Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Coordinator (National position)

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The Program Summary

Mercy Corps’ Ukraine crisis response seeks to meet the humanitarian needs of vulnerable Ukrainians and other conflict-affected people where they are: displaced inside Ukraine, refugees in Poland, Romania, and Moldova, or trapped behind frontlines. We aim to reach 500,000 vulnerable people with multi-purpose cash assistance, in-kind humanitarian support, and protection services across four countries. Almost all our impact will be delivered in partnership: with Ukrainian, Polish, Romanian and Moldovan civil society organizations through a granting program that matches humanitarian action with capacity strengthening, and with peer international NGOs through a consortium in Ukraine.

In the initial response to the war in Ukraine, Mercy Corps is focused on the emergency delivery of aid to the affected populations, primarily through Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) and in-kind food and non-food assistance. Mercy Corps will continue this life saving assistance for as long as it is needed but acknowledges that recovery and resilience requires access to steady income alongside functioning markets. Therefore, alongside ongoing emergency activities, Mercy Corps will launch early recovery activities, that will contribute to stabilization of livelihoods and improved resilience for IDPs and conflict-affected individuals. In line with direct investments to support self-employment opportunities, SME and agriculture sectors, this pilot will work as an adaptive response mechanism and will adapt programming according to ongoing analysis of the context and potentially changing needs.

The Position (General Position Summary)

The MEL Coordinator will lead and oversee the identification, development, and implementation of data systems for the Resilience Pilot Project. He/She will be responsible for ensuring the development and use of data management platforms and standardization of data collection tools for the project key components, including support to SMEs and self-employment, as well as Agriculture development. He/She will also ensure the quality of MEL activities by setting adequate information management systems for all stages of data management, implement and oversee data quality audits and assessments, define and design processes and guidelines for data validation, verification and other quality standards as needed. The MEL Coordinator will work closely with Mercy Corps HQ Technical Support Unit in the analysis and use of program data within the program for learning and adaptation of program activities. He/She at the same time should promote Mercy Corps values through various entry points in the project and preserve staff moral and enthusiasm for the project work.

Essential Responsibilities

• Develop Resilience Pilot Project MEL and data collection/analysis systems (adhering to Mercy Corps MEL policy standards and deliverables) for Ukraine, identifying key technological platforms and systems to be used to support the response implementation.
• Develop of Resilience Pilot Project MEL Plan and Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) using existing Mercy Corps resources and developing new ones, that include clear step-by-step guidance, processes, roles and responsibilities on all relevant MEL activities.
• Initiate data needs assessments and implement solutions that address the identified data needs in a timely manner.
• Periodically initiate and conduct quality assessments and audits as necessary.
• Ensure the Resilience Pilot Project data is adequately updated in Mercy Corps’ central data platform for program indicators (TolaData).
• Develop program and operational reporting templates that facilitate the acquisition, aggregation, and flow of information in programs.
• Maintain a comprehensive schedule and review project reports to ensure that reports contain accurate, clear, and high-quality data that is presented in the proper format.
• Lead and provide support to response-wide analysis of information, data, and ongoing analyses to inform the learning agenda.
• Work closely with the Project Manager and component coordinators to identify opportunities for in-depth analysis, documentation and learning.
• Initiate opportunities for enhancing analytic capacity within the project teams promoting use of data.
• Regularly document lessons learned, best practices, program data analysis summaries, and evaluations and provide evidence-based information, success stories, case studies and other high quality, results-based documentation.
• Visit project sites and local implementing partners to collect supplementary data, stories and conduct qualitative research both independently and in teams and support partner-organizations with proper documentation and report generation.
• Work with IT staff to maximize the value and utility of technology initiatives for effective MEL.

Supervisory Responsibility

Line Manages: Senior MEL Officers

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Deputy Ukraine Response Director

Works Directly With: Area Manager – Dnipro, Resilience Pilot Project Manager, Crisis Analytics Team, Partnerships Manager, SME Support Coordinator, Agriculture Coordinator, Self-Employment Coordinator, Mercy Corps HQ TSU.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• Academic background or equivalent experience in social science, statistics, international development, economic growth, or another related field.
• Academic or formal training on technologies and M&E will strongly enhance the candidate’s ability to succeed in this job.
• Relevant experience in field survey/data collection techniques, data entry, data verification, analysis, and reporting.
• Good understanding and skills at data management.
• Strong computer literacy with a full knowledge of MS Office applications; knowledge of data science and programming is plus but not required.
• Strong team coordination, listening, and consensus building skills.
• Should understand concepts and demonstrate skills in monitoring and evaluation, results frameworks/program logics, and participatory monitoring.
• Experience with both quantitative and qualitative data collection and reporting techniques.
• Experience with facilitation, capacity building, formal and informal knowledge transfer, partnership strengthening, and empowering staff through opportunities for growth and development.
• Familiarity with data visualization and data analytics.
• Knowledge of statistical analysis software such as Power BI, SPSS, and mobile data collection platforms preferable.
• Experience with digital or technology platforms for program and MEL related activities.
• Strong ability to work across teams.
• Communicates well with remote collaborators.
• Manages multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.
• Full working proficiency in both oral and written English, Ukrainian and Russian (equally important).

Success Factors

The successful candidate will be capable of multi-tasking, rapid decision-making, have initiative, drive and a lot of energy, as well as have high emotional intelligence, constructive communication skills and proven experience with capacity building. They will be committed to long-term program sustainability and the delivery of high-impact activities at the community level. Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority.

A strong team member will be conscientious, with excellent judgement, capable of multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem-solving and attention to detail with strategic vision. They 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, as well as the ability to foster solid working relationships with Mercy Corps staff. Working as part of a team and coordinating with project personnel, as well as strong organizational skills, are essential to this position.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening, and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination based on race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.