Senior Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Senior officer NWS

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.
In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions
into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Now, and for the future.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war over five years ago, Mercy Corps has worked to address the urgent needs of over 4 million people both inside Syria and in neighboring countries. North West Syria for more than three years operating focusing on lifesaving and basic needs. The program implemented direct and with local and regional implementing partners (IPs) and managed remotely from Amman, Jordan.

General Position Summary

Under the supervision of the Performance and Quality (PaQ) Manager, MEL senior officer will work with the PaQ Unit as part of a team to operationalize and improve MEL systems in NWS for direct implementation. The Senior MEL officer is expected to manage remotely the M&E team and ensure the overall field implementation is planned and timely organized. This role requires building the capacity of the team members, and will consistently ensure that MEL systems and tools implemented across the teams for direct programming. S/he will support on MEL related grants reporting by preparing well-structured comprehensive and analytical reports, including the evaluations and assessment reports/designs. The M&E senior officer will also supervise Field Monitoring and Evaluation Officer(s) serving as a link between the planning to field implementation of the MEL activities, which are closely coordinated with the program teams. The selected candidate will support that the analyses (mainly quantitative, but qualitative as well) are performed by the MEL officer as part of his/her role. These analyses expected to inform the programs department about current indicators’ status as well as any factor that may be contributing or hindering the achievement of impact indicators.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

Support to Direct project MEL System

• Design M&E tools, surveys, and evaluations in Arabic and English.
• Develop methodologies, calculate sample size, design the mobile data collection forms for monitoring of the projects.
• Conduct data entry, validation, update, modification, import, export, and query,
• Perform needed data analysis, filtering and measure extract figures as requested to fulfil reporting requirements for the donor and internal indicators. Review or edit data in reports as requested and required. Report as well as provide the necessary feedback to the field staff or programme as needed.
• Identify strengths and weaknesses in existing data collection and management systems and propose solutions along with the PaQ Manager.
• Ensure field teams always have the most recent version of all M&E tools and documents.
• Manage ONA platforms / PowerBI dashboards or other used systems, adding/delete users as well as provide permissions to users after approval from PaQ manger. Prepare XLS forms for ONA as needed.
• Track the implementation of MEL activities, including baselines, end lines, post-distribution surveys, regular monitoring, data collection and analysis, feedback and reporting according to the MEL work plan as specified in MEL plans
• Assist in maintaining electronic (soft copies into CDs when data collected through smartphones) and non-electronic (hard copies) records and carry out regular backups;
• Support MEL Coordinator in managing field staff and their day to day responsibilities.

Capacity development of team and IP(s)

• Train field staff qualitative and quantitative data collection tools, and other processes as required.
• Support M&E field officers on conducting trainings for M&E field assistants.
• Follow up on trainings by mentoring MEL/programme to develop identified technical skills.
• Assist the programme team in improving MEL initiative by identifying good practices, field tested lessons learned, and creative recommendations; share with and encourage staff to incorporate these in their daily work

Community Accountability and Response Mechanism

• Integrate accountability into MEL systems and tools that are compliant with Mercy Corps Syria CARM Manual and Donors’ requirements.
• Understand and apply Do No Harm standards to ensure activities do not have detrimental effects on vulnerable communities.
• Work together with the CARM Senior Officer to ensure that the field has a functioning CARM system and is dealing with complaints and feedback received.

Program-level results measurement and reporting

●Perform thorough analyses (mainly quantitative, but qualitative as well). These analyses expected to inform the programmes department about current indicators’ status as well as any factor that may be contributing or hindering the achievement of indicators.

●Ensure that Success Stories are collected, finalized and shared with programs. When it is requested

●Act as a link between MEL system processes/results and reporting, feeding information to online systems to help ensure accurate information is incorporated into all reports and information products, between the field and Amman office.

●Support in upload new projects and report indicators results on timely manner on TOLA.

●Lead annual participants counting validation process.

Representation and Coordination

• Participate in and support internal office coordination and planning meetings and workshops, including with MEL team in Mercy Corps’ other Syria Response Offices, as required.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission or put the team, assets and mission at risk.
• Assist in any other task or duty assigned by the supervisor.

Program Management

• Produce analytical summaries from the monitoring tools: graphs, charts, tables, narratives and appealing visuals, as requested, to fulfill internal and external reporting requirements.
• Promote and ensure use of data for decision-making processes through facilitating data reflection meetings and integrate monitoring and evaluation into ongoing project planning and implementation, in line with Mercy Corps MEL minimum standards.
• Fulfill Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.
• Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
  to our beneficiaries 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.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Accountability

• Reports Directly To: PaQ NWS Manager
• SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: None
• Works Directly With: NWS PaQ director, PaQ NWS team, Program managers, Program team, IM team.

Knowledge and Experience

Required

• BA/S degree in research methods, social sciences, economics, epidemiology, related education sector or other relevant field required.
• Minimum three (3) years’ experience in planning, monitoring and evaluation of projects/programs.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in working with quantitative and qualitative data (survey designs, sampling, data analysis).
• Proven experience in mobile data collection, data management and data visualization
• Proven report/research writing skills are required (an evidence of previous writing samples might be requested).
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate closely with a broad range of stakeholders in different geographic locations, experience with remote management or monitoring a plus;
• Ability to manage quantitative data while not losing sight of the bigger picture and meaning;
• Active knowledge of humanitarian standards and codes, including SPHERE, HAP is an asset;
• Familiarity with the MS Office software (i.e. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) is required;
• Arabic and English language written and spoken is essential.

Desirable

• Knowledge of the Syrian conflict context a plus; and
• Proven experience remote management and in remote data collection and data management.
• Proven experience in managing and/or supporting field team.

Success Factors

In addition to a strong technical background in Monitoring and Evaluation, the ability to multi-task, innovate, and effectively communicate key information in support of changing program activities is necessary. Attention to detail and patience to work through data results. A willingness to take initiative, creatively solve problems, juggle multiple priorities under pressure, and to calmly and diplomatically deal with unexpected and sudden events impacting program operations is also essential. An interest in and commitment to growing and enhancing impactful programming and supporting a team is essential. Sensitivity to multi-cultural humanitarian and development work and ability to train and facilitate dialogue among a diverse group of individuals with various skill sets and working styles are all critical.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

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