Manager, Field Operations, MLE at Evidence Action

About the Position

• The Manager, Field Operations is responsible for supporting all Evidence Action’s monitoring and evaluation field operations for programs within the West and Central Africa Sub-region. This is an exciting position that involves overseeing program research and learning activities, coordinating MLE support for programs within the sub-region, leading the development and review of monitoring plans, supporting research and learning projects and coordination between MLE and government stakeholders and other implementing partners as needed. A critical part of achieving this is managing systems to ensure that the quality of data for all Evidence Action sub- regional programs meet a high level of standard.

Duties and responsibilities

Data Collection Activities for all Evidence Action programs in the sub region

• Manage country teams and resources to achieve all data collection objectives- both quantitative and qualitative, to ensure relevant and reliable data is collected for MLE plans
• Coordinate with the program team to ensure free flow of information for planning data collection, and maintain ‘instant feedback’ information systems as well as share information with the program team as required.
• Support on the development of efficient logistical tools for the field teams and develop basic standards and best-practices for collecting data; including conducting back-checks/spot-checks and documentation of field activities.

Research and Learning

• Support the development of MLE best practices within the organisation and facilitate lesson sharing across Evidence Action geographies.
• Lead the development and maintenance of relevant databases for tracking and managing program information.
• Review process monitoring reports shared by the Data Learning team and provide context-based input, capturing and disseminating lessons learnt from monitoring activities as well as tracking improvements in those significant areas over time to ensure that learnings are translated to program improvements.
• Support MLE Strategy team’s research and learning projects to address specific gaps in knowledge about the programs within the sub-region, including the design (methods and sampling), draft and pilot of surveys and survey protocols analysis plans, data collection, cleaning and analysing data, and reporting.
• Planning and Coordination of MLE support for programs within the sub-region
• Improve on and streamline MLE activities ensuring they are comprehensive, cost-efficient, and well-designed to meet program goals. Adopt the most cost effective (and quality) means and ways available in the execution of the budget.
• Review and track program MLE results and support the interpretation and application of the results, facilitating data-driven decision-making by program teams in the sub-region.
• Ensure adequate representation of MLE team in meetings with program teams, partners and government stakeholders (as required and appropriate)
• Collaborate with the MLE Strategy and Delivery teams to ensure unified understanding of sub regional programs data needs to ensure that the MLE team deliver program needs on time.
• Coordinate MLE support to state and national partners and government stakeholders.
• Conduct scoping trips to ensure MLE activities are being implemented as appropriate, meet local context, and deliver support with MLE activity implementation as required.

Vendor management

• Establish and manage strategic partnerships with M&E vendors, where needed, to achieve program MLE goals
• Oversee the sourcing for vendors required to support MLE activities within the programs in the sub-region and manage budget, timelines and deliverables by vendors.

MLE Team management

• Manage the annual MLE team work plans in line with defined scope of work and priorities for the programs in the sub region. Track activities against the work plan, ensuring monitoring and reporting timelines are met.
• Draft annual program MLE budgets for scope of work defined by the MLE Strategy Leads to properly budget for planned MLE activities for all programs in the sub-region. Oversee MLE expenditures as approved in the budget, and, routinely, check that actual expenditures vs allocated budget are within a sustainable range.
• Coordinate the need assessment, recruitment and onboarding of MLE staff in the sub region in collaboration with the MLE leadership, HR Manager and the necessary representatives from program teams
• Manage country MLE team efforts ensuring compliance to and the high-quality implementation of all M&E activities and that they meet all set deliverables
• Working with Program and MLE teams, identify areas for capacity development, professional development and skill building and develop plans to address those areas for improvement for MLE teams within the sub-region.
• Establish and maintain clear and comprehensive reporting templates and timelines to meet internal and external reporting needs
• Manage and contribute to innovative systems and tools to train staff as stipulated in the MLE staff training protocol.

Other

• Perform any other monitoring, evaluation and learning duties as may be required and assigned by the supervisor.

Key performance Indicators

• Timely collection of monitoring data for all programs in the sub region
• Independent monitoring firms meet the data collection obligation as stated in the IM firm’s terms of reference
• Timely review of data for program activities i.e. within two weeks after completion of data collection activities
• All country programs collect and report data electronically on available systems e.g. DHIS2
• Full coverage of randomised samples for monitoring and evaluation.
• Completion of activities within stipulated timelines
• Quality of data collected by the team i.e. an error rate of 5% and below
• Adherence to randomised lists with clear explanation given if otherwise
• Efficient and effective management of budgetary resources with strict adherence to the finance policy.
• Timely development and review of developed systems, protocols, procedures and sharing of relevant feedback to enhance quality training
• Timely submission of activity progress reports i.e. every Monday of a new week
• Positive feedback from direct reports, administrative supervisor, external stakeholders and other support teams on his/her management style, communication, collaboration
• Daily submission of collected data and filling of the relevant activity trackers
• Work closely with the team and ensure they realise both the teams and individual professional development goals for the year.
• Use of correct electronic survey versions by all data collection teams
• Timely requests of field related equipment and materials and proper accountability of the same through timely filing of inventory trackers

Requirements

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant field with strong economics, statistics, or mathematics;
• 3+ years of experience of M&E programs in the West and Central Africa region.
• Strong technical skills and capacity, with at least 2 years of practical experience managing and working directly with large teams and data.
• Project management skills
• Experience programming and using electronic data collection platforms, specifically survey CTO
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Willing to travel on short notice, to multitask, to work in ambiguity and to respond to instruction from multiple sources.
• Naturally inquisitive, sceptical, intellectually curious, detail-oriented and organised;
• Inspired by Evidence Action’s mission to bring proven interventions to scale, improving the lives of millions;