Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Intern at Mercy Corps

Location: Yola, Adamawa
Supervisory Responsibility: None
Reports directly to: MEL Officer
Works directly with: SPO and MEL Officer.

General Position Summary

• This role will support and monitor the new EU funded pilot project COMITAS - or Contributing to the Mitigation of Conflict over Natural Resources between Farmer and Herder Communities in Adamawa State. The project will be implemented through a Consortium led by IOM in partnership with Mercy Corps and Search for Common Ground.
• While clashes are often understood in ethnoreligious terms due to the spread of unreliable information, competing for claims to land, water and other natural resources are at the root of growing tensions between farmer and herder communities in Nigeria.
• The project aims to contribute to the mitigation of conflict over natural resources with Mercy Corps capitalizing on its trusted relationships with local stakeholders across Nigeria’s Middle Belt to continue to empower communities to prevent and respond to violence by strengthening collaboration on natural resources management. To achieve its goal COMITAS is structured around four pillars built on each of Consortium partners’ expertise and strengths:
  • Strengthen traditional conflict resolution in the targeted locations in Adamawa state;
  • Improve trust in authorities’ commitment to providing security and adequate resource management;
  • Enhanced collaboration in managing the use of natural resources;
  • Improve intra and inter-communal perceptions.
• Under the direction of the MEL Officer, the MEL Intern will provide support to the project team learning and reflection processes, leading discussion on beneficiary feedback.

Essential Job Functions

• Assist program team to ensure COMITAS progress according to the developed schedule and the implementation work plan.
• Assist to prepare and update community dispute tracker across 10 program wards.
• Assist to facilitate any community meetings as required.
• Support in the process of beneficiary registration, community mobilization, sensitization and stakeholder identification.
• Provide daily / weekly / monthly reports and participate in regular check-ins to update the COMITAS program on current developments happening in and around the conflict sites.
• Ensure equal representation of various community groups in the implementation of activities.
• Support the Monitoring Evaluation and Learning functions in the implementation of relevant surveys, assessments, data collection etc. for ongoing monitoring and reporting.
• Other duties as assigned.

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

• Educational qualifications in the relevant fields in international relations, development, management, economics or another relevant field.
• Experience working with a diverse range of local stakeholders, governments, and local and international partners.
• Ability to work independently in the field and show initiative. Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work cooperatively with team members.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to develop good relationships with a wide range of actors required.
• Good organizational skills, ability to make recommendations for improvement and contribute to overall program strategy.
• The ability to write reports in English, knowledge of Fulfulde is a plus.
• Willingness to travel to all the field locations.

Success Factors

• The successful MEL intern will skillfully assist the implementation of COMITAS activities within time, scope and budget. The successful candidate will be an effective communicator, with dedication towards community work, commitment to work long hours in the field conditions with limited access to resources.
• S/He should be familiar with the terrain in Mayo Belwa, Girei, Demsa, Numan, and Lamurde in Adamawa state.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

• The position will be based in Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria and requires frequent travel to other field locations. Considering the frequent travel from/to different field locations, this position will require flexibility in terms of accommodation and logistics. Housing in the field will be in hotels. Security in the field locations requires additional vigilance and accessibility will be reassessed continuously.