Tanya Mdlalose

Evidence synthesis researcher with 5+ years' experience delivering systematic reviews, evidence gap maps, and rapid reviews commissioned by international and government bodies, including the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF Innocenti, the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), and South African government departments (DPME, COGTA). Skilled across the full evidence synthesis lifecycle — search strategy development, screening, data extraction, critical appraisal, and qualitative and quantitative synthesis — using EPPI-Reviewer 4 and PRISMA-aligned methods. Experienced in leading and supervising research teams, managing multi-stakeholder project timelines, and translating complex evidence into policy-relevant knowledge products.

Committed to advancing evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM) across the African context.

Researcher (Evidence Synthesis) - Pan-African Collective for Evidence (PACE)

(2022-01)

Execute the full evidence synthesis lifecycle per assigned research briefs — protocol development, scope and inclusion-criteria definition, academic and grey literature searching, screening, and data extraction (descriptive and effect-size). Conduct critical appraisal (quantitative and qualitative), GRADE assessment, and statistical meta-analysis, including sub-group analysis and meta-regression, alongside thematic and other qualitative synthesis methods. Design and conduct primary research components — ethics applications, sampling, interview/survey instrument design, data collection, and analysis — to complement evidence synthesis findings.

Ensure quality control of all research outputs; develop and maintain knowledge management systems for safe research data storage; support dissemination through policy briefs, communication content, and stakeholder engagements.

• Serve as Senior Researcher on a DPME–PACE collaboration developing a White Paper on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, conducting international benchmarking across countries with established PME systems and producing evidence to inform new legislation.
• Deliver as Researcher on a WHO-commissioned systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions to reduce loneliness and social isolation across the life course, leading screening, data extraction, and quantitative and qualitative synthesis.
• Led, as Project Manager and Lead Evidence Synthesis Researcher, the delivery of a 1,023-study evidence map reviewing South Africa's White Paper on Local Government within an intensive five-week turnaround, in partnership with COGTA and DPME.
• Co-manage a global living evidence map on evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM) interventions, overseeing search, screening, and data extraction workflows and supervising a team of researchers.
• Led searching, screening, and data extraction for a 3ie-commissioned systematic review on interventions to increase evidence use across low- and middle-income countries, supervising research assistants and reporting to the project lead.
• Produced 15+ international systematic reviews, evidence gap maps, and rapid reviews for clients including WHO, UNICEF Innocenti, 3ie, DPME, COGTA, and the Gauteng Provincial Government, spanning health, governance, climate, education, and youth employment.

Research Assistant - Africa Centre for Evidence, University of Johannesburg

(2020-01 - 2021-12)

• Conducted academic and grey literature searches, title/abstract and full-text screening, and data extraction across multiple systematic reviews and evidence gap maps using EPPI-Reviewer 4.
• Delivered a 10-day rapid evidence review (3ie / Africa Centre for Evidence / GESI collaboration) on COVID-19's gendered impact on women's employment, including data extraction, report writing, and weekly video updates on project progress.
• Co-produced an Environmental Evidence Gap Map with the South African Centre of the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence, managing duplicate records and authoring a public blog on the screening process.
• Engaged with and presented findings to government and academic stakeholders throughout the evidence synthesis process.

Field Technician Intern - Solidaridad

(2020-01 - 2020-12)

• Collected farmer data via GlobalG.A.P./LocalG.A.P. checklists for internal assessments across Gauteng Agriparks.
• Facilitated focus group discussions for behaviour-change training needs assessments and compiled an annual risk assessment report across farmer cooperatives.

Monitoring & Evaluation Officer Intern - Afrika Tikkun

(2019-01 - 2019-12)

• Collected and analysed programme data across Early Child Development, Youth Development, and Career Development portfolios to inform recommendations for improving programme efficiency.
• Managed a quality assurance programme including on-site evaluations, internal audits, and client surveys; completed log frames to monitor and evaluate programme progress.

BA Honours - Anthropology - University of Johannesburg (2019)

BA - Humanities — Anthropology & Development Studies - University of Johannesburg (2016-01 - 2018-12)