MEL Partnerships Officer/ Фахівець_чиня з партнерських відносин відділу MEL
ЗАВЕРШЕНО
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.
Program / Department Summary
Mercy Corps’ Ukraine response seeks to meet the humanitarian needs of vulnerable Ukrainians and other affected people where they are: displaced inside Ukraine, refugees in Poland, Romania, and Moldova – or trapped behind the frontlines. We aim to reach 500,000 vulnerable people with multi-purpose cash assistance, in-kind humanitarian support, and protection services across four countries. Almost all our impact will be delivered in partnership with Ukrainian, Polish, Romanian and Moldovan civil society organizations through a granting program that matches humanitarian action with capacity strengthening, and with peer international NGOs through a consortium in Ukraine.
Position Summary
The Partner MEL Officer will be responsible for the monitoring, evaluation and learning strategy and its implementation for the Ukraine Response programs, which comprises the monitoring and evaluation of subgrants to local Implementing partners (IPs) organizations providing humanitarian assistance to affected communities throughout Ukraine. Under the technical supervision of the MEL Senior Officer based in Dnipro, the Partner MEL Officer will develop, coordinate, maintain and constantly improve the partner MEL system for the program, as well as directly work with the team of field staff to collect, verify and analyze information for programmatic decisions and to measure the impact of the program. He/she will provide MEL support for implementing IP sub-grants and capacity strengthening activities. In addition, the position holder is responsible to ensure that accurate, quality and timely data is available for internal and external reports, in line with Mercy Corps’ minimum standards. Relevant technical sectors in which the Partner MEL Officer will be involved include cash and non-food items (NFI) distributions.
What We’re Looking For:
We’re looking for someone with a strong interest in communication around data collection and management processes employed to improve our programs – and the lives of others. You must be willing to learn from our team and develop skills in field data collection and analysis technologies. Must have a personal commitment to data quality and security, an interest in quality improvement – and using data analysis to make decision making easier, and more effective. Working collaboratively with partners of varying technical capacities will be a key part of this role so we’re looking for an independent problem solver who can ensure that program needs drive the technologies chosen and the support work conducted.
Any skills you have gained through education, volunteer, work, or life experience that are relevant for the position will be considered. Be sure to fully explain transferable skills and success factors and how they apply to this position in your cover letter and interview process.
Detailed Job Responsibilities:
1. Support to IPs project MEL system:
• Under the technical supervision of the MEL Senior Officer in Dnipro, support IP(s) to develop, adapt and maintain MEL systems for all sub-award projects in line with donor / grant requirements and Mercy Corps’ indicator library where appropriate. Ensure that IP(s) MEL system can measure progress, effectiveness and achievement of expected results, specifying qualitative and quantitative indicators, data sources and collection methods.
• Support IP(s) to design/ review IP Log Frames and MEL Plans within 1st month of sub-grant start date.
• Facilitate MEL Kick Off Meetings with IPs within 1 week after project kick off meeting and follow up with IPs on MEL Plan implementation throughout project
• Support IPs to design, train on and deploy CommCare data collection tools
• Provide technical support to IPs MEL staff on design of specific data collection tools (such as surveys, questionnaires) and appropriate sampling strategies with the aim of improving IPs understanding of project performance, while meeting Mercy Corps’ reporting requirement.
• Support local IPs’ efforts to develop or strengthen their own MEL systems, effectively analyze project
data, and use it to drive decision-making.
• Review and provide timely feedback on IPs MEL section of narrative reports, beneficiary data and data analysis reports.
• Ensure that IPs are familiar with and able to effectively utilize project templates and reporting platforms. With the IPs, review or edit data in reports as requested and required.
• Facilitate and follow up on action items identified during data quality assessments to ensure data quality across all implementing IPs.
2. Capacity development of teams and IPs
• Develop and deliver staff/IPs/enumerator trainings, improving capacities in monitoring and evaluation
• Develop and oversee the implementation of the MEL staff and IPs capacity building strategy that promotes a culture of learning through systematic analysis and reflection of program data.
3. Community accountability and response mechanism:
• Integrate accountability into MEL systems and tools that are compliant with Mercy Corps Ukraine
CARM standards and donors’ requirements.
• Understand and apply Do No Harm standards to ensure activities do not have detrimental effects on
vulnerable communities.
4. Program-level results measurement and reporting:
• Play a key role in compiling field or IPs’ data for MC’s own narrative reporting to the donor, using online systems to help ensure accurate information is incorporated into all reports and information products.
• With Program Learning Manager, capture learning by reviewing monthly partner reports and liaising with the MEL and Program teams for feedback regarding data collection and reporting. This could be through weekly meetings, email exchanges, and/or an informal reporting system.
• Produce analytical summaries: graphs, charts, tables, narratives, and user-friendly visuals, as requested, to fulfill internal and external reporting requirements.
• Promote and ensure use of data for decision-making processes through facilitating data reflection meetings and integrate monitoring and evaluation into ongoing project planning and implementation, in line with Mercy Corps MEL minimum standards.
5. Representation and coordination:
• Facilitate MEL coordination meetings and document requests for and progress on technical MEL support, as required.
• Participate in and support internal office coordination and planning meetings and workshops, including with MEL team in Mercy Corps’ other Ukraine Response offices, as required.
• As required by the supervisor, represent Mercy Corps at donor meetings, and government and sectoral coordination fora/meetings.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission or put the team, assets and mission at risk.
• Assist in any other task or duty assigned by the supervisor.
6. Program management:
• Play a key role in compiling field or IPs’ data for MC’s own narrative reporting to the donor, using online systems to help ensure accurate information is incorporated into all reports and information products.
• Promote and ensure use of data for decision-making processes through facilitating data reflection meetings and integrate monitoring and evaluation into ongoing project planning and implementation, in line with Mercy Corps MEL minimum standards.
• Ensure program implementation is on time, target and budget, using effective M&E systems to reach desired impacts.
• Fulfill Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.
• Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.
7. Team coordination:
• Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Senior MEL Officers in respective locations
Works Directly With: Mercy Corps implementing partners
MEL and Partnership Teams, Program Learning Team, Cash Team (coordination)
Knowledge & Experience
Required:
• BA/S degree in social sciences, research methods, economics, related education sector or other
relevant field required.
• Minimum two years’ experience in planning, monitoring and evaluation of projects/programs (designing logframes, indicator plans, evaluations, assessments) or similar work in for-profit sector.
• Minimum two years’ experience in working with quantitative and qualitative data (survey designs, sampling, data analysis).
• Proven experience in mobile data collection, data management and data visualization.
• Commitment to working together with partners and training and developing capacity in MEL.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate closely with a broad range of stakeholders in different geographic locations, experience with remote management or monitoring a plus.
• Ability to manage quantitative data while not losing sight of the bigger picture and meaning.
• Active knowledge of humanitarian standards and codes, including SPHERE, CHS, is an asset.
• Familiarity with MS Office software (i.e. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
• Ukrainian and Russian language written and spoken are essential.
Success Factors
In addition to a strong technical background in Monitoring and Evaluation, the ability to multi-task, innovate, and effectively communicate key information in support of changing program activities is necessary. Attention to detail and patience to work through data results. A willingness to take initiative, creatively solve problems, juggle multiple priorities under pressure, and to calmly and diplomatically deal with unexpected and sudden events impacting program operations is also essential. An interest in and commitment to growing and
enhancing impactful programming and supporting a team is essential. Sensitivity to multi-cultural humanitarian and development work and ability to train and facilitate dialogue among a diverse group of individuals with various skill sets and working styles are all critical.
