Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer (MEL Officer) at The Accountability Lab Nigeria

Duration:  Three-month trial period as part of a one-year contract with the possibility for renewal
Reports to: Accountability Lab’s Country Director

Position Description

• The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer (MEL Officer) will be a key, senior member of the Accountability Lab Nigeria team, ensuring that the Lab collects and uses all of the data and information it needs to grow and improve.
• S/he will first and foremost lead the Lab’s efforts to collect data and ensure rigorous adherence to agreed project impacts and outcomes to ensure robust reporting.
• The MEL Officer will also design feedback mechanisms for relevant stakeholders, work to adapt the Lab’s approaches based on the information collected and support the Lab as a learning organization.
• The MEL Officer will be the key point of contact for the Lab with donor and partners on issues of impact reporting, data and learning; and will report to the Lab’s Country Director in Abuja who is the office’s most senior manager and externally-focused representative, responsible for business development, outreach, and relationship management. Women, those from minority groups and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities
Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Design, implement and oversee operational arrangements for data collection, analysis, and reporting on the Lab’s work;
• Identify metrics and goals for success and work with the team to design or modify monitoring and evaluation instruments that are both quantitative and qualitative to asses these metrics of success;
• Work in close collaboration with internal counterparts and external partners to strengthen the data quality, accuracy and consistency to build credible performance evidence.
• Explore opportunities for use of technology in M&E (e.g. mobile data collection or feedback systems) in the Labs M&E efforts;
• Support to project and communication teams to enable effective use of findings in the formulation of policy, training or communication materials.
• Encourage evidence-based decision-making within the Lab and among its partners.
• Review and give technical feedback on monitoring and evaluation plans for new programmes and budget revisions to ensure that plans are risk-based and focus on measuring results (e.g. checking monitoring and evaluation budgets are allocated and appropriate log-frame indicators and outcome targets are documented).

Learning:

• Follow-up on monitoring and evaluation findings to ensure that corrective actions are taken and/or adjustments are made to program responses;
• Support the Lab’s internal learning and evaluation processes including annual impact and learning reporting and ongoing iterative data collection processes;
• Explore and pilot alternative MEL approaches, tools and techniques such as social network analysis and complexity aware monitoring approaches;
• Support the development of a learning community in Nigeria through organizing and hosting events, workshops and other network-building efforts.

Reporting:

• Develop log frames and impact measurement tools for all projects and ensure data is collected against agreed upon goals on an ongoing basis;
• Produce monitoring and evaluation progress reports with status of results and implementation of improvements
• Direct timely MEL compliance reporting for all grants, ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and high quality of all data;
• Liaise directly with the Accountability Lab Nigeria’s Country Director and Nigerian Board of Directors on all matters relevant to MEL.

Qualifications

• BA degree in Public Administration, Management, Business, or related social science field and 5+ years of experience in relevant roles. An advanced degree in MEL or other relevant graduate degree is highly desirable, as is work experience elsewhere in the world.
• Experience managing programs and teams for non-profit organization in Sub-Saharan Africa in compliance with international standards;
• Experience working with/within donor organizations including close familiarity with monitoring and evaluation systems, frameworks, matrices and data collection tools;
• Experience conducting MEL trainings and mentoring professionals;
• Demonstrated competency using Microsoft Office and other relevant computer programs;
• A pro-active leader, communicator and team player;
• Adaptable, resourceful, self-motivated and able to prioritize in a fast-moving environment;
• Highly organized and meticulous attention to detail;
• Ability to problem-solve both big picture and day-to-day issues;
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, and the ability to communicate with clarity and professionalism to all relevant stakeholders (staff, board, donors);
• Commitment to the Accountability Lab’s values of integrity, innovation, humility, practicality, and collaboration.

Success Factors

• Above all, this position requires a superb understanding of adaptive monitoring, evaluation and learning techniques. It requires excellent management skills, attention to detail, inter-personal and organizational skills.
• Accountability Lab Nigeria has the potential to grow very quickly and the successful candidate will need to have the energy, vision and knowledge of the MEL field to help us collect the information and data we need and to use this to improve what we do.
• The successful candidate will also need to be able to work within a dynamic and culturally diverse team, embodying the organization’s commitment to accountability, transparency and equity. We seek a demonstrated record of assuming significant professional responsibility and delivering on MEL goals with integrity and humility.

Compensation
We are a small organization with a limited budget, but we are committed to paying a competitive rate commensurate with skills and experience. Additional benefits include: health insurance and a travel and communications stipend.