Monitoring Evaluation & Learning Officer at Mercy Corps

Program/Department Summary

• The Educating Nigerian Girls in New Enterprises (ENGINE) Programme is an initiative to improve learning outcomes and the economic status of marginalized adolescent girls aged 16-19 in the Northern Nigerian states of Kano and Kaduna, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the metropolis of Lagos, Nigeria.
• ENGINE through funding from the UK Department for International Development’s Girls Education Challenge, the Coca-Cola Company and other stakeholders supported over 18,000 marginalized girls to reduce education and financial barriers in its first implementation phase.
• In its second phase, ENGINE 2 will facilitate transition of these girls into functional literacy, numeracy and scale up their business opportunities and linkages.
• ENGINE 2 will further increase girls’ and young women’s access to:
  • Financial education and life skills;
  • Peer to peer networks and mentoring; and
  • Direct assets (materials and savings). Beneficiaries will be integrated into value chains as well as conduct other market-driven employment opportunities.
• ENGINE 2 will also work with girls in formal and informal education to increase their learning opportunities and outcomes to prepare them for future economic activities and work in the policy environment to provide an enabling environment for girls to flourish in their chosen pathways.

General Position Summary

• The Senior Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Officer will coordinate and collaborate closely with the Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Advisor on all aspects of monitoring, evaluation, learning, research, and information management.
• S/he will plan and implement activities that ensure adherence to Mercy Corps’ and DFID standards, including the use of standardized indicators and documentation methodologies.
• Throughout the life of the program, s/he will be responsible for:
  • Cross-cutting programmatic information management within the framework of the program;
  • Monitoring and evaluation;
  • Ensuring that information is shared and used for continuous improvement of ongoing programs, and
  • Is incorporated into reports.
• S/he will have responsibility for documenting project impacts and overseeing other Mercy Corps and field-based M&E officers.

Essential Job Responsibilities
Strategy & Vision:

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcome.
• Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.
• Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support. 

Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL):

• Ensure that the ENGINE program captures and reports upon high-quality, verifiable data using valid and appropriate tools that meet the requirements of both DFID and Mercy Corps.
• Adapt existing data collection tools, analysis of secondary data, and, where appropriate, remote monitoring techniques.
• Support the management of ENGINE database to track progress towards meeting project goals and objectives.
• Participate in the preparation of high-quality quarterly and annual reports.
• Make performance results available to relevant program teams so that they can be used for continuous improvement.
• Undertake collection, alignment, and reporting relevant program indicators as part of Mercy Corps’ global Mission Metrics initiative. 

Management Information System:

• Ensure ENGINE MIS is up to date, operational and accessible
• Coordinate monthly data upload and engage with state teams to ensure data availability and completeness
• Manage ENGINE SMS aggregator and activity tracking system and provide regular feedback on performance
• Ensure data quality through regular data quality assessment visits to states and project communities
• Provide regular feedback to states on data quality and performance against project milestone

Research and Documentation:

• Coordinate and manage the administration of ENGINE pre and posttest and matching interest to work assessment
• Coordinate data entry and archival of pre and posttest questionnaire and matching interest to work assessment
• Develop and dissemination monthly learning data and update of Performance data table
• Ensure proper storage of project evaluation data including pre and posttest, matching Interest to Work Assessment and school performance records
• Perform regular archival and retrieval of project documents, data, reports and email communications

Communication and Capacity Building:

• Actively participate in meetings and processes to promote effective program management (through strong MEL practices)
• Strengthen staff capacity in interpretation and use of both routine data collection and periodic evaluation/assessment tools through comprehensive training and coaching.
• Improve data quality through supportive supervisory visits to implementing partner staffs and beneficiaries 
• Problem-solve with others to address shortfalls in monitoring, evaluation and information management that affect program implementation.
• Utilize internal Mercy Corps global online information-sharing resources to enhance organizational learning.
• Support development of abstracts and success stories through provision of information and data

Team Management:

• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
• Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary.
• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
• Contribute to country team-building efforts, help team members identify problem-solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.

Finance & Compliance Management:

• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming.
• Draft and/or review scope of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.

Influence & Representation:

• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments and other stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.

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.

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

• Postgraduate Degree in Development Studies, Social Sciences, or relevant field, with a strong foundation in Monitoring and Evaluation
• Minimum of 4 years of M&E work experience in international development required; ideal candidate will have both theoretical and practical background in M&E
• Knowledge of program development, implementation, evaluation, and reporting.
• Experience supervising M&E teams and building team capacity to deliver high-quality results.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent computer skills, including experience with: Excel, PowerPoint, and at least one statistical data analysis software
• Familiarity and experience in large-scale secondary education or school to work and especially targeting marginalized girls or young women programs preferred. 
• Experience working in Northern States of Nigeria.
• Fluency in written and verbal English required.

Success Factors:

• The successful candidate will combine exceptional leadership, management and technical skills with a focus on innovative interventions to engage adolescent girls in informal education and skills building linked with private sector entrepreneurship and employment opportunities in a culturally and religiously conservative environment. 
• S/he will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage innovative and complex programs within the current and future program structure of Mercy Corps in the region. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential. 
• 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.