Analyst - SAMARTHA Programme

Position: Analyst 
Programme: SAMARTHA 
Location: Kathmandu, Nepal (with travel as required) 
Reporting to: Team Leader and Policy and Institutional Development Adviser 
Duration: May 2026- March 2027 

Anticipated number of positions: 4 – 5 

Open to: Nepali citizens willing to be based in Kathmandu

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. This programme will focus on improving the systems and capacity 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 / JOB DESCRIPTION 

The Analyst will play a core role in supporting the Samartha Programme’s objective of catalysing systemic change through evidence, political economy insight, and strategic analysis. The role will focus on generating, synthesising, and translating evidence from diagnostics, and sectoral analysis into actionable intelligence that informs coalition building, influencing pathways, and policy dialogue at federal and sub-national level. 

Working closely with technical advisers, sector specialists, and programme teams, the Analyst will contribute to politically informed, PDIAdriven, and evidencebased programming, ensuring that learning from implementation is rapidly converted into briefs, options papers, dialogue inputs, and learning products that support Samartha’s spiral approach to influence. 

SCOPE OF WORK 

The Analyst will be responsible for the following key areas: 

1. Evidence Generation and Analysis 

• Conduct desk-based research, literature reviews, and analytical scans related to governance reform, social sector delivery (health, education, inclusion), public finance, digital governance, and institutional performance 

• Analyse qualitative and quantitative data from programme pilots, diagnostics, audits, and government information systems (e.g. HMIS, IEMIS where relevant) 

• Support synthesis of pilot learning to identify what works, under what conditions, and with what political and institutional constraints 

2. Political Economy and Contextual Analysis 

• Support Political Economy Analysis (PEA), stakeholder mapping, and power analysis to inform entry points, coalition formation, and influencing strategies 

• Track emerging policy priorities, reform windows, and institutional dynamics relevant to Samartha’s focus areas 

• Contribute to adaptive programming by flagging risks, opportunities, and shifts in the political or bureaucratic environment 

3. Strategic Intelligence and Influencing Support 

• Prepare concise intelligence products, including analytical notes, options papers, briefing notes, and slide decks for dialogues and high-level engagement 

• Support the translation of technical evidence into policy-relevant options, including fiscal, institutional, and service delivery implications 

• Contribute analytical inputs to Samartha’s influencing pathways, including dialogue preparation, peer-led validation, and network advocacy 

4. Learning, Knowledge Management, and Dissemination 

• Support documentation of learning, evidence stories, and data narratives emerging from pilots and engagements 

• Contribute to learning products, dissemination materials, and internal reflection processes to ensure evidence is shareable and reusable 

• Ensure research and analytical outputs meet programme quality standards and donor requirements 

5. Coordination and Responsiveness 

• Work closely with programme teams, sector experts, and advisers to respond to emerging analytical and research needs 

• Manage multiple workstreams and deliver timely analytical inputs in a fast-paced, adaptive programme environment 

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE 

Essential 

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in economics, public policy, political science, development studies, governance, or a related field 

• At least 3–5 years of relevant experience in research, analysis, or evidence generation within development, governance, or public policy programmes 

• Demonstrated experience producing analytical products such as research reports, policy briefs, analytical notes, or options papers 

• Strong analytical and synthesis skills, with the ability to translate complex technical material into clear, decision focused outputs 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with fluency in both English and Nepali 

• Proven ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritise effectively, and meet deadlines in an adaptive programme setting 

Desirable 

• Prior experience in social sector, health or education systems strengthening 

• Experience supporting or contributing to political economy analysis, governance reform, or PDIA‑informed programming 

• Familiarity with Nepal’s federal governance system and public sector institutions 

• Experience working with or analysing data from government systems, pilots, or diagnostics 

• Exposure to policy dialogue processes, coalition building, or influencing initiatives 

Note: Last date to apply is May 18th, 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis hence early submissions are encouraged.