Mercy Corps M&E Manager - Conflict Management - Kenya

Please note that this position is contingent on funding.

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

The M&E Manager will support the monitoring, evaluation and reporting of a proposed five-year $10-25 million program to mitigate conflict and support peace in select Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) member states. This USAID-funded program will build and strengthen local-level cross-border conflict management mechanisms in East Africa. The program will support conflict management mechanisms that incorporate local civil society groups and local governments, mentor local non-governmental organizations to be able to address community-level conflict management, and provide technical assistance to the regional conflict early warning and response mechanism.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The M&E Manager will design and manage the program’s Performance Management Plan (PMP), which will monitor progress against the program’s indicators. S/he will be responsible for ensuring integrity and sound design for the collection of data feeding into the PMP. The M&E Manager will also schedule and manage internal evaluations with the purpose of gauging program impact. S/he should ensure staff at all levels of program implementation are trained and prepared to fulfill their roles in reporting.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Vision, Leadership and Strategy on Monitoring and Evaluation Systems: Provide guidance to program staff, including sub-grantees, in developing program-level M&E systems that enable clients 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 M&E Unit including hiring, orienting and supervising M&E staff as appropriate as well as building staff capacity.

Monitoring & Evaluation System Development: Establish the M&E system serving the needs of the overall program. The system must be designed and maintained to harmonize approaches of all program implementers with utility and program quality in mind, providing managers and their teams real time information that can steer program implementation as well as improve 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.

Technical Support and Assistance to Sub-Grantees: Conduct assessments of partners’ capacity vis-à-vis monitoring and evaluation. Provide training and support to partners on monitoring sub-grant activities against the PMP. Assist in training local staff on monitoring and evaluation as needed.

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.

Coordination: Provide leadership to ensure that monitoring and evaluation systems amongst all implementers are well coordinated allowing for comparison of data for the program as a whole. Through regular coordination meetings, ensure that staff and partners can conduct meaningful analysis of collected data and incorporate findings into implementation.

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

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: 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: M&E Officers and Database Coordinator

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Deputy Chief of Party

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: The program implementation team as well as partner organizations

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• MA/S or equivalent in social science, international development or a related field. Coursework in research and evaluation methodologies and statistical analysis is preferred.
• Minimum of two years of relevant field or management experience of complex, multi-sector programming. Previous experience working on USAID-funded programs preferred.
• Minimum of two years’ experience in designing and implementing practical monitoring and evaluation systems.
• Demonstrated skill in training and M&E capacity development of field staff.
• Proven experience in developing and working with data management systems including databases, web-based tools or other MIS solutions.
• Proven experience in designing and implementing M&E activities and indicators, as well as analyzing the data collected.
• Demonstrated skills in analyzing data, both qualitative and quantitative.
• Proficiency using one of the common statistical analysis software packages is preferred (SPSS, Stata, SAS or EpiInfo); preference given to candidates with familiarity with GIS systems.
• Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational and prioritization skills are necessary.
• Previous experience in East Africa and in-depth knowledge of current cross-border issues and events in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda and South Sudan is preferable.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.

SUCCESS FACTORS:

A successful candidate will be conscientious, with excellent judgment. 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 – as well as be sensitive to political and cultural nuance - be able to consistently apply excellent judgment to a variety of demanding and fast-changing situations while working as part of a team and coordinate with project personnel.

LIVING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

This position will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, which is an accompanied post for spouse and children. Nairobi is a major metropolitan center with world class healthcare and excellent education options. Mercy Corps provides expatriate staff with a housing allowance that covers rent, utilities and security for comfortable accommodations in safe areas of the city. Telephone and internet access is available and there are dozens of excellent restaurants along with easy transport links to the rest of Africa and Europe.

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 Mercy Corps’ policies, procedures and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

How to apply:

Apply online at our website:
http://mercycorps.silkroad.com/epostings/submit.cfm?fuseaction=app.dspjo...