Learning and Knowledge Management Officer

Primary Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Position Status: Full time, Permanent

Current Employee: (new)

General Position Summary:

The Learning and Knowledge Management Officer will be a key position in the $48 million, 5-year USAID-funded Pastoralists Areas Resilience Improvement and market Expansion (PRIME) program. He/she will lead enhanced innovation learning and knowledge management activities.

This will require close cooperation with the program’s Chief of Party (COP), Deputy COP, Natural Resource Management and Climate Change Adviser and Alternative Livelihood Advisor.

In addition he/she will work closely with USAID/FTF’s Knowledge Learning, Documentation and Policy (KLDP) project and the Capacity to Improve Agriculture and Food Security (CIAFS) program, inputting PRIME monitoring data into USAID’s database.

He/she will oversee the program’s internal monitoring systems including data collection, analysis and reporting and will be the senior leader responsible for cross-cutting programmatic information management within the framework of the AMP, ensuring that information collected is reflected upon, used for continuous improvement of ongoing programs, and is incorporated into consistently high quality reports. He/she will also be responsible for the production of best practices, lessons learnt, success stories and other documentation.

The individual filling this position will have responsibility for monitoring and evaluation not only of direct implementation programs, but also of several sub-grants and, therefore, will work closely with local and international recipient organizations to ensure a unified results management system.

This position is contingent on funding. A letter of commitment expressing intent to fill the position once an offer is accepted will be expected at an appropriate time.

Essential Job Functions:

1. Vision, Leadership and Strategy on Monitoring and Evaluation Systems –

• Provide leadership to the PRIME program, including all sub-grantees, in developing program level M&E systems that enable PRIME staff and stakeholders to analyze and effectively represent program results in a synchronized manner.
  
• Ensure that monitoring systems meet the requirements of USAID.
  
• Ensure that performance results can be used for continuous improvement.
  
• Set up and supervise the PRME Learning and Knowledge Unit including hiring, orienting and supervising staff as appropriate as well as building staff capacity.

2. Monitoring & Evaluation System Development –

• Establish M&E system serving the needs of the overall PRIME program.
  
• The system must be designed and maintained to harmonize project approaches with utility and program quality in mind, providing managers and their team’s real time information that can steer program implementation as well as improves our ability to analyze and represent impact to USAID, government, colleague agencies, and communities themselves.
  
• The system must include a variety of methodologies (both quantitative and qualitative) and also must engage communities.
  
• Making use of participatory monitoring, the system should empower stakeholders to take corrective action and develop community groups’ capacity to demand change and monitor their own affairs.

3. Technical Support and Assistance to Sub-Grantees

• Conduct assessments of sub-grantee partner capacity (particularly local NGOs) vis-à-vis monitoring and evaluation
• Provide training and support to partners on monitoring sub-grant activities against the AMP
• Assist in training local staff on monitoring and evaluation as needed.

4. Staff Training and Capacity Building-

• Build the capacity of all relevant team members to develop and maintain an excellent M&E system, including regular reflection and analysis of program monitoring data and production of evidence-based recommendations and reports.
  
• Provide extensive support and capacity building to sub-grantee organizations to develop and strengthen their monitoring and evaluation systems and tools.

5. Evaluation Assessments – Play a central role in supporting the baseline, mid-term and final evaluation as well as lead the design, field-testing, data collection and analysis of any additional evaluation initiatives that may be required.

6. Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.

7. Other duties as assigned by the Chief of Party

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 towards 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: Learning and Knowledge Management staff

Accountability:

Reports Directly To: Chief of Party

Works Directly With: The entire PRIME implementation team as well as local and international sub-grant recipients.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in social sciences, Information Communication Technology (ICT) or related field is required or demonstrated equivalent work experience in the field.
• At least five years relevant field or management experience of complex, multi-dimensional programming;
• Relevant M&E experience as follows:

1. At least five years work experience in designing and implementing practical monitoring and evaluation, knowledge management or database management.
2. Demonstrated skill in training and M&E capacity development of field staff.
3. Proven experience in designing and implementing M&E activities and indicators, as well as analyzing the data collected.
4. Demonstrated skills in analyzing data, both qualitative and quantitative.

• Previous experience working on USAID funded programs strongly preferred
• Previous management experience preferred
• Demonstrated experience and ability to professionally and appropriately represent the organization and negotiate with a diverse range of government officials, local organizations, donors and other groups for outcomes in the best interest of program implementation
• Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational, and prioritization skills are necessary
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members is required
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English, including report development, writing and editing.
• Strong management skills, with good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issues.
• Previous experience in Ethiopia or the Horn of Africa is preferred.

Success Factors:

• Conscientious, with excellent judgment
• Display an entrepreneurial spirit that is both creative and flexible. S/he will combine strong communication skills, creativity, initiative, participatory leadership and tactful decisiveness to assist in the development and implementation of Mercy Corps’ M&E strategy
• Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential.
• S/he must have the confidence, and humility, to work effectively with a large variety of people who will be diverse culturally, economically and in social status
• S/he must be sensitive to political and cultural nuance and able to consistently apply excellent judgment to a variety of demanding and fast-changing situations
• Ability to foster solid working relationships with USAID, host Government, beneficiary communities, and partner organizations
• Ability to work as part of a team and coordinate with project personnel.
• Strong organizational skills

Living Conditions/Environmental Conditions:

This position will be based in Addis Ababa and is accompanied for spouse and children.

Addis Ababa is the political and commercial heart of Ethiopia. Founded by Emperor Menelik in 1877, it is now a sprawling, hospitable city of 4 million people located at an elevation of 2,200 meters in the foothills of Mount Entoto.

Modern buildings and wide-open boulevards stand side by side with historic churches, palaces and monuments as well as simple country-style huts. Addis Ababa has basic health services and adequate international schools, K-12.

There are ample opportunities for in-country vacations. The weather is temperate year-round with a heavy rainy season in the summer months. Addis Ababa hosts many international organizations including the OAU, the Economic Commission for Africa and other multi-national bodies, many of which have their headquarters there.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Apply online through our job board: http://www.mercycorps.org/jobs.