Salary: US$1651.00 plus benefits Mercy Corps Timor-Leste is seeking to hire a qualified MERL MANAGER - (Monitoring and Evaluation, Research and Learning) 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 MERL Manager will be responsible for developing (in partnership with project staff), coordinating, maintaining and constantly improving the nationwide M&E system, as well as training M&E staff in each office. In addition, the position holder is responsible for ensuring that the reports generated by each field office are timely and of a high quality and that the data can be validated. This will be achieved through staff capacity building and necessary training. Based in Dili, Degree in Business Administration, or related field required. To succeed in this role, you will need excellent communication and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities to get important work done. MERL Manager Responsibilities:Strategy & Vision
- Develop country MERL 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.
- Use existing MC resources to 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.
- Lead efforts to establish an M&E unit working out of Islamabad that will facilitate M&E for all programs and collaborate closely with Program Managers in developing and establishing of the M&E system, one that serves the needs of the overall of the country portfolio and its field officers.
- 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 a 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.
- Regularly conduct project site visits to provide hands-on training to field staff on how to capture and organize information for accurate documentation and reporting.
- Assist the program implementation team in timely and accurate reporting to donors.
- Coordinate with a variety of teams, HQ, Finance, and Program Directors and Country Director to ensure that reports are timely, high-quality, and responsive to donors.
- Provide capacity building through coaching in report writing and quality control of final written products.
- 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.
- Play a central role in all evaluation, design and implementation and developing the capacity of the team to conduct internal evaluations.
- Lead research initiatives according to the needs of the programs, provide inputs in design and methodology, and supervise external consultants as required
- 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.
- 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.
- Play an active role in hiring, orienting and leading team members as necessary.
- Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
- 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.
MERL Manager Requirements:
- University degree in a relevant field.
- At least 6 years relevant professional experience, including at least 4 years working in MERL for non-governmental organizations working in international relief and development.
- Demonstrated expertise and experience in MERL, including the development and use of log-frames, indicators, MERL plans and systems.
- Possess skills in qualitative and quantitative MERL methodologies and techniques.
- Experience in developing and implementing baseline studies and evaluations.
- Experience working with National/International Consultants
- Significant experience in training and capacity building.
- Experience/familiar with program management minimum standards including MERL, project management, participant accountability.
- Experience with MERL systems of various donors, including USAID, FCDO, EU, etc.
- Strong knowledge of software applications typically used for data management, collection, analysis and reporting (e.g., Excel, Access, SPSS/STATA, ODK, Kobo, Enketo, Ona, CommCare, TolaData, PowerBI, Visual Studio, MAXQDA, or others).
- Excellent oral and written communications skills both in English and Tetun. Demonstrated attention to detail, meet deadlines, take initiative, anticipate, and solve problems.
- Willingness to engage in regular travel to program sites in the field.
