Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer

Near East Foundation

Job Announcement

Title:  Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Officer

Reports to:  MEL Director

Location:  Khartoum

Travel:  Frequent travel between project sites in Sudan

The Near East Foundation (NEF) is seeking candidates for a MEL (Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning) officer based in Khartoum. NEF is a non-profit international development organization that has supported livelihoods recovery and community-based economic development in the Middle East, Africa, and Caucasus since 1915. NEF draws on local teams, experience, and partnerships in these regions to create community-led solutions to improve livelihoods and local governance among conflict and crisis-affected groups, while maintaining neutrality and ensuring inclusiveness in our approach. Working through a network of country offices and local partners, NEF currently has operations in ten countries: Armenia, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Mali, Morocco, Palestine, Sudan, South Sudan, and Syria. Our programs are organized around three pillars: Inclusive Economic Development, Climate-resilient Development, and Stabilization and Peacebuilding.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The MEL officer is a key member of the Near East Foundation team in Sudan. The Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Officer manages information and reporting processes and products to ensure professional, high-quality communication about NEF’s programmatic activities and results.

The MEL Officer will also play an important role in improving information management and data quality, and in strengthening knowledge sharing and learning across the organization and with the other relevant counterparts. The MEL Officer will be responsible for full-cycle monitoring and evaluation of NEF’s programs, as well as the development of appropriate methodologies and tools to design evaluations, conduct rigorous monitoring, share technical learning and experience as well as checking any accountability concerns. Under the supervision of the MEL Director, the MEL officer shall carry out the following duties:

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Participate in the designing of monitoring and evaluation tools and methodologies, together with the MEL Director and other MEL officers.
• Carry out Data collection in the field, using a variety of tools, including questionnaires, focus group discussions, Participatory Rural Appraisal, direct observations, etc.
• Take part in the data entry of the findings whenever required by the MEL Director.
• Conduct debriefing sessions whenever required;
• Assess the activities undertaken and ensure efficient use of resources in close collaboration with the MEL director, area managers and other program staffs.
• Assist the MEL director in MEAL tool development, contextualization and translation;
• Measure and report on indicators in compliance with NEF grant agreements and based on Project MEAL plans and M&E framework.
• Implement and update the MEL plan on a monthly basis, including the data collection plan, entry and basic analysis of data related to the programs.
• Review the Means of Verification for each project activity, providing regular reports to the MEL Director and share any guidance to program staff in Khartoum and the field (North Kordofan, South Kordofan, White Nile, Central Darfur...etc).
• Provide weekly and monthly reports to the Director of MEL on the implementation of MEL plans and exercises;
• Train enumerators in data collection and supervise the enumerators during monitoring and evaluation exercises both in Khartoum and the field (North Kordofan, South Kordofan, White Nile, Central Darfur...etc)
• Work closely with program teams, following their work plans and updating the MEL plan accordingly;
• Support multi-sectoral needs assessments and rapid needs assessments in coordination with other MEL Officers and the Director of MEL.
• Work with other MEL Officers to conduct assessments, research and other M&E activities.
• Facilitate design of “SMART” objectives, logic models, monitoring frameworks, and evaluation plans during annual work-planning process.
• Contribute to the development of annual work plans to identify project targets and ensure inclusion of M&E activities
• Generate monthly indicator reports for tracking progress against key indicators as needed
• Conduct field visits for data validation and to monitor the quality and completeness of data sets; coordinate data collection at project sites to monitor program development and ensure timely compilation and reporting of data; capture and document lessons learned; and champion the scaling up best practices
• Provide technical leadership and support to project and partner staff in planning and implementing M&E systems and activities, data-based program decision-making, and results reporting; provide training as needed
• Support the development, design, and writing of proposals and concept notes for related programming information management and reporting
• Create and integrate graphics in reports and information products to help visualize data in a meaningful way
• Contribute to developing and reporting of project reviews, assessments, surveys, and other analytic or evaluation processes and products
• Document all feedback received from beneficiaries and local communities and ensure that the feedback is addressed in a timely manner by sharing it with the relevant channels.
• Help on preparing compliant database to ensure quick and timely responses.
• Ensure follow-up on all feedback and that all response actions are properly documented in the feedback and complaints database;
• Coordinate with the MEL Officers and MEL Director to ensure that NEF accountability helpdesks are set up at all distributions to receive feedback regarding NEF programming and general challenges and needs;
• Ensure all beneficiaries are treated with respect, confidentiality and are provided with informed consent.
• Bringing Solutions to problems. At the workplace, in the field when you see problems, try finding solutions or propose solution instead of complaining and not to overcommit.
• Contribute to building the trust between beneficiaries and the organization by ensuring equal treatment, and by developing proactive approach rather than reactive one and ensuring the accountability to affected population.
• Conduct a quarterly lessons learned activity with programs and support teams on activity implementation and NEF processes, polices and guidelines.
• Draft a quarterly report on lessons learned based on programs’ review activity
• Support on providing success stories from different programs, touching base with the learning and adapting.
• Promote a culture of shared learning and staff openness and transparency about using lessons learned to improve future programming

