The Senior Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Officer will work with the Mercy Corps SUSTAINED program team to oversee and ensure the collection of quality M&E data throughout the duration of the program.  The MEL Officer will be responsible for supporting the Program Manager to oversee the monitoring and data collection of the project, lead regular and annual field-based household and group interviews, analyze data to provide insight to the activities and program outcomes, and contribute to report writing. S/He will ensure that performance monitoring and results reporting tools and processes across the entire program are in place, effectively implemented and well synchronized between the Activity sites. The Senior MEL Officer will be an integral member of the project team learning and reflection processes, leading discussion on participant feedback.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Safeguarding Responsibilities

• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.

Technical Responsibilities

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Work with program teams, partners, and M&E focal points to integrate M&E into ongoing project/program planning and implementation systems and ensure adherence to Mercy Corps M&E minimum standards.
• Lead the development of appropriate monitoring, tracking, and reporting systems, tools and templates that enhance monitoring of project outputs and quality, generate quality evidence on project impact and promote and ensure use of data for decision-making processes.
• Support the program in developing and promoting the use of standard indicators, tools, and forms (as appropriate) and M&E practices across the project/program and coordinate the collection of information required for country-level management.
• Coordinate assessments and evaluations.
• Ensure that monitoring plans are developed for the program and ensure that regular monitoring visits are conducted by MEL staff to the different project locations, ensure that minimum standards are being met, and that reports are shared with the program teams.
• Work with partners and program team to gather success stories and anecdotal evidence of program impact to share for outreach and with donors.

Data Analysis and Reporting

• Work as part of a broader team to design, facilitate and support data collection and analysis systems including baseline, annual, and end line surveys, regular monitoring, data collection and analysis, feedback, and reporting.
• Generate data reports (tables/graphs/reports) from the database at regular intervals, ensuring reports/information are available for program implementation staff as required.
• Facilitate data analysis with program implementation team as required.
• Conduct regular field visits to ensure all elements of the data system are being utilized effectively, assessing, and identifying breakdowns and areas that require clarifications and improvements.
• Coordinate with field team and partners to implement system corrections and adjustments, solving operational issues and documenting actions taken and next steps.
• Work with program teams to ensure data analysis and reports are integrated into programmatic decision making to improve impact of the program.
• Contribute to monthly reports and other ad hoc reports to meet donor and internal requirements.
• Report program achievements on TOLA, Activity Info, and other relevant reporting mechanisms.

Capacity Building

• Conduct needs assessment for the partners, MEL team and partners and determine a M&E training plan and tools to support staff.
• Conduct needs assessment to implement an induction on M&E and a training plan to inform the importance of M&E and how information feeds into the program.
• Develop training material and implement training plan based on the assessment needs and gaps of partners and M&E focal persons.
• Build the capacity of all relevant team members to develop and maintain a robust M&E system.
• Review partner reports and provide feedback and comments to improve reporting quality.
• Adapt existing protocols and plans to mentor and coach colleagues to build their capacity to enable them to develop high quality reports.

Database Management

• Develop and manage a program database that improves Mercy Corps’ ability to inform program implementation, analyze data, and represent impact to key stakeholders.
• Contribute to understanding of and support for mobile data collection hardware and software, including tools such as ONA/ODK, Commcare, Tableau, PowerBI etc.
• Ensure all relevant program staff can utilize the database to analyze program information and results.
• Design, adapt and maintain the database in conjunction with the MEL team to match strategic program or implementation changes.
• Review data being collected to locate and fix problems with data entry or integrity.
• Document database contents, protocols, and update manuals for smooth functioning of the data management system.
• Manage regular synchronizations of data.
• Troubleshoot front and back-end issues with the database, including any synchronization issues with field-level data entry.

Accountability

• Coordinate with the team to build systems that promote participant accountability by ensuring that communities participate in initial assessments and program design.
• Coordinate with program teams to ensure that communities are informed about our programs and what we do, are aware of their entitlements, are comfortable to give feedback and that feedback is used to improve the quality of our programs.
• Ensure that Mercy Corps’ Community Feedback and Accountability Mechanism is clearly communicated to project beneficiaries, and that the hotline numbers are visible to end beneficiaries throughout the program.
• Ensure all activities are gender sensitive and follow Mercy Corps’ Gender Equality Policy.
• Apply Do No Harm standards to ensure activities do not have detrimental effects on vulnerable communities.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
• Other assigned tasks, as necessary.

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies, Development Studies, Energy, Environmental Science, Engineering, Business Administration, Economics, Statistics or related degree
• Post-graduate qualification in Monitoring & Evaluation preferred
• At least 5 years’ experience in monitoring and evaluation of humanitarian or development programs or in the fields of research. Work experience with NGOs with focus on market facilitation or private sector led approaches or interventions preferred.
• Good understanding and skills in data management.
• Experience authoring forms for remote mobile data collection.
• Experience managing different aspects of assessments as a lead, right from tools design, data collection, processing, analysis, and report writing.
• Strong computer literacy with a full knowledge of MS Office applications and G Suite.
• Proficiency in at least one statistical software (Stata, R, SPSS, Power BI) in handling large data sets (Stata will be preferred)
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Demonstrated flexibility, creativity, and enthusiasm as well as a willingness to learn and to be continually adaptive within a dynamic and often self-directed working environment.