Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Officer - Marsabit at Mercy Corps

The Position Summary

• The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Officer will work with the Mercy Corps PRIME program team as well as our local partner organizations to oversee and ensure the collection of quality M&E data for the program.  The M&E Officer will be responsible for supporting PRIME program to oversee the monitoring and data collection of the program, lead in surveys, analyze data to provide insight to program team, and contribute to report writing. S/he will ensure that performance monitoring and results reporting tools and processes across the entire program are in place, effectively implemented and well synchronized between the two counties that PRIME is implemented. The MEL officer will be an integral member of the program team learning and reflection processes, leading discussion on participants and community feedback.

Essential Responsibilities

STRATEGY & VISION

• Lead the design, testing and rolling out of all MEL system components for the PRIME program.
• Develop a system for reporting and validating program data (Excel, Tola, Access, etc.)
• Work closely with the program teams and local partners, to ensure effective monitoring, evaluation and reporting of program activities and results.
• Coordinate reporting with local partners, specifically tracking deadlines, ensuring adherence to monitoring formats and requirements, ensuring reporting quality and accuracy, and periodic report writing, editing, and submission.
• Compile progress against indicators and report back to the team according to the monitoring plan.
• Develop Data Quality Assessment Plan.
• Perform spot checks on the team’s data collected and reports each month.
• Actively participate in any additional evaluation M&E activities including but not limited to baseline surveys, mid-term, endline surveys, evaluations, households surveys

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

• Contribute to learning/research agenda.
• Build the capacity of all relevant team members to implement program monitoring tools, accurately enter program data into relevant databases, and enable them to develop excellent reports and other documents.
• Build the capacity of our local partner organizations through ongoing training and support on monitoring tools, entering program data into databases, the development of reports and other documents.
• Document lessons learned and success stories on the program.
• Ensure adherence to program management minimum standards in carrying out his/her duties, advising and supporting other staff in the same as required.

RESULT BASED MONITORING & EVALUATION

• Validating and verifying core indicators against the different sources of information.
• Review, validation, and analysis of incoming results data from grantees.
• Visit sites and partners to collect supplementary data, stories and conduct qualitative research both independently and in teams.
• Work with Kenya’s Country MEL Coordinator and other staff to ensure that activities are implemented on plan and progress towards targets is not compromised.
• In conjunction with the Country MEL Coordinator and Program Quality and Learning Manager, s/he will plan, coordinate, and supervise all assessments and evaluations for the PRIME program. This will entail development of Scopes of Work, development of survey tools, trainings and management of data collectors, report write and facilitating results discussion (or recruit and supervise evaluation consultants where necessary).
• Coordinate reporting with local partners, specifically tracking deadlines, ensuring adherence to monitoring formats and requirements, ensuring reporting quality and accuracy, and periodic report writing, editing, and submission.
• Actively participate in any additional evaluation M&E activities including but not limited to baseline surveys, mid-term, endline surveys, evaluations, households’ surveys.
• Ensure adherence to program management minimum standards in carrying out his/her duties, advising and supporting other staff in the same as required.
• Other duties as assigned.

SECURITY

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

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 PARTICIPANTS

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

Supervisory Responsibility

Enumerators from time to time.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: PRIME Program Manager administratively, and technically to Country MEL Coordinator.

Works Directly With: Program Officer, Program assistant and Local Implementing Partners.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field programs.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• Must hold at least a bachelor’s degree in social science, Statistics, Economics, Computer Science, Mathematics, International Development, Business administration or relevant field.
• At least 4-5 years of program monitoring and evaluation experience
• Should understand concepts and demonstrate skills in monitoring and evaluation, program cycle, results chain and frameworks, participatory monitoring.
• Should be able to design and implement surveys, have knowledge of commonly used probability and purposive sampling techniques.
  • Relevant experience in field survey/data collection techniques, data entry, data verification, and analysis and be proficient in Microsoft Excel, the incumbent should demonstrate fluency in use of at least one data management software including MS Access, SPSS, and STATA.
  • Strong computer literacy with a full knowledge of MS Office applications.
  • Strong team coordination, listening, and consensus building skills.
  • Must have good writing and analytical skills.
  • Proficiency in the use of Commcare application is preferred among other mobile data collection platforms.
  • Must be fluent both spoken and written English.

Success Factors

• A successful MEL Officer will have the ability and curiosity to work comfortably and effectively. S/he will be an excellent communicator, multi-tasker, with the ability to work effectively in complex environments. S/he must have the confidence and humility to work effectively with a diverse group of people – as well as be sensitive to political and cultural nuance.