FHI 360 is currently recruiting for the position of Strategic Learning Advisor for an anticipated USAID-funded integrated activity to improve livelihoods outcomes for Congolese youth, particularly young women and those from marginalized and underrepresented backgrounds USAID Jeunesse Etoile, a five-year $25.5 million USD, will enhance inclusive workforce development, particularly for marginalized and underrepresented populations, resulting in improved social mobility and economic livelihoods. The result will be measurable improvement in livelihoods and social wellbeing. The primary outcomes will focus on the acquisition and use of workforce readiness skills and other short-term livelihoods with a pro-poor approach to reach those most in need. This activity will particularly serve people with disabilities, single mothers, sexual violence survivors. These populations, and particularly girls and women within them, are among the most marginalized and underserved in the DRC context.
Job Summary:
The Strategic Learning Advisor will be responsible for establishing and managing the project’s overall monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (MERL) system, tracking all progress made towards meeting Activity results, indicators, and targets, ensuring that they are being consistently and systematically tracked, reported and disseminated. Under the supervision of the Activity Director, the Advisor will work closely with the project team to design appropriate strategies and mechanisms to ensure that learning is captured and used to inform high quality integrated interventions and adaptations to support young women and other marginalized groups of Congolese youth including single mothers, people with disabilities and sexual violence survivors. The Advisor will oversee the capacity building efforts for staff, implementing partners, local partners and other ETOILE stakeholders who will utilize data and report to the project for M&E purposes.
The Advisor will manage the Activity Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Plan (AMELP), learning agenda, and design and implementation of the MEL system. The Advisor will also lead on the gathering, analysis, and reporting of data and the integration of feedback and adjustments into project planning and implementation. The Advisor will report to the Jeunesse Etoile Activity Director and oversee the MERL team.
The position will be based in Kinshasa, DRC. Employment is contingent upon successful award of the project to FHI 360, as well as USAID approval of the finalist.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Lead the development and oversee implementation of Jeunesse Etoile Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Activities, including the development and execution of the Activity Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan (AMELP).
In coordination with Activity leadership, select and define indicators, work with project staff to set targets for all indicators, plan data collection activities, and analyze data to measure the results of the project and achievement of strategic objectives of USAID.
Manage the design and implementation of continuous and / or end-of-project evaluations, surveys and other components of the monitoring and evaluation system.
Develop monitoring activities that capture necessary data to report on program results.
Utilize rapid feedback loops to inform adaptive programming and strategy for beneficiary feedback collection.
Support the development and implementation of high-quality quantitative and qualitative methods and participatory methodologies to control the quality of the program in terms of performance and results; design appropriate feedback mechanisms to assess whether the approaches implemented by the project are effective.
Provide technical assistance, training and mentoring to partners and grantees in the implementation of the monitoring and evaluation system, ensuring application of high-quality MEL activities and data collection.
Conduct regular visits to field sites to provide assistance and ensure proper monitoring of project activities.
Communicate information obtained through MERL activities to project staff, as well as USAID and partners.
Produce high quality and timely MERL reports for the project, FHI 360, and USAID, including documentation of successes, data analysis for indicator aggregation and reporting, summary of qualitative results, etc.
Supervise assigned MEL staff, as appropriate.
Plan the collection and analysis of relevant data and assist in the collection and analysis of sex- disability and age-disaggregated data. Regularly review data collection processes, perform data quality assessments, and make adjustments as needed.
Work with the technical team to develop Jeunesse Etoile learning agenda and support the technical team with adaptive learning strategies for innovative and effective programming. Serve as the lead to for the project’s CLA approach and activities.
Review and provide input to project work plans, with attention to building in learning to technical activities and operations.
Write, coordinate, and disseminate lessons learned among team and program partners.
Responsible for ensuring the timely and quality completion of MERL-related deliverables and reports, in accordance with USAID guidelines and AMELP requirements.
Required Qualifications:
Bachelor's Degree in international development, statistics, public policy, political science, demographics, or related field required; advanced degree preferred.
At least 8 years of experience related to monitoring, evaluating, learning, and reporting on international development programs, including demonstrated experience in developing and implementing monitoring, evaluation, and learning plans and/or researching protocol on international programs in DRC required; experience on youth programs preferred.
Knowledge on how to develop strategies for constant feedback loops, learning check-ins, monitoring, and assessment of development programs including beneficiary feedback planning and implementation mechanisms and experience with these approaches.
Knowledge of and experience with a range of approaches to performance monitoring and research in areas including design, instrument development, sampling design, data collection, data analysis, and dissemination.
The incumbent must have 5 to 8 years of similar relevant management, supervisory, technical experience working with activities that are of a similar scope and scale in DRC.
Demonstrated expertise in rigorous quantitative and qualitative research and analytical methods.
Excellent report writing, analytical, and communication skills, including oral presentation skills.
Prior experience in mobile data collection software and database management preferred.
Knowledge of USAID rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
Proven ability to set up a solid monitoring system to assess the fidelity of the implementation and the effectiveness of the program and use this data for adaptive project management.
Familiarity with innovative MEL methods that can be effective in remote areas with little resources.
Understanding of gender equality and social inclusion considerations for the DRC context preferred.
Experience providing mentorship and support to MEL field staff.
Experience designing and implementing surveys and other data collection tools.
Experience working on programs focused on youth, gender, workforce development, social inclusion, skills building and sexual and reproductive health preferred.
Strong knowledge of, and commitment to, gender and social inclusion and equity.
Experience serving in monitoring, evaluation, research and learning roles on integrated youth programming strongly preferred.
Proven ability to develop relationships and coordinate with a wide array of stakeholders including women’s groups, health services providers, disabled persons organizations, youth-serving and youth-led organizations, private sector, civil society, and non-governmental organizations.
Verbal and written fluency in French required.
English required; Lingala, Swahili, and other common languages in DRC preferred.
This job posting summarizes the main duties of the job. It neither prescribes nor restricts the exact tasks that may be assigned to carry out these duties. This document should not be construed in any way to represent a contract of employment. Management reserves the right to review and revise this document at any time.
FHI 360 is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer whereby we do not engage in practices that discriminate against any person employed or seeking employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.
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