QUALIFICATIONS

Note: Research suggests that women may self-select out of opportunities if they don’t meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to succeed within this position and thrive at NEF to apply for this role.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Arts, Science, Social Sciences, Economics, Agriculture, Food Security, monitoring & evaluation, demography, biostatistics, statistics, analytics or a related field;

• Minimum of 4 years of similar position and work experience in designing, establishing, and managing monitoring and evaluation systems, ensuring data quality, and managing data intensive, performance-based programs funded by USAID and/or other equivalent international development donors;

• Demonstrated written, presentation, communication and organizational skills;

• Experience using data management systems, including databases, data entry, extraction, and analysis;

• Demonstrated experience and capacity in designing M&E tools and surveys, conducting data collection and data analysis;

• Demonstrated ability to perform complex data analysis utilizing Microsoft Excel, Stata, and/or Business Intelligence tools;

• Previous experience in supporting experimental or quasi-experimental impact evaluation preferred;

• Demonstrated ability to prepare quality data visualizations and present data to a variety of audiences;

• Previous experience in drafting reports or contributing to reports;

• INGO experience required, and experience interacting with vulnerable populations in the field of inclusive economic development (including microfinance) in Sudan;

• Fluency in English and Arabic both written and verbal required;

• Willingness and ability to frequently travel independently within Sudan.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advance English report writing.

Position Criteria

• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment, set priorities, and meet deadlines

• Ability to synthesize complex information and communicate it effectively to diverse audiences; ability to design and implement efficient work flows and procedures

• Ability to manage critical relationships with diplomacy and tact and engage a wide range of stakeholders

• Experience with phone or tablet-based data collection tools is a plus.

• Fluency in English; excellent written and oral communication skills, including facilitation and cross-cultural communication.

• Strong attention to detail, organizational and time management skills

• Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment; perform duties under pressure and meet deadlines in a timely manner;

• Work as part of a team;

• Exercise problem-solving skills; and

• Interact with co-workers, partners, donors and the public in a professional and pleasant manner.

• Experience in planning and managing surveys, developing and refining data collection tools, and with data quality assessments and oversight

• Knowledge of the major evaluation methodologies (qualitative, quantitative, mixed method, and impact) and digitalized data collection and analysis methodologies

• Ability to train and manage numbers of enumerators, and pull together information from multiple people.

• Ability to participate and prepare learning documentation for the programs’ activities

NEF will accept a rolling application until the position is filled.  Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible before Thursday, July 21, 2022.

To apply:

Please apply by submitting the following documents:

1. Cover letter outlining relevant experience and availability
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. List of three references (including one from current, or most recent, employer)

Applicants are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Near East Foundation by visiting the NEF website at www.neareast.org.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Near East Foundation by visiting the NEF website at www.neareast.org**.**

The Near East Foundation promotes Equal Opportunities for all applicants seeking employment and NEF employees.

Please note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Pre-employment Checks

Any Employment with the Near East Foundation will be subject to the following checks prior to start date:

• A satisfactory Restricted Party Screening.
• Receipt of satisfactory references.
• Proof of eligibility to work in the national location for this role.