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.
Program / Department Summary
Mercy Corps works to alleviate poverty, suffering, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. Mercy Corpsโ is committed to improve program performance and quality through Standards, Service, and Evidence. The agency operates programs in over 40 countries around the world. The HQ MEL Team of Mercy Corps consists of MEL Officers, MEL Advisors, Senior MEL Advisors, Senior MEL Technical Leads and a MEL Senior Director. The MEL Team of Mercy Corps supports both foundational and cutting-edge adaptive management approaches with design, monitoring, evaluation and learning functions as key processes and benchmarks to ensure evidence-based decision making for quality program implementation.
The MEL Teamโs work includes, but is not limited to, the provision of technical MEL support to programs, the integration of MEL technologies at all stages of the data lifecycle, implementation of learning mechanisms and platforms, implementation of and support for data quality assessments, the development of global MEL standards and good practices, and support with agency-level reporting. A major focus area of the MEL team is the implementation of Mercy Corpsโ MEL and Program Management policies. The team works across a wide spectrum of stakeholders both internal and external to Mercy Corps, as well as diverse technical program approaches and sectors.
General Position Summary
The MEL Advisor works with the MEL team to collectively support programโs by helping improve Mercy Corps monitoring, evaluation and learning practices across multiple program types and sectors.
MEL Advisors work primarily - though not exclusively - at a program level (vs portfolio/mission level) by providing direct support on program design, field monitoring, evaluation, learning, accountability; data and knowledge management; team capacity building; and resource and tool development. Thus, the advisor provides direct technical assistance across all phases of the program life cycle to field teams as needed, liaise with internal stakeholder teams, contribute to external representation.
Essential Job Responsibilities
MONITORING EVALUATION, LEARNING TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO PROGRAMS (65%)
- Resource improvement, testing and socialization: Contribute to the review and update of existing Mercy Corps MEL tools and approaches as well as development and testing of new resources. Socialize these resources through communications and demonstrations with the country programs.
- Capacity building: Contribute to building capacity, coaching, and mentoring MEL, and program staff on how to apply MEL best practices within their contexts and how to use certain tools and assure donor requirements are met. This includes substantial work in revising and/or developing our โMEL Instituteโ facilitated and self-administered, online M&E courses.
- TA on MEL Policy and Standards: Provide technical support and oversight to assigned programs in meeting Mercy Corpsโ agency-level MEL standards as articulated in the MEL policy.
- TA to programs: Support programs as they conduct baselines, mid-term and final evaluations, Final Internal Performance Reviews (FIPRs), and developing standards for data collection, using programmatic data for decision-making and others. As the MEL Advisorโs technical competency and experience grows, they will support more complex M&E systems and data analysis.
- Assess evaluability of programs through TolaData: reviewing programsโ - as entered in TolaData - to assess how well a program can both monitor and assess their performance given their selection of indicators, targets, reporting periods, results framework and their indicator plans.
IMPROVEMENTS TO - AND USE OF TOLADATA (15%)
- TolaData is Mercy Corpsโ inhouse platform program indicators, and is continuously being upgraded. The MEL Advisor will participate with all MEL team members in identification of needed TolaData upgrades as well as testing those upgrades and communicating with our global staff when there are new releases. As such MEL Advisors are expected to quickly become TolaData power users.
- The MEL advisor will work closely with the MEL team to develop SOPs and tools to conduct quality assurance checks of data. She or he will use TolaData for periodic (program) performance assessments independent of โ or as part of โ mid-term reviews, final internal performance reviews (FIPR) or final evaluations.
- Train Mercy Corps staff around the world in TolaData.
NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (10%)
- Support proposal development teams by reviewing and drafting MEL plans and indicator tables, as well as ensuring compliance with donor requirements.
- Serve as a proposal reviewer for MEL-related sections.
- Help package MEL products, such as Post Distribution Monitoring (PDM), and promote their incorporation in new and emerging technical proposals.
POLICY, ADVOCACY AND REPRESENATIONS (5%)
- Represent Mercy Corps at conferences, media forums, and other events.
- Contribute to Mercy Corpsโ MEL-Related Communities of Practice (CoP)
- Conduct internal webinars intended to strengthen technical skills of MEL team members.
- Cultivate and maintain working relationships with partnerโs MEL staff.
Supervisory Responsibility: The MEL Advisor has no supervisory responsibility.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: HQโs Senior Technical Lead/MEL
Works Directly With: All HQ and Regional MEL team members on a regular basis. works directly with MEL team members at country and program level as needed. Works with other Mercy Corps teams under the supervision of more senior HQ MEL team members.
