Mercy Corps is an
international development organization that helps people around the world
survive and thrive during crisis and natural disaster. Mercy Corps works in
more than 40 countries to alleviate suffering and poverty by helping people
build secure, productive and just communities. Since 1979, mercy Corps has been
helping people in the world’s toughest places to turn crises into opportunities
to thrive
We are recruiting to
fill the following position:
Monitoring, Evaluation
& Learning Advisor – Integrated Peacebuilding and Economic Development
PRIMARY LOCATION: Abuja,
Nigeria
POSITION STATUS:
Full-time, regular, exempt
POSITION LEVEL: Level 4
Program/Department
Summary: Mercy Corps works almost exclusively in fragile and conflict-affected
environments. While we recognize that these are difficult places to operate, we
believe that transitional environments – countries affected by civil wars,
economic and political crisis, or natural disasters – offer tremendous
opportunities for positive change. We currently implement over 30 integrated
peacebuilding and economic development programs in some of the world’s toughest
places, including Ethiopia, Liberia, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda.
Mercy Corps implements a
UKAID-funded integrated peacebuilding and economic development program in the
Middle Belt states of Nigeria. This three-year program, which began in December
2012, incorporates strong economic development and natural resource management
elements in order to address underlying drivers of conflict and build
cooperation between conflicting communities and build links between
communities, private sector and governmental processes.
General Position
Summary: The Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Advisor will provide
leadership, in collaboration with the Program Manager and the Country Director,
in all aspects of monitoring, evaluation and information management of the
program. The MEL Advisor will contribute to program planning to ensure
adherence to Mercy Corps’ standards, including the use of standardized
indicators and documentation methodologies. Throughout the life of the program,
s/he will be responsible for cross-cutting programmatic information management
within the framework of the program, monitoring and evaluation, ensuring that
information collected is reflected upon, used for continuous improvement of
ongoing programs, and is incorporated into consistently high quality reports.
S/he will have responsibility for leading research efforts, networking with
research agencies, documenting project impacts, and overseeing field-based
M&E staff.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP
Ensure that monitoring
systems meet the requirements of the donor and that performance results can be
used for continuous improvement.
Adapt existing Mercy
Corps monitoring tools, as well as propose new ways of measuring change through
the use of both quantitative and qualitative data collection tools, analysis of
secondary data, and, where appropriate, remote monitoring techniques.
Coordinate internal and
external reviews and lead the analysis of findings, with a strong emphasis on
learning.
As a strategic leader,
actively participate in management meetings and country-wide strategy sessions.
Strengthen staff capacity
in qualitative and quantitative monitoring and evaluation tools through
comprehensive staff training and coaching.
Take the lead in
aligning, collecting and reporting on relevant program indicators to the
organizational-wide M&E system, Mission Metrics.
Management of the
Program Monitoring, Evaluation and Information System
Ensure that the
Integrated Peace building and Economic Development program gathers, maintains
and reports upon quality and verifiable data using valid and appropriate
qualitative and quantitative tools.
Establish and manage a
database to track progress towards meeting project goals and objectives.
Address shortfalls in
monitoring, evaluation and information management that affect program
implementation.
COMMUNICATION
Strengthen linkages with
other internal agency resources, including the Learning Management System,
Digital Library, the Hub, and Clear space, to enhance organizational learning.
Coordinate with Mercy
Corps’ HQ-based Technical Support Unit (TSU) to guide process of ex-ante,
ex-post and midterm evaluation, from the design, implementation and
documentation phases.
Participate in
M&E-related working groups and maintain close working relationships with
MEL counterparts in other relevant international NGOs, and local NGOs and associations
in Nigeria.
RESEARCH COORDINATION
Identify quality
research partners and increase their capacity to examine and document issues
related to (1) the economic cost of conflict on pastoralist and farmer
livelihoods and related markets and (2) the benefits of gazetting and grazing
reserves to the quality of life, and livelihoods, of pastoralists.
Maintain regular contact
with research agencies, oversee partnerships, work to increase their skills and
product quality.
Liaise with other
entities conducting related research to ensure coordination of efforts.
Organizational Learning:
As part of Mercy Corps’ agency-wide Organizational Learning Initiative, all
team members are responsible for spending 5% of their work time in formal
and/or non-formal professional learning activities.
ACCOUNTABILITY TO
BENEFICIARIES:
Mercy Corps team members
are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our
participants 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: MEL Partner Staff
ACCOUNTABILITY:
REPORTS DIRECTLY
TO: Program Manager
Works Directly With:
Mercy Corps, finance, and country representation departments in Abuja. The
Program Manager works directly with relevant Mercy Corps headquarters units as
necessary, including Mercy Corps’ Conflict Management Group and Economic and Market
Development team and various administrative/financial units.
KNOWLEDGE AND
EXPERIENCE:
Postgraduate degree in
development studies, research methods, statistics, social sciences, measurement
and evaluation, project planning and management or other relevant field
preferred
Minimum 6-8 years of
active M&E work experience in development programming required; ideal
candidate will have both theoretical and practical background in M&E and
skilled in qualitative and quantitative M&E methodologies and techniques.
Familiarity and
experience with both peace building programming and either economic development
or natural resource management programming, preferably in the Middle Belt.
Knowledge of major
aspects of program development, implementation and documentation and excellent
verbal and written communication skills required.
Excellent computer
skills, including experience with: Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Epi-Info,
Epi-Data, SPSS, Access, SQL, and any other statistical packages.
Demonstrated
understanding of intermediate and advanced statistics and the ability to
summarize, generalize, and make predictions from large data sets.
Ability to
conceptualize, plan and implement program activities creatively, as well as
possess the ability to analyze data and utilize lessons learned for the
continuous improvement of program implementation and to promote a culture of
learning.
Fluency in written and
verbal English and Hausa required.
SUCCESS FACTORS:
The successful MEL
Advisor will have the ability to multi-task, set priorities, and work under
tight deadlines within a complex team. S/he will demonstrate strong
interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills and be committed to the
values and mission of Mercy Corps. S/he will take initiative and contribute to
team efforts, as well as demonstrate an ability to communicate and assume
leadership.
LIVING /ENVIRONMENTAL
CONDITIONS:
This position is based
in Abuja with up to 50% travel, primarily to locations within the Middle Belt
states of Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, and Benue, where security is at times
high-risk.
Mercy Corps Team members
represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a
field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected
to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs
and Mercy Corps’ policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all
in-country venues.
TO APPLY
All applications should
be sent to: mercycorpshr@gmail.com with subject MEL ADVISOR on or before 15th
January 2014.
DUE DATE: 15 January,
2014
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