Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Assistant at Mercy Corps

Location: Potiskum, Yobe, Nigeria - with 50% travel
Position Status Full-time, Exempt or Non-exempt, Regular
Supervisory Responsibility: None
Reports Directly to: Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Officer

Program / Department Summary

• Mercy Corps has been present in Nigeria since 2012, focusing its interventions on humanitarian assistance, economic development, and conflict mitigation.
• With the ongoing insurgency in Northeast Nigeria causing the displacement of millions of individuals, Mercy Corps started its humanitarian response in 2014 to address the rising humanitarian needs.
• As the crisis has persisted, Mercy Corps’ strategy has also expanded to address the root causes of the conflict and seek to build the long term resilience of communities with integrated programs focusing on governance, the recovery of markets and livelihoods, social cohesion and social protection, youth empowerment, and local conflict management.

General Position Summary

• The Monitoring and Evaluation Assistant will work with the Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Officer as part of a team to operationalize specific program systems.
• The M&E Assistant is responsible for supporting Mercy Corps staff and partners to regularly, collect, enter, verify and analyze data and make timely database adjustments to measure the impact of the program.
• The M&E Assistant will work directly with the Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Officer and will closely coordinate with other program staff to help ensure monitoring and evaluation data is accurately incorporated into all reports and information products.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Understand and maintain an M&E system database that improves Mercy Corps’ ability to inform program implementation, analyze data and represent impact to donors, government, partner organisations and communities.
• Ensure all relevant programme staff are able to utilize the database to analyse program information and results.
• Regularly review data entered into the M&E system to locate and fix problems with data entry or integrity.
• Manage regular synchronisations and backups of field data to cloud-based data management system.
• Troubleshoot front and back end issues with the database, including any synchronisation issues of field-level data.
• Work as part of a team to facilitate and support M&E operations including baseline, annual and end line surveys, regular monitoring, data collection, analysis and reporting according to the M&E work plan.
• Generate data (tables/graphs/reports) from the M&E database at regular intervals, ensuring reports/information are available for programme implementation staff when required. Facilitate data analysis with programme implementation team as requested.
• Conduct regular field visits to ensure all elements of the M&E system and database are better to utilize effectively by all stakeholders, assessing and identifying breakdowns and areas that require clarifications and improvements.
• Ensure field teams always have the most recent version of all M&E tools and documents.
• Assist the team in improving the PROGRAM’s M&E systems by identifying good practices, field-tested lessons learned and creative recommendations; share with and encourage staff to incorporate these in their daily work.
• Work closely with the Senior M&E Officer to develop and deliver staff/partner training, improving capacities in monitoring, evaluation and database management.
• Review or edit data in reports as requested and required.
• Other duties as assigned.

Security:

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
• Work closely with Mercy Corps Nigeria country team’s security focal point to develop and maintain systems that ensure the safety and security of the team in all aspects of its implementation process.

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.

Knowledge and Experience

• Three or more years of experience working in the NGO sector in M&E, ideally in conflict management, peacebuilding, community development or economic and market development.
• A university Degree in Social Sciences or a related field is required.
• Prior experience carrying out surveys or conducting qualitative and quantitative data collection.
• Prior experience with computerized data management systems.
• Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel and Access.
• Strong analytical skills coupled with a solid understanding of quantitative indicators and data collection strategies.
• Excellent oral and written English skills.

Success Factors:

• The ability to interact effectively with international and national personnel is required. A demonstrated ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities is necessary. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours. 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.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions:

• The position is base in Potiskum, Yobe State and it requires up to 50 % travel to field offices in and around Potiskum.