Location: Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
Deadline: Nov 24, 2023
Job Description
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.
Program / Department Summary
Mercy Corps has been present in Ethiopia since 2004 working to drive bold and transformative ideas, working closely with government, the private sector and civil society actors to build a more resilient country, ensuring that programs are responsive to and influenced by participants and stakeholders. Our vision is to enhance the resilience of climate and conflict-affected communities through market systems development for improved livelihoods, access to food, and safe and clean water to thrive in the face of crises. Our strategy focuses on the four outcome areas of: 1) Economically marginalized populations have improved and diversified livelihoods, income, and assets; 2) Pastoralists, farmers, and households have access to sustainably produced, safe, nutritious food; 3) Social cohesion and inclusive governance processes are built in crisis-affected communities; and 4) People have equitable, sustained access to clean water and sanitation for domestic and productive use. Currently we operate in the regional states of Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Sidama, Southern Ethiopia, Tigray and Addis Ababa city administration working with a diverse base of donors that includes United States Agency for International Development (USAID), European Union, GAC, Hilton Foundation, United Nations (UN), JOA, Sweden, EKN, and other foundations.
The USAID-funded Highland Resilience Activity (HRA) will contribute to the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) 5’s “Big Push” initiative and has the overarching goal of strengthening resilience among vulnerable households in Ethiopia’s Highlands, resulting in 120,000 PSNP households reaching the graduation threshold. HRA will support these households in moving above the graduation threshold and to where they no longer require social safety net programming for household food security and have the capabilities and assets to withstand regular and predictable shocks. The Activity will achieve this goal by directly supporting households in increasing their on-farm, off-farm, and employment incomes while facilitating improvements in the market systems required to increase demand for goods and services in PSNP communities. HRA is a five-year program that started during October 2023.
General Position Summary
Mercy Corps is seeking candidates for a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist who will support MEL Activities of The Highlands Resilience Activity (HRA) program in Hawassa area. This will require close cooperation with HRA and other technical field level staff, HRA MEL/CLA team at field level and in Addis Ababa, as well as partners and stakeholders.
They will work closely with the HRA MEL/CLA director, MEL manager and with the respective regional coordination team to coordinate the collection, compilation, consolidation, and analysis of data. They will lead the HRA MEL system for indicators tracking & reporting, including evidence gathering, reflective practice, lessons learned generation, success stories documentation, and dissemination; and the implementation of community and accountability mechanisms with HRA, stakeholders and beneficiaries.
The position holder will receive technical direction from the HRA MEL Manager; supervises MC MEL Officers in the respective region and provides guidance and training to local partner MEL Officers. Reports to the regional Program Coordinator who will be based in Addis.
Essential Job Responsibilities
- MEL Strategy Implementation and Review-working closely with the HRA MEL/CLA team in Addis Ababa, the candidate will lead the implementation of the HRA MEL strategy in Hawassa area, ensuring all partners and their staff understand the strategy and its work plan. He/she will also ensure that the MEL strategy and MEL activities are monitored and reviewed periodically to make changes based on regular staff, partners and stakeholders’ reflections and lessons learned. He/she works with the CLA manager to make sure that cross learning and coordination takes place among technical teams in the field. He/she will lead effective utilization of the country level and program level databases including TolaData for indicator tracking and reporting.
- Oversight of M&E Plan Implementation– working closely with the HRA MEL Officers in Hawassa, MEL and CLA Manager and the rest of the MEL/CLA team (Addis Ababa and field), the MEL Specialist will lead the implementation of the M&E plan at field level, supervising the work of the MEL Officers in Hawassa in the collection, compilation and consolidation and analysis of data in the cluster. The MEL Specialist works closely with the HRA MEL Officers in Hawassa to ensure data is timely and accurate from partners, following up and doing data audits when necessary. With the MEL Officers in Hawassa , the MEL Specialist monitors other programmatic compliance at field level through document audits using a variety of methods and assists partners in performing random spot checks and assessments as planned.
