General Position Summary

The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Manager is a vital role within Sauti and is responsible for cross-cutting programmatic information management, monitoring and evaluation, ensuring that information collected is reflected upon, used to improve ongoing programs, and is incorporated into consistently high-quality reports and program adaptations.

The MEL Manager supports the program team in planning and execution of all monitoring and evaluation activities, ensuring quality in accordance with accepted standards, providing essential feedback for learning, accountability and decision making. The MEL Manager ensures that the program has a robust system in place to measure program results, has a rigorous monitoring system that is regularly collecting performance data, that implementing partners have the skills to collect and report relevant data, and that monitoring and evaluation data is being used to inform programmatic decision-making.

The MEL Manager works closely with the program’s research and learning partner to ensure that key research findings and learnings are effectively integrated and used for program improvement.

Essential Responsibilities

STRATEGIC INPUTS AND OVERSIGHT

• Facilitate implementation of MEL activities as outlined in Sauti’s MEL Plan and collaborate closely with internal and external partners and stakeholders to ensure operational success
• Ensure the program’s MEL system complies with relevant Mercy Corps and USAID policies, regulations, and guidelines.
• Continuously review, adapt, and maintain a MEL system focused on utility and program quality, so as to provide the program team and implementing partners with real-time information that can steer program implementation, inform donors, direct strategic program decisions, and help strategize future interventions.
• Collaborate with senior management to address MEL shortfalls that impact on program implementation and conduct internal Data Quality Assessments (DQAs).

RESULTS-BASED MONITORING, EVIDENCING & REPORTING

• Plan and lead all MEL activities including evaluations and assessments, and maintain standards for data collection in collaboration with implementing partners
• Supervise all implementing partners and evaluation teams involved in data collection activities, while ensuring compliance with high standards for data collection through regular reviews and feedback on their methodologies and practices.
• Lead the collection, management, and analysis of all qualitative and quantitative data to assess the program’s impact as per the program’s indicator plan
• Responsible for overall data quality control, including conducting data verification and other quality assurance activities to ensure high-quality data is reported that is a true reflection of the program’s activities and results.
• Conduct regular site visits program sites to better understand activities, information needs, and program impact.
• Assist the program implementation team in timely and accurate reporting to donors; take on overall responsibility for providing data and analysis of results achieved for project reporting, including weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual, final, and ad-hoc reports in close coordination with the program’s Senior Program Manager.
• Provide hands-on training to field staff and implementing partners on capturing and organizing information to ensure accurate documentation and reporting.

LEARNING

• Contribute to the development and implementation of knowledge management to stimulate use of evidence for ongoing learning, strategic adaptive management, and high-impact programming.
• Ensure that lessons learned throughout the project are captured and communicated to internal and external stakeholders through appropriate channels.
• Critically analyze data and contribute to the collection and development of case studies or success stories shareable with internal and external audiences in close collaboration with the program team.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

• In collaboration with relevant IT support, serve as the technical advisor for data management systems and real-time data flow, utilizing appropriate software platforms for data processing, manipulation, and visualization to enhance data utilization.
• Train implementing partners in use of IT for MEL and support these teams in setting up appropriate summary statistics and linking them to tracking dashboards.
• Assist in developing and optimizing workflows for Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) processes to ensure efficient data collection, analysis, and reporting, while facilitating clear communication and collaboration among team members.

CAPACITY BUILDING

• Lead and nurture a MEL team to maintain and utilize a system that improves the program’s ability to analyze and represent impact to donors, government, colleague agencies, and communities themselves.
• Build the capacity of all relevant team members to develop and maintain a robust MEL system through targeted training and coaching
• Provide team members with MEL related information, tools, and resources to enhance performance and achieve objectives, including training of program team members and implementing partners on their specific MEL responsibilities.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

• Promote accountability, communicate Mercy Corps and USAID’s expectations relating to MEL and provide constructive feedback both informally and formally via regular one-on-ones and performance reviews.
• Support the Chief-of-Party and Senior Program Manager in creating and sustaining a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Hire, orient, and lead MEL team members as needed to ensure a skilled and effective MEL team.

SAFEGUARDING

• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options

Supervisory Responsibility

• MEL Officer

Accountability

Reports Directly to: Sauti Chief of Party

Works Directly with: Sauti Senior Program Manager, Director of Programs, TRaQ Department, Partner Staff, Technical Advisors

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• BA/S or equivalent, preferable in social work, MEL, business administration, public administration or international development. MA/S in similar relevant fields preferred.
• At least 7 years’ experience in the areas of program development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, including relevant experience building and managing an MEL system, designing and implementing MEL tools, and managing MEL teams, relevant experience supervising data collection and data validation exercises, and building staff capacity.
• Demonstrated experience in experimental design of evaluations; ability to utilize statistical software for both quantitative and qualitative data analysis; experience with quantitative and qualitative research methods, fielding surveys and leading primary data collection exercises is critical
• High degree of computer literacy. In addition to Microsoft Excel, the candidate should demonstrate fluency in use of at least one data statistical analysis software such as, SPSS, STATA, R, etc. and data collection software such as Comcare.
• Excellent Communication and organizational skills; ability to manage and meet deadlines
• Internationally recognized qualification in project or program management or a commitment to obtain the qualification in the early months of work.
• Fluency in written and oral English; Must be able to read and interpret documents, prepare clear and concise reports and communicate with others as necessary to perform job duties effectively
• Strong research, analytical, interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies.
• Excellent creative and conceptual skills.
• Track record of strong commitment to sharing knowledge, documenting experiences, supporting creative initiatives and working as a team.