World Vision Sudan seeks a Monitoring Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Lead for a USAID/Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance funded Humanitarian Assistance Project in Blue Nile, Republic of Sudan.

This project focuses on emergency interventions in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Health and Nutrition, and Multi-purpose Cash for the most vulnerable IDPs and host communities.

The Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Lead will provide technical expertise and leadership to generate and analyse quality evidence and data through monitoring, assessments, and evaluations. The M&E Lead is required to build and manage monitoring systems, lead mixed methods measurements such as baseline, PDM, DQA and evaluations and effectively promote evidence-based program management. The Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Lead will also provide technical expertise on learning agendas, partnership learning practices, and provide input to senior management for program adaptation based on key learnings.

S/he will also provide technical guidance and supervision of sub-grantees and/or sub-contractors on Monitoring and Evaluation related issues.

Temporary location for now is Nairobi, Kenya. The location will change later to field based.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

7%

• Refine and implement the project monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning strategy, and recommend any possible changes based on the lessons learned.

7%

• Set up operational arrangements for collecting, analysing, and reporting project data and for investing in capacity building, to sustain the MEAL function.

7%

• Coordinate with communities, service providers, local governments, partners, and donor representatives to reach an agreement on the MEAL system setup and ongoing reviews of the MEAL practices to ensure meaningful participation of stakeholders in improving the system.

5%

• Identify information requirements of components concerning planning, monitoring, and evaluation.

7%

• Develop and ensure that the established guidelines on project monitoring and evaluation for different project components are respected by project team in alignment with the agreements reached.
• Coordinate with World Vision staff and sub-grantees staff on meeting the monitoring and evaluation requirements.

5%

• During the life of the intervention, review the performance indicators and reports produced by different stakeholders and suggest necessary changes.

5%

• Monitor and report on the performance of the project and suggest measures to improve the monitoring system and responsible for developing and maintaining monitoring dashboards to support the management’s decision-making.

2%

• Set-up and ensure the project has an effective community complaints and feedback mechanism that informs ongoing programming and strengthens the overall humanitarian Accountability system.

3%

• Ensure timely and effective communication and information sharing between different stakeholders.

3%

• Serve as a liaison between the project team, partners, project participants and the donor representative to ensure harmonization, shared learning, collaboration and alignment of efforts in monitoring and evaluation.

5%

• At regional level assess training needs relevant to monitoring, evaluation and information management systems and provide, if required, training to local stakeholders.

7%

• Prepare TORs for special studies when necessary and participate in the recruitment of any potential consultant that will carry out the study. In collaboration with the Program Manager, review and approve proposed study designs and oversee the work during the studies to ensure protocols are followed to meet internal and external validity requirements of that given study.
• Review the final report of any study undertaken in the life of this intervention and ensure that the quality standards are met, and conclusions are accurate.

5%

• Facilitate processes according to which partners relevant government representatives and donor representatives are collaborating, reflecting on the M&E data, drawing lessons learned and making recommendations to project leaders for further improvements and adaptations in project implementation for higher efficiency and effectiveness.

7%

• Prepare quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports, and assist in the preparation of the annual work plans for both WV and partners.

3%

• Ensure that data audits are planned for and are performed on regular basis. Lessons learned are drawn and shared and course correction is undertaken to continuously improve and strengthen the M&E system and lead the development of the M&E portions of project proposals (e.g., M&E Plan, Theory of Change, Logframe, M&E Budget, Indicator Tracking Table, etc.), in collaboration with the Program Quality Technical and Business Management staff.

7%

• Supervise staff that report directly to this position. Conduct regular coaching and implement the Performance Development Management system and set up project data quality assurance mechanisms, and periodically participate/co-lead the project internal data quality assessments.

5%

• Work with the Strategic Coordination and Learning Adviser to ensure high quality, coordinated, and demand driven learning, knowledge management and capacity strengthening activities and provide periodic review of projects’ management reports and associated processes to identify challenges and lessons learned, and share them within and across the Sudan Teams

7%

• Conduct regular field visits to monitor implementation, to ensure compliance with operational procedures and assess progress as well as to deliver technical support to field staff, provide resources, and make clear recommendations on ways to strengthen the program and share learning across programs.

3%

• Perform other duties as required.

REQUIREMENTS

KNOWLEDGE/QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE ROLE:

• A master’s degree in a quantitative field (economics, agricultural/development economics, statistics, biostatistics; nutrition, applied sociology, anthropology, or other relevant subject) with significant training in quantitative methods plus eight years relevant experience, or a PhD in any of the stated field of study above, with at least six years relevant work experience are required.
• Previous experience with Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), Food for Peace Development Food Security Activities (DFSA)s, and/or Emergency Food Security Programs (EFSP)s is preferred.

Required Education, training, license, registration, and certification:

• Experience as a Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist required.
• Experience working with sub grantees and contracts under grants for complex projects.
• Fluency in English.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
• Professional licenses, as required in the field and by the donor.
• Strong management and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Mentoring and facilitation skills.
• Ability to network and communicate with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Experience working overseas in low-resource environments.
• Experience using M&E MIS systems and technology to track program outputs and indicators.
• Ability to use data analysis software such as SPSS, STATA, Epi Info, Kobo Collect etc.
• Other skills and knowledge required for this position can be found in the FSN Network M&E Manager Core Competencies.

Preferred Knowledge and Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience in leading the M&E of a large award (multi sectoral and multi stakeholder US Government funded project).
• Strong conceptual
• knowledge about Toc’s, logic model, multi-sector indicators (WASH, Health, Nutrition, MPCA and Food security), M&E plans, data quality assurance, data utilization, and gender integration into M&E.
• Demonstrated experience and expertise in developing and operationalizing a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan.
• Demonstrated expertise and experience in developing and operationalizing routine monitoring systems designed to track both output and outcome indicators.
• Demonstrated expertise in designing annual monitoring surveys including annual beneficiary-based sample surveys, probabilistic sampling strategy and estimating sample size, developing a proper sampling frame and establish appropriate weights, clean, process, store quantitative data.
• Demonstrated expertise in designing qualitative studies, in-depth knowledge about qualitative sampling, and experience in using interview and interactive tools to generate qualitative information and analysis.
• Demonstrated experience in developing data quality assurance strategies, data management, use of technology for getting just in time data and data visualization.
• Demonstrated expertise and experience in data utilization strategies and ability to think creatively about active data sharing techniques.
• Knowledge of and familiarity with international assistance program Monitoring and Evaluation requirements, preferably USAID Office, BHA or Food for Peace (FFP) policies.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work cross-culturally with diverse teams.
• Ability to work with host-country professionals, ministries and with donor colleagues in country.
• Ability to achieve results through partners.