Field-based Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist
Job Summary
Every employee of IRI is responsible for carrying out the Mission of IRI and demonstrating the core values in their day to day operations.
The Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Specialist is primarily responsible for providing data collection, management, organization and analysis support to the Middle East Regional Civic Initiative (MERCI). The MEL Specialist also serves as the coordinator for all reports on the MERCI program to headquarters in Washington DC and to the funder. This includes collating and ensuring the quality of data, including indicator data, reported in PMPs and all other similar indices.
The MEL Specialist will liaise with staff in IRI’s Washington DC headquarters to answer questions and fulfill requests related to MEL activities, data collection and similar issues related to the MERCI program.
The MEL Specialist may also be expected to provide training and capacity building support to IRI staff and partners on MEL topics.
Primary Functions & Responsibilities
- Coordinate and engage with MENA program staff and ELP staff in DC as it relates to MEL requests
- Liaise with members of the DC-based Evidence and Learning Practice (ELP) as needed or as requested by ELP
- Provide technical support for IRI’s MEL efforts, primarily to field-based program staff and program partners throughout the project lifecycle, especially during project implementation and close-out
- Work with field and headquarters team to ensure that MEL data and initiatives accurately capture results toward project objectives
- Proactively advise and support IRI staff and partners on all MEL related matters, including proactively communicating MEL requirements, tasks, and expectations to staff
- Maintain a detailed understanding of and lead the IRI-MENA Regional team in executing all MEL requirements, tasks, and activities in as part of the award agreement. This includes developing and maintaining a master MEL work plan for the MERCI award.
- Assist IRI staff to carry out all requirements and tasks in MEL plans and indicator matrices (PMPs, ROMA, etc). This may include but is not limited to: planning for data collection, preparing and piloting data collection tools, collecting data, storing and maintaining data, cleaning and analyzing data and providing MEL capacity building/training support to colleagues as requested.
- Assist in reporting on activities, and associated output, outcome, and impact level results; this may include drafting sections of activity, weekly, quarterly, or final reports and providing data analysis support to program staff drafting quarterly reports.
- Help ensure that IRI-MENA Regional data storage, data quality, and data ethics practices meet IRI and funder standards.
- Provide extensive support and guidance to IRI partners and subawardees to develop and maintain accurate, high-quality MEL practices that enable timely reports and meaningful monitoring of the work being performed. This may include but is not limited to: reviewing and providing feedback on MEL plans and reports, data collection tools, data collection plans, and indicator matrices; and providing feedback on data collection, storing and maintenance plans.
- Liaise with headquarters staff to support Data Quality Assessments, those led by IRI and the funder
- Assist IRI-MENA Regional in implementing their learning strategies, including collaboration, learning and adaptation initiatives, after action reviews and reflection sessions, to ensure that data is both reported and used to improve IRI’s program.
- Performs other duties as assigned.