Position: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Advisor
Reports to: Sr. Evaluation Manager
Job Grade/Ranking: SIE-07 or equivalent
Project: USAID/Ethiopia Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Service (EPMES) Activity
Duration: Full time (April 1, 2019 – April 3, 2010)
Who we are:
Social Impact (SI) is an international development management consulting firm based in the United States, Washington DC . SI’s mission is to improve the effectiveness of international development programs in improving people’s lives. We provide a full range of management consulting, technical assistance, and training services to strengthen international development programs, organizations, and policies. We provide services globally in the areas of monitoring and evaluation, strategic planning, project and program design, organizational capacity building, and gender and social analysis. SI services cross-cut all development sectors including democracy and governance, health, education, the environment, and economic growth. SI’s clients include US government agencies such as USAID, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the US Department of State, bilateral donors, multilateral development banks, foundations, and non-profits.
Position Description:
This is a cross-cutting position that will work across EPMES activity objectives, primarily, building capacity and increasing utilization of performance monitoring guidelines, tools and data. The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Advisor will lead EPMES tasks related to providing support to USAID/Ethiopia with Data Quality Assessments (DQAs), technical assistance to USAID/Ethiopia Implementing Partners (IPs) in MEL capacity building, preparing EPMES work plan progress reports and managing the implementation of EPMES MEL Plan. S/he will lead the development of tailored MEL capacity building training and conducting training for both the USAID/Ethiopia Staff and IPs. The MEL Advisor will also support EPMES evaluation, GIS and Collaboration, Learning and CLA tasks.
Major responsibilities
I. Performance Monitoring and Capacity Building
• Tracking and updating the Evaluation Utilization Tracker
• Tracking and updating Performance Indicators (PITTs)
• Oversee the implementation of the EPMES MEL Plan, including annual review and improvement action plans
• Leading Development Information Solution, DQA and performance monitoring requirements training of USAID and IPs staff per the request from the Mission
• Leading direct mentoring and coaching of IPs on MEL
• Leading and facilitating internal MEL plan revisions and workplan preparations
• Compiling performance data and lessons learned
• Conducting performance analysis as part of evaluations and desk reviews
• Maintaining and updating Social Impact Program Management Unit (PMU) Activities Tracker
• Assist EPMES in the development of USAID/Ethiopia’s Performance Management Plan (PMP)
• Tracking and synthesizing USAID/Ethiopia’s PMP indicators data.
• Collecting secondary national level performance data in collaboration with evaluation team
• Supporting synthesis/analysis of evaluations/assessments/studies and findings
• Assist in EPMES report preparation including weekly updates, quarterly and annual reports, and assembling information from technical teams
• Conduct post-training follow-up surveys and/or assessments with MEL training participants to track/strengthen sustained utilization and application by IPs
• Support in tracking internal EPMES MEL plan and compliance requirements
II. Collaborating Learning and Adapting support
· Support the implementation of the USAID knowledge management system (KM) by identifying and uploading MEL resources, tools, and results into the KM system
Position requirements:
· Master’s degree in Statistics, Social Sciences, Economics or other related field
· At least 6 years of relevant experience in performance monitoring or related with international NGOs and development firms
· Familiarity with USAID project cycle, policies, regulations, and monitoring and evaluation methodologies and reporting requirements
· Proven experience and ability to effectively manage a varied work load, meeting tight deadlines and schedules
· Good interpersonal communication and good team player
· Excellent computer and software skills in SPSS, STATA, Survey Monkey, MS-Access, Microsoft office applications, are required
· Experience supporting activities related to MEL and CLA
· Communication and report writing skills (including PowerPoint presentations)
· Experience developing training and communication materials (branding and formatting)
· Knowledge of research, monitoring, and evaluation (including work plan development)