Senior Research and Learning Coordinator at Mercy Corps

General Position Summary

Mercy Corps is seeking a Research and Learning Coordinator for Incentivizing Collective Action for Rangeland Regeneration (ICARR) program. ICARR seeks to address climate change challenges in pastoralist communities by identifying and testing incentives for collective action to promote and improve natural resource management, livestock productivity, and livelihoods. The Research and Learning Coordinator will assist in the building, adapting and implementing the program performance architecture to ensure high quality and effective program delivery and learning. The Research and Learning Coordinator will also be responsible for monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning aspects of the program, including providing review of program implementation, assisting with collection of statistical data, and working with program staff to refine implementation approach based on findings.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Adaptive Management

• Guide and oversee the roll out of a learning agenda for the program; partner across units to ensure appropriate metrics of success and learning protocols are in place, including quantitative and qualitative monitoring tools and research.
• Work with the MEL Officer to translate findings into actionable insights that inform program adjustments and improvements and allow programmatic decision-making.
• Facilitate a culture of curiosity, learning and adaptive work planning and implementation with program teams.
• Support and ensure the integrating cross-program learning and new insights in strategy design and implementation.
• Ensure the quality of learning materials, methodologies, and delivery methods used in Strategic Learning meets the program's standards and objectives.
• Partner with the MEL Officer to ensure activities are aligned with the broader program goals and objectives, collaborating to establish MEL frameworks that support the program's success.

Technical Leadership and Implementation

• Ensure that the ICARR program uses the appropriate MEL systems and tools to inform and improve implementation and feed into the broader country-level MEL system and country strategy.
• Conduct internal DQAs to ensure data is collected with attention to accuracy and consistency.
• Lead the development of processes to support programs team in integrating cross-grants learning and ensure that lessons learned are used to inform adaptation of activities and future program design.
• Maintain program performance metrics in line with Mercy Corps and donor expectations to track and improve performance and quality.
• Regularly liaise with external stakeholders, including the donor to represent ICARR program performance and systems
• Establish mechanisms and tools to facilitate greater efficiency in between partners, program, M&E and information management.
• Contribute to program visibility and advocacy work by assisting in the dissemination of program data and learning and regularly reflecting program results.
• Communicate effectively across teams and partners to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.

Team Management 

• Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
• Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.

Supervisory Responsibility

The Research and Learning Coordinator will supervise a MEL Officer.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: ICARR Program Manager

Works Directly With: Country Director, Operations Director, Finance Director, Director of Programs, Program Managers, PAQ team, consortium partners, local implementing partners.

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in management, social science, statistics or other relevant field;
• At least 7 years of experience leading research, monitoring or learning interventions within international development programming
• High degree of experience in / familiarity with the ASAL areas of Kenya
• Extensive experience in and understanding Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, including MEL Tech tools and how to apply them effectively.
• Proven ability to drive learning agendas and a culture of adaptive management across program teams.
• Patient and committed to capacity building, training and coaching of a team with diverse skill sets.
• Demonstrable ability to produce high quality deliverables at speed and with minimal direction
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, and the capacity to work at a strategic level with senior leaders (both internal and external) is essential.
• Ability to multi-task and juggle several tasks and relationships at one time, with little to no direction
• Proven ability to work effectively in multicultural teams and with technical and administrative staff and consultants.
• Demonstrated proficiency with MS Office software (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) required
• Persuasive written and oral communication in English and Swahili required, competency in another relevant local language beneficial
• Ability to work in a hardship environment with moderate to high levels of insecurity and significant restrictions on personal movement.