General Position Summary

The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Manager is the key position in Mercy Corps responsible for cross-cutting programmatic information management, monitoring and evaluation, ensuring that information collected is reflected upon, used to improve ongoing programs, and is incorporated into consistently high quality reports and proposal development.  The MEL Manager will be responsible for developing (in partnership with project staff), coordinating, maintaining and constantly improving the nation-wide M&E system, as well as training M&E staff in each office. Mercy Corps Kenya is in the process of launching a new country-wide data automation system to generate instant data analytics to inform program adaptation, and the Country MEL Manager will be responsible for driving this forward.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

• Develop country MEL strategy, provide leadership to field offices in developing individual program level M&E systems that inform and improve each program, as well as feed into the broader nation-wide M&E system and country strategy.
• Lead and develop an M&E team country team and also the M&E officers assigned to each program in developing and maintaining a system that improves the country’s ability to analyze and represent impact to donors, government, colleague agencies, and communities themselves.
• Participate in country management meetings and country-wide strategy sessions.

Program Management

• Use existing MC resources train M&E and program teams in the area of monitoring and evaluation and report writing.
• Build the capacity of all relevant team members to develop and maintain an excellent M&E system, including training on Tola (digital tool developed by MC) and the periodic reflection and analysis of program monitoring data to disseminate learning.
• Develop plans to mentor and coach staff to build their capacity to enable them to develop excellent reports and other documents.

M&E System Development

• Lead efforts to establish an M&E unit working out of Nairobi that will facilitate M&E for all programs and collaborate closely with Program Managers in developing and establishing the M&E system, one that serves the needs of the overall of the country portfolio and its field officers.
• Spearheaded the data automation process across all programs in the portfolio, integrating this into the country M&E system.
• Support all country programs’ independent M&E efforts to ensure high quality M&E at the program level as well as build a nationwide system that captures and presents results at a national level.
• Design and maintain an M&E system with utility and program quality in mind, providing managers and their teams real time information that can steer program implementation as well as informing donors and strategic program direction and that helps strategize future program interventions.
• Work with senior management to address shortfalls in M&E that affect program implementation and conduct internal DQAs.

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.

Team Management

• Build a unified MEL team at country-level supporting all programs.
• Provide supervision of MEL team members, ensure their work is aligned and contributing effectively to the strategy and that they have access to MC resources.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
• Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
• Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary.

Monitoring and Evaluation/ Assessments

• Assist in designing programs that incorporate Mercy Corps’ standards on design, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Coordinate and play a role in assessments as requested. Provide input as to M&E systems and act as a link to HQ M&E technical staff.
• Set up and supervise the country M&E programs including hiring, orienting and supervising M&E staff as appropriate.
• Play a central role in all evaluation, design and implementation and developing the capacity of a national team to conduct internal evaluations.

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

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.

Supervisory Responsibility

MEL Program Managers/Coordinators/Officers

Accountability

Reports Directly To:Evidence, Learning, Technical Resources and Quality (EL-TRaQ) Director

Works Directly With:Program Managers, Regional MEL Advisors

Knowledge and Experience

• BA/S or equivalent, preferable in business administration, public administration or international development. MA/S in relevant field preferred.
• 5-7 years of experience in the areas of program development and monitoring and evaluation, including relevant experience building and managing an M&E system and team, relevant experience supervising data collection and data validation exercises, and building staff capacity.
• Must have extensive training skills and experience working with a variety of donors.
• Must have a high interest in, and capacity in, computer and digital technology – e.g. Excel, CommCare, PowerBI etc.
• Should enjoy building and managing high-performing teams, including fostering a positive culture.
• Ability to manage and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work independently and multi-task. .
• Excellent Communication and organizational skills.
• Internationally recognized qualification in project or program management or a commitment to obtain the qualification in the early months of work.