operational guidelines aligned with the reform agenda. 

•  Conduct policy impact analysis, develop actionable policy briefs, and provide strategic recommendations to MoE, HDEEP Delivery Unit, and partner institutions.

• Ensure national and institutional policies reflect best practices in digital education, leadership development, and institutional performance management.

• Guide the establishment of institutional leadership competency frameworks, policy manuals, and operational guidelines for sustained reform implementation.

Research and data management

• Lead and coordinate research agendas on higher education reform, leadership development, digital transformation, and graduate employability and entrepreneurship.

• Synthesize research findings into actionable insights, reports, and policy briefs to inform HDEEP decision-making and program design. 

• Establish and maintain evidence-based M&E frameworks to track progress of reform interventions across HEIs.

•  Collaborate with universities, think tanks, and international partners to ensure research and innovation inform policy and leadership development.

• Ensure continuous learning and feedback loops are integrated into program activities to support adaptive management.

Knowledge management and dissemination

• Develop and implement a comprehensive Higher Education Knowledge Management Framework, including digital repositories for policy documents, research outputs, and program reports.

• Design communication and dissemination strategies to share evidence, lessons learned, and policy recommendations with MoE, universities, development partners, and international stakeholders.

• Build the capacity of HDEEP staff and university teams in knowledge management, research communication, data visualization, and evidence-based planning.

• Organize workshops, seminars, and knowledge exchange forums to promote learning, replication, and scaling of reforms.

Partnership and stakeholder engagement

• Strengthen partnerships between MoE, universities, development partners, and research institutions.

• Represent HDEEP in national and international forums, conferences, and technical working groups.

• Ensure effective communication, engagement, and coordination with HE leaders, policymakers, technical experts, and students.

• Build and sustain networks that enhance program sustainability, knowledge sharing, and institutional adoption of reforms.

Job Requirements

Education and experience 

• Minimum of 10 years (PhD) or 12 years (Master’s) relevant experience in higher education in Education Policy, Public Policy, Research and Development, Knowledge Management, or any other field with relevant experience. 

• Strong record of research publications, policy briefs, and analytical reporting.

• Proven experience in policy development, strategic planning, and program evaluation.

• Demonstrated experience in knowledge management system design or implementation.

• Familiarity with Ethiopia’s Education and Training Policy, higher education reform agendas, and MoE structures.

Core competencies 

Technical Competencies 

• Advanced understanding of higher education governance, policy frameworks, institutional leadership, quality assurance mechanisms, curriculum development, financing, and academic development.

•  Demonstrated proficiency in conducting policy gap assessments, policy impact analysis, and translating research findings into actionable recommendations. Skilled in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, survey design, and statistical analysis. 

• Experience in designing, implementing, and maintaining digital knowledge repositories, data archiving systems, and platforms for evidence-based decision-making, and reporting systems to track program impact, learning, and accountability.

• Demonstrated ability to interpret complex data, synthesize findings, write high-quality reports, policy briefs, and technical documents, and effectively communicate insights to stakeholders.

• Capacity to identify systemic gaps, anticipate risks, propose innovative solutions, and make evidence-informed recommendations for program improvement.

• Strong ability to manage, analyze, and synthesize complex datasets using tools such as SPSS, STATA, MSTAT, Excel, Power BI, or other data visualization platforms.

Leadership Competencies 

• Ability to provide results-oriented guidance, drive program vision, and translate strategic objectives into actionable outcomes across multiple institutional contexts.

•  Effective in building and maintaining partnerships with government agencies, universities, development partners, and international organizations, ensuring alignment and collaboration.

• Commitment to fostering innovative approaches, digital transformation, and evidence-based practices within higher education institutions.

• High standards of ethics, accountability, and professional integrity, with proactive problem-solving and independent decision-making capabilities.

• Ability to work effectively with diverse teams, fostering a positive, high-performance culture and encouraging knowledge-sharing across partners.

How To Apply

Competent applicants can send their completed CV by e-mail or in hard copy to the following address before the close of business on November 11, 2025. Applicants are expected to indicate the position they are applying for clearly.  Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for further assessment and selection. 

Shayashone Trading Plc, Bole, Cameroon Street, Reality Plaza, 12th Floor 

Email: recruitment@shayashone.com

Note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.