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.
Required Skills, Experience & Competencies
Applications are open for candidates from diverse backgrounds, including those with field experience in governmental organizations, NGO not-for-profits, or in the private sector provided they have the transferable skills needed in the field of project monitoring and evaluation. With a focus on professional success, we will provide comprehensive training to align with Mercy Corps' specific requirements and programs, with the aim of enhancing existing skills for a seamless transition into the role of Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning Advisor.
- 3 years of field-based experience developing and managing an M&E system in programs similar to those which Mercy Corps implements, along with a Bachelor's degree (BA/BS) or its equivalent in a discipline that demonstrates advanced level qualitative and/or quantitative skills in analyzing information and data.
OR
- 5 years of field-based experience developing and managing an M&E system in programs similar to those which Mercy Corps implements, along with a Bachelor's degree (BA/BS) or its equivalent in a discipline that demonstrates intermediate level qualitative and/or quantitative skills in analyzing information and data.
AND
- English proficiency (reading, writing, spoken)
- Demonstrated experience using qualitative and/or quantitative data analysis software (such as Stata, R, SPSS and/or MaxQDA, NVIVO, Atlas-TI but there are others)
- Demonstrated experience using mobile data collection technologies such as Commcare or an ODK-based platform such as Ona.
- Experience using PowerBI, Tableau, or similar visualization software
- Relevant experience that demonstrates the candidate's ability to effectively perform the essential job responsibilities outlined in this job description.
Prioritized Skills (although not required, will be considered a plus)
French and/or Spanish proficiency (reading, spoken), with the capacity to handle professional and technical subjects within the scope of this job description.
Desired Skills, Experience, & Competencies
- Experience with project management (private, for-profit not-for-profit, and/or public sector)
- Experience developing quantitative study instruments for large surveys, baselines, etc.
- Experience developing qualitative study instruments for formative research
- Experience using project management software such as Smartsheet, MS Project or similar Experience with M&E requirements for donors including, at least, USAID, DFID, and Foundations.
Success Factors
The success in the MEL Advisor role hinges on a blend of design, strategy, sharp analytics, and proficient data handling, supported by adept report writing and engaging presentation skills. A curious and creative mindset, coupled with unwavering attention to detail and resilience, underscores a purpose-driven commitment to driving sustainable impact and fostering positive change.
The successful candidate will have the ability to work comfortably and effectively across a diverse portfolio. MEL Advisors are excellent communicators, multi-taskers, able to work in ambiguous situations, able to work remotely with a geographically disbursed team and must be team players with a positive attitude toward problem solving and conflict resolution.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position requires between 30% and 50% travel annually, sometimes to hardship locations across the globe and for durations of time up to 4 weeks (although 2 weeks is most typical). Care is taken to give MEL Advisorโs enough time in advance to prepare for their absence and allow them sufficient time between assignments.
Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside 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.
Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corpsโ vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.
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 worldโs 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 on the basis of 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.
As a safeguarding measure, Mercy Corps screens all potential US-Based employees. This is done following the conclusion of recruitment and prior to assuming full employment.
Our screening process is designed to be transparent and completed in partnership with new Team Members. You will have the opportunity to disclose any prior convictions at the conclusion of the recruitment process before the check is initiated. We ask that you do not disclose any prior convictions in your application materials or during the recruitment process.
Covid-19 Vaccine Policy for US-Based Employees.
Mercy Corps has determined that, in an effort to protect the health, safety, and well-being of all Mercy Corps employees working in the United States, all U.S.-based employees must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, regardless of prior COVID-19 infection status. This policy is necessary to ensure not only the safety of our workforce, but the ongoing functionality of the organization.
This policy will be revised as needed to comply with federal, state, and local requirements, and to respond to changing guidance from public health authorities.
For new employees this requirement goes into effect within 10 business days of employment. Team members that travel are expected to comply with host-country requirements, including vaccinations. Failure to comply may impact your employment. Proof of vaccination or exemption must be provided.
- 5 years of field-based experience developing and managing an M&E system in programs similar to those which Mercy Corps implements, along with a Bachelor's degree (BA/BS) or its equivalent in a discipline that demonstrates intermediate level qualitative and/or quantitative skills in analyzing information and data.
- 3 years of field-based experience developing and managing an M&E system in programs similar to those which Mercy Corps implements, along with a Bachelor's degree (BA/BS) or its equivalent in a discipline that demonstrates advanced level qualitative and/or quantitative skills in analyzing information and data.