MERL Outcome Harvesting Officer at Tetra Tech

Job Overview
Job Overview and Reporting Line

• The MERL Officer for Outcome Harvesting - is a crucial role within the REINVENT Programme, designed to ensure the effective implementation of the MERL framework, particularly in order to gain insights into the programme’s results at the outcome level. This includes the impact of the programme’s influence within key institutions. This position plays a central role in the planning, designing, implementation, and overall improvement of the programme's activities by ensuring that data-driven decision-making, research, and learning are at the core of our approach. The Outcome Harvesting Officer will be responsible for the Outcome Harvesting aspect of our Monitoring & Evaluation work.

Reporting to: Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Lead

• Reducing Insecurity and Violent Extremism in the Northern and Coastal regions of Kenya (REINVENT) is a five-year (2018-2023) programme funded by UK Government through its Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO). The programme aims to improve security and stability in 18 counties across four regions of Kenya to enable investment, inclusive growth, and equitable service delivery. The programme is designed to enhance Kenyan capacity and capability to address, prevent and respond better to criminal violence and weak community-police relations, Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), inter-communal conflict and election-related violence, and radicalisation and violent extremism.
• REINVENT is managed by Tetra Tech International Development and delivered in partnership with the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI). It builds on the achievements of the predecessor programme, Jamii Thabiti (2014-19), also known as the Kenya Improving Community Security Programme (ICS) and scales up support across more counties. New areas of work include conflict sensitive development, election security, and preventing/countering violent extremism.
• The Impact of the REINVENT programme is “Improved community safety and security as measured by effect on inclusive and equitable development, investment and service delivery in Kenya.” The Outcome is “Improved state and non-state actors' collaboration in a mutually accountable and inclusive manner to respond effectively to root causes of violence”.

The Outputs Are

• Accountable and effective police (and other security agencies) addressing community security, violent extremism, and election security.
• Strengthened agency of women and girls in peace, safety, and security.
• Intra and inter institutional commitment to address the root causes and drivers of conflict.
• Knowledge and evidence generated and utilised to enhance community and institutional learning and adaptation.

Main Duties

Outcome harvesting:

• Lead implementation of REINVENT’s Outcome Harvesting approach, in line with direction and support provided by MERL Lead William Mengich and MERL Advisor Alex Moler.
• Complete a light-touch ex-ante evaluation to harvest outcomes from REINVENT work in the period Apr 2019 – Mar 2024, specifically:
• Conduct a systematic evidence review and secondary analysis to identify out-comes, complemented by targeted Key Informant Interviews (KIIs);
• Prepare report and present most significant substantiated outcomes at a validation workshop with key stakeholders including BHC, KPS and others.
• Lead ongoing Outcome Harvesting, capturing results to complement existing logframe-based MERL system for the remainder of the programme, specifically:
• Designing approach, with support and direction from MERL Lead William Mengich and MERL Advisor Alex Moler.
• Training downstream partners and technical team on the Outcome Harvesting approach, ensuring compliance with, and inputs into, our approach.
• Leading annual Outcome Harvesting evaluation, report, and presentation (following a similar approach to ex-ante 2019-2024 evaluation.
• Support end-of-programme evaluation using theory-based approaches, such as Contribution Analysis.

Wider Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Support the implementation of the programme MERL framework ensuring it meets the client’s expectations and delivers quality evidence.
• Support the design and application of data collection tools and methodologies to evidence programme performance and impact.
• Regularly collect, manage and analyse data to track progress towards programme outcomes.
• Produce comprehensive MERL reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Recommend programme adjustments based on monitoring, research, and evaluation findings.
• Support the MERL Lead in tracking programme performance, success stories and adaptations for effective reporting to the programme leadership.
• Support the programme in undertaking various studies e such as evaluations, reviews, and reports.

Learning and Capacity Building:

• Support the development of stories of change and other communication learning/communications pieces based on Outcome Harvesting findings.
• Facilitate knowledge-sharing sessions and learning events within the programme based on OH findings.
• Collaborate with programme teams to identify learning needs and opportunities for improvement.
• Assist the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Lead in reviewing pro-gramme reports and documenting and consolidating programme lessons, stories of change, and good practices.
• Track recommendations from various programme assessments, annual reviews, and research studies and ensure they feed back into improved programme quality.

Data Management and Analysis:

• Develop and maintain accurate information in a project database, as well as accurate and timely electronic files.
• Ensure data confidentiality and compliance with data protection regulations.

Reporting and Documentation:

• Prepare regular progress MERL related briefs for programme management and the client utilization.
• Work closely with the REINVENT Technical team to produce and gather data/evidence for the programme quarterly and annual reports.

Partnership and Collaboration:

• Collaborate with external partners and stakeholders on Outcome Harvesting initiatives.
• Build relationships with relevant organisations for knowledge sharing.
• Collaborate with partners to establish their internal MERL systems, MERL plans, and data quality management procedures.

Aptitude, Skills, And Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (Social Science, Development Studies, Security Studies, Community Development) or any other closely related field.
• Minimum five (5) years of practical experience in MERL for large programmes/international organisations.
• Proven experience in monitoring and evaluation, research, and learning in the context of safety and security programming, particularly with experience managing and implementing Outcome Harvesting approaches.
• Technical expertise in evidence-based monitoring and evaluation approaches and practices both for accountability and learning processes.
• Demonstrable track record in data tracking and quality assessment, with the ability to support staff and partners on MERL methodology and analyse and disseminate complex information to a range of stakeholder audiences.
• Well-developed research, analytical (qualitative and quantitative), documentation, report-writing, and strategic planning skills, with competency in participatory research methods.
• Practical knowledge of current thematic issues and debates in the Kenyan context related to justice and security, as well as an understanding of major institutional donors such as FCDO.
• Experience in solving complex issues through analysis, defining a clear way forward, and ensuring buy-in.
• Knowledge of gender mainstreaming, peace building, and conflict analysis is highly desirable.