MEL and CLA Director – USAID Niger Non-formal Education Activity

Overview

Background: Creative Associates International is a fast-growing, social impact company that specializes in the areas of education, economic growth, democratic transitions, and stabilization in post-conflict environments. Based in Chevy Chase, Maryland, this global development organization has a field presence is more than 25 countries and a strong client portfolio of that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department.Since its founding in 1977 by four enterprising women, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike.

Position Summary: Creative Associates seeks a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)/Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) Director the anticipated USAID Niger Non-Formal Education Activity, which will target out-of-school adolescents and youth, particularly girls and those affected by conflict and crisis, who do not have access to safe, equitable, and contextually relevant learning opportunities needed to strengthen their resilience and contribute to their communities. The MEL Director will be responsible for establishing and implementing an effective system to monitor progress, impacts, and successes of project activities and performance at all levels. The MEL Director will also monitor all grant activities and sub-grantees and ensure that the project complies with USAID performance reporting requirements. S/he will conduct impact assessments, baseline studies, surveys and need assessments to identify necessary changes and future project opportunities. The MEL Director will lead CLA activities and provide expert guidance to the Project’s Chief of Party (COP) and Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) to inform decision-making processes and adaptive management. Additionally, as the project has a strong MEL component, the MEL Director will be providing MEL technical assistance to project beneficiaries and stakeholders specifically on situation analysis, SMART indicators (output and outcome), indicator reference sheets, data collection protocols, data use strategies, reporting and results-based management best practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead overall design, monitoring, and implementation of the project’s MEL and CLA Plan

• Makes operational decisions and manages the various components of the program dealing with MEL;

• Design and lead program CLA efforts;

• Manages data collection, analysis and reporting on performance indicators by project team members and project counterparts;

• Develops the Project Management Plan setting out specific quantifiable performance indicators and targets for overall objectives and activities and establishing monitoring systems to measure project progress;

• Develop quarterly technical and financial reports; and

• Utilizes critical inputs, feedback, and assessments from evaluation partners to inform changes in program approaches and scale-up.

Qualifications

• Minimum of a master’s degree in social sciences, economics, international development, evaluation research, statistics, or a related field;

• At least 7 years of experience in designing, managing and implementing results-based MEL activities; experience on education projects preferred;

• Experience on donor-funded projects required, USAID experience preferred;

• Experience analyzing quantitative and qualitative data;

• Experience working with an international development organization and knowledge of reporting procedures, best practices, guidelines and tools for monitoring and evaluation, especially impact evaluation;

• Demonstrated experience in applying CLA principles in complex development programs; and

• Fluency in written and spoken French required; Professional proficiency in English desirable.

PI207922210

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