Data Monitoring And Research Jobs at Mercy Corps and Help Age International

JOB DETAILS:
General Position Summary
The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Manager is responsible for leading the overall integration of monitoring, evaluation & learning for the program. S/he is responsible for facilitating a participatory process in order to develop Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning strategies and frameworks tailored to the program.
The MEL Manager shall work closely with the program’s Research and Learning team, ensuring that the program has a robust system in place to measure program results, has a rigorous monitoring system that is regularly collecting performance data, that partners have the skills to collect and report relevant data, and that monitoring and evaluation data is being used to inform research priorities and programmatic decision-making.

Essential Job Responsibilities
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
• Contribute to program-level M&E planning and system development at program start-up.
• Facilitate indicator planning, design and negotiation with CSSF on the M&E system development.
• Work with the programme team to define program indicators and targets for all programme years, based on CSSF guidance of standard required and applicable indicators; where applicable and desirable, include Mercy Corps Alpha Indicators or other innovative indicators to measure program impact.
• Lead the program in the design of the detailed M&E plan, including design of data collection tools and methodologies, M&E workflow, data flow, data integrity, data quality assurance, database design and protocols, secondary research to inform baseline assessments and measurement frameworks, and ensuring alignment with Mercy Corps and Industry standards.
• Coordinate assessments, evaluations and monitoring surveys in areas of operation. This will entail development of Scopes of Work, development of survey tools, trainings and management of data collectors, report write and facilitating results discussion.
• Champion the inclusion of qualitative data collection and analysis for both direct and supplemental measurements of program performance. Train teams in appropriate methods for focus group discussion and key informant interviews and lead field-based qualitative data collection as needed.
• Work with partners to develop individualized M&E plans that feed into the program’s overarching M&E plan, and train and coach partners on data collection, reporting and using M&E tools.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT & LEARNING
• Build a collaborative network of relationships with implementing partners and other stakeholders to encourage learning networks that promote shared learning, aligned approaches, and mutual accountability to quality data collection and programming.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of knowledge management to further stimulate use of evidence for learning, strategic adaptive management, and high-impact programming.
• Work closely with the program’s research partners to define and execute a research strategy, and ensure that M&E data is available to feed into research activities.
• Contribute to program visibility and advocacy work by assisting in dissemination of program results and learning information.
• Coordinate closely with implementing partners to ensure our activities and data are shared and synced up together and tell one cohesive story.
• Connect best practices and learning from within the program and across Mercy Corps countries to ensure an evolving and effective learning system for improving program implementation.
• Work with country program team to capture lessons learned during program implementation, and feed this information into thought leadership and research opportunities and into ongoing program management and program design.
• Collect and compile impact stories and evidence from the program on a regular basis.
• In coordination with program team, drive the capacity building of program staff on design and M&E concepts through trainings and new hire orientation, including designing and delivering formal trainings. Design comprehensive orientation for all new staff.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
• Serve as technical advisor for technology for data management systems and real-time data flow, utilizing appropriate software platforms for cloud aggregation, data processing and manipulation, and data visualization and utilization. This includes learning and testing new software platforms, as well as working with tech partners to develop both project and country level information management systems.
• Assist teams in setting up appropriate summary statistics and relational calculations in program databases and link them to tracking dashboards. Help develop the appropriate workflow.
• Understand, maintain and innovate the technical components (including hardware, software, database, etc.) of the MEL information and data management system that improves MC’s ability to implement quality programs through better collection, management, analysis and presentation of data, and represent impact to donor, government bodies, peer organizations and communities using standard technologies.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Manage M&E staff within the field offices.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING
• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit mercy corps as well as themselves.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO BENEFICIARIES
• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Supervisory Responsibility
Program M&E team

Accountability Reports Directly To: Team Lead

Works Directly With: Team Lead, Deputy Team Lead, Research Team, Policy Team, Program Team, Implementing Partners.

Knowledge and Experience
• MA/S or equivalent experience in international development, economics, statistics, peace and conflict studies, or other relevant subject with strong quantitative background, and at least four years of experience in progressively increasing M&E responsibility in international development projects. The candidate must have experience in leading the M&E of a large project. Previous experience working on Conflict or Peacebuilding program is an added advantage.
• Strong conceptual knowledge about theories of change, logic model, peace and security indicators, M&E plan, data quality assurance, data utilization, and gender integration into M&E.
• Demonstrated experience and expertise in developing and operationalizing a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan.
• Demonstrated expertise and experience in developing and operationalizing routine monitoring system designed to track both output and outcome indicators.
• Strong quantitative background and demonstrated expertise in designing annual monitoring surveys including probabilistic sampling strategy and estimating sample size, developing appropriate weights, and analyze quantitative data.
• Demonstrated expertise in designing qualitative studies, in-depth knowledge about qualitative sampling, and experienced in using interview and interactive tools to generate qualitative information and analysis.
• Experience in developing data quality assurance strategies, data management, and data visualization.
• Demonstrated expertise and experience in data utilization strategies and can creatively think about active data sharing techniques.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and other language(s), as required.
• Portuguese language skills – oral and written of added value

Success Factors
The successful candidate will have a meticulous eye for data rigor, a commitment to program learning and adaptation, and a curiosity to drive for deeper understanding of the dynamics driving VE recruitment in East Africa. S/he will be a team player and able to work comfortably in a matrix management structure, where flexibility and collaboration across partners will be essential. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated ability to think critically across sectors and to understand how complex systems work to drive vulnerabilities. S/he will have strong written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to distill complex ideas into tangible and understandable data points and narratives to effectively tell the story of program impact. Above all, the ideal candidate will demonstrate an exceptional commitment to programmatic excellence, thrive in a team setting and have a good sense of humor to contribute to a dynamic working environment.