Information management, dissemination, and feedback
- In coordination with technical teams and HRA MEL officers and specialist, put together monthly updates from the region and other reports as required, especially summarizing monthly lessons learned and disseminating these with partners
- Provides weekly updates for HRA MEL manager in Addis Ababa to share with partners and stakeholders.
- Assists technical teams in developing, implementing and analyzing sub-activity evaluations and to alert technical teams of results provided by the online information system.
- Organizes feedback sessions and other platforms at regional level with partners, beneficiaries and stakeholders (private and public sectors), with the Addis level MEL/CLA team
- Collects and documents case studies, success stories and shares with internal and external audiences.
- Ensures regular and timely reporting from project staff and implementing partners by monitoring receipts of monthly, quarterly and annual activity progress reports and following up with the project staff and implementing partners on non-reporting
- Conducts quality control tests on all incoming data.
Technical Leadership and Support to Sub-Grantees
- Works closely with the MEL/CLA director, MEL Manager, Communication team and to ensure branding and marking policies are followed correctly in the field.
- Working with the HRA regional Coordinator, MEL Officers and the Communication team, provides assistance to partners in developing success stories.
- Organizes, with the MLE/CLA director and MEL Manager, quarterly M&E workshops based on the needs and gaps observed.
Staff Training and Capacity Building-Builds the capacity of all relevant team members to develop, review, and maintain an excellent M&E system, including regular reflection and analysis of program monitoring data and production of evidence-based recommendations and reports on a timely basis. He/she provides ongoing capacity building for incoming staff on M&E and assists program team and technical learning. He/she organizes other capacity building activities with the MEL/CLA director and the MEL Manager in Addis Ababa.
Evaluation and Assessments – Play a central role in supporting the baseline, mid-term and final evaluations and work with partners in the design, field-testing, data collection and analysis of any additional evaluation initiatives that may be required at program level.
Other duties as assigned by the Regional Coordinator and MEL/CLA director and MEL manager in Addis Ababa.
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 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.
Supervisory Responsibility
The position holder will supervise region-based MC MEL Officers and provide guidance and training to local partner MEL Officers.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Program Coordinator (Head of Office).
Works Directly With: MEL/CLA director, MEL manager, Regional program team and local partner staff.
Knowledge and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, statistics, monitoring and evaluation, international development, communications, or related field is required or demonstrated equivalent work experience in the field.
- Three to five years relevant field management experience, especially in the areas of monitoring and evaluation and learning and knowledge management;
- Strong management skills, with good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issues.
- Previous experience working on USAID funded programs strongly preferred
- Demonstrated experience and ability to professionally and appropriately represent the organization and negotiate with a diverse range of government officials, local organizations, donors and other groups for outcomes in the best interest of program implementation
- Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational, and prioritization skills are necessary
- Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members is required
- Strong written and oral communication skills in English, including report development, writing and editing.
- Strong communication with local languages.
Success Factors
- Conscientious, with excellent judgment
- Display an entrepreneurial spirit that is both creative and flexible. We are looking for a motivated individual, who is eager to learn and share knowledge and who can balance working independently and in a team environment.
- Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential.
- Must have the confidence, and humility, to work effectively with a large variety of people who will be diverse culturally, economically and in social status
- Must be sensitive to political and cultural nuance and able to consistently apply excellent judgment to a variety of demanding and fast-changing situations
- Ability to foster solid working relationships with USAID, host Government, beneficiary communities, and partner organizations
- Ability to work as part of a team and coordinate with project personnel.
- Strong organizational skills.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in DireDawa, Ethiopia and it requires travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
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 and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. 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.
How to Apply
All qualified individuals are invited to apply for the advertised position. All applications, including a CV, three references, and all applicable official papers, must be sent electronically.
Applicants Must fill out their Information through the: LINK.
Only candidates that are short-listed will be acknowledged and called for interviews.
“Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer promoting gender, equity and diversity. Qualified female and young candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We are committed to empower women and youth.”