Lebanon: Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Advisor, Lebanon

PROGRAM SUMMARY:

As a result of the Syrian civil war there is a major humanitarian crisis. Mercy Corps, along with national and international partners, is working to address urgent humanitarian needs wherever they arise. This response, the largest in Mercy Corps' global portfolio, is currently comprised of refugee/host response operations in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey in addition to a response to the needs of displaced and conflict-affected populations inside Syria with relief distributions, WASH and livelihoods programming to 750,000 vulnerable Syrians.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

This position has responsibility for leading Mercy Corps' monitoring, evaluation and learning strategies for its work in Syria, primarily working with the Syria team. Working collaboratively with key program and partner stakeholders, s/he will have responsibility for implementing strategies to enhance partner accountability and M&E processes. More than just measuring results, the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Advisor will support the Project Development and Program to review the intervention logic of proposed partner projects, ensure the formulation of measurable and manageable M&E strategies, as well as support broader partner capacity building strategies. The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Advisor will additionally lead efforts to strengthen Mercy Corps' learning and results management at the aggregated program level through development and management of a cloud-based results management system. While the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Advisor will primarily be focused on the Syria program, it is expected that s/he will additionally support the monitoring and evaluation strategies of other Mercy Corps programs based regionally.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Support to partner project and M&E design and implementation

• Support the Syria Project Development and Program teams to ensure quality of partner project design and use of standard indicators, drawing on Mercy Corps' indicator library where appropriate.
• Provide technical support to partner M&E staff on design of specific data collection tools (such as surveys, questionnaires) and appropriate sampling strategies.
• Assist partners to focus their M&E efforts on collection of information that improves their understanding of project performance, while meeting Mercy Corps' reporting requirements.
• Work with partners to develop appropriate beneficiary accountability mechanisms such as feedback questionnaires and focal points.
• Provide support to program team to improve partner reporting procedures, potentially including the development of web-based progress update forms.

Technical oversight of remote project monitoring system

• In collaboration with the Information Management team, leads the set-up and implementation of a holistic remote M&E system that uses open source software and flexible cloud solutions to more accurately collect, monitor, verify and document partner activities.
• Provide technical training and mentoring of Field Monitors tasked with monitoring partner activities in the field.
• Develop data collection tools for Field Monitors, including mobile-based tools.
• Work with the Information Management team to analyse information supplied by Field Monitors and develop feedback loops to ensure this information is available to Program team, and partners where appropriate.

Program-level results measurement

• Drawing on support from remote database technical advisors, support the design of a cloud-base database system to enable analysis of Mercy Corps impact at the program level.
• Update and manage indicators in order to ensure the program level database is up to date.
• Support program teams to ensure indicators are linked to appropriate evidence within the cloud-based system.

Regional M&E support and capacity building

• Enhance coordination between the different Mercy Corps programs by supporting regional M&E teams to review, revise and implement M&E strategies.

Team capacity building

• Develops and oversees implementation of the M&E staff and partner capacity building strategy that promotes a culture of learning through systematic analysis and reflection of program data.
• Provides training and mentoring in the development of M&E plans, M&E tools as well as survey design, methodology, data collection and analysis and other ICT skills as required for assessing the impact of programs.
• Enhance coordination between the different Mercy Corps programs by supporting regional M&E teams to review, revise and implement M&E strategies.

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 towards 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.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: Potential management of M&E team members

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: South and Central Syria Director

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: South and Central Syria Director, Program Manager, Program Coordinators, Regional MEL Advisor,

Other Syria staff as required

SUCCESS FACTORS:

The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Advisor will be a self-starter with the capacity to work both independently and as a part of a team. S/he will show flexibility, and a willingness to test, adapt, and improve. S/he will be an innovator and enthusiast, with the ability to come up with new ideas and go the extra mile to make them become reality. This person will demonstrate contextual knowledge working in developing countries, ideally in the Middle East, and will use diplomacy skills in managing a team with different backgrounds, abilities, and technical knowledge. S/he will be able to leverage her/ his own experience and M&E expertise to tailor solutions that are appropriate for the context.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• Degree in social sciences, development, international relations, statistics or related field.
• 3-5 years of M&E experience in complex international relief and development programs. ideally in remote management and/ or insecure environments.
• Demonstrated experience with designing projects and indicators as part of successful project start up and ensure they are kept relevant throughout the project life.
• Experience developing and using Management Information Systems (MIS), including program technology, mobile-based monitoring systems and dashboards.
• Experience with data management including the ability to structure and collate data sets for ease of analysis.
• Demonstrated understanding of intermediate statistics and ability to summarize and make predictions from multiple data sets.
• Commitment to training and building capacity in M&E and ICT processes required.
• Ability to managing quantitative data while not losing sight of the bigger picture and meaning.
• Experience working with local civil society organizations to strengthen their own M&E systems. and processes strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of Arabic (preferable).
• Experience of Syria context (preferable).

LIVING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

This position is based in Beirut, Lebanon, a pleasant and cosmopolitan city on the Mediterranean, with frequent travel throughout the Middle East. The security situation is uncertain in Lebanon, with a possibility for rapid deterioration, particularly dependent on the Syrian conflict. Though currently secure in Beirut, all security guidelines and protocols must be closely followed at all times.

Mercy Corps' team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps' policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Please follow this link to apply: http://www.aplitrak.com/?adid=bWJhcnRvbG9uaS42MzQ4NC4zODMwQG1lcmN5Y29ycHMuYXBsaXRyYWsuY29t