POSITION SUMMARY: 

 Winrock International is recruiting applicants for the position of a Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Research Advisor for the anticipated U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Protective Education for Girls in Mali Activity. The project will target out-of-school adolescents and youth in Kayes and Bougouni, particularly girls and those affected by conflict and crisis, who do not have access to the safe and equitable learning opportunities needed to strengthen their resilience and contribute to their communities. The purpose of the activity is to increase primary school entry, retention and completion, particularly for girls and learners who have been marginalized due to exposure and/or engagement in the mining industry, with improved foundational skills and social emotional competencies, even in the face of violence, exploitation and abuse. The position is contingent upon receipt of donor funding.   

In coordination with the Chief of Party, the MERL Advisor will design the project’s MERL plan. They will be responsible for the development and day-to-day supervision of a MERL system to track project performance framework, indicators, and targets to measure progress toward project objectives and expected results. The MERL plan may track such data as the enrollment, retention, and completion rates of vulnerable learners, disaggregated by sex, region, and displacement status. The MERL Advisor will ensure quality routine data collection, data entry, data analysis, and timely reporting, under the project Performance Measurement Plan. They will oversee routine data quality assurance exercises and participate as needed in MERL with the focus on improving monitoring systems, data quality, and data use at project sites. Coordinating closely with project staff, partners, and other key stakeholders, the MERL Advisor oversees the analysis, interpretation, and tracking of all program data, as well as documents and disseminates lessons learned, best practices, and other project deliverables. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:  

• Provide technical leadership in the development and updating of the project’s MERL plan 

• Lead day-to-day implementation of all MERL related activities under the project MERL Plan 

• Provide support for the recruitment of consultants and temporary field staff for MERL related activities 

• Contribute to the development of quantitative and qualitative tools and implementation of robust context-appropriate systems for data collection, quality assurance, analysis, and reporting on activity outputs/outcomes and program quality 

• Conduct data collection, entry, verification, analysis, and reporting on actual achievements against set targets, highlighting emerging patterns and offering clear reports on findings and conclusions 

• Operationalize a project collaborative learning and adapting (CLA) approach by leading its implementation as per the MERL plan 

• Ensure data quality, integrity, and security standards and procedures are in place and are aligned with country national monitoring and evaluation guidelines, protocols, information, and reporting systems 

• Oversee and provide technical inputs to all research studies and assessments conducted over the life of the project 

• Engage with partners and local stakeholders to monitor the progress and success of activities 

• Design a reporting system that ensures data flow and utilization and provides insights on activity performance and areas, contributing towards strategic decision-making and project planning with project leadership 

• Work closely with project leadership, including partners and local stakeholders, to develop, implement, and monitor the implementation of a robust learning agenda for continuous learning, collaboration, and adaptation to further the project’s learning agenda 

• Contribute to the development and sharing of information and knowledge products with all relevant stakeholders in a timely manner 

• Contribute to annual workplan preparation in the design of MERL activities. 

QUALIFICATIONS AND BACKGROUND:  

Education: 

• Bachelor’s degree in monitoring and evaluation, education, demography, social science, mathematics, economics, or relevant discipline 

• Significant study in international development and/or program monitoring and evaluation  

Experience: 

• At least 6 years of experience in the design and implementation of MERL in development projects implemented by national/international NGOs, preferably in education 

• Demonstrated understanding of and expertise in USAID funded MERL plans and reporting  

• Demonstrated experience in designing tools for data collection, analysis, and production of reports 

• Demonstrated experience in analyzing data using statistical software 

• Strong quantitative and analytical skills and ability to articulate technical information clearly and effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences 

• Must have demonstrated mentoring and facilitation skills and the ability to network and communicate with a wide range of stakeholders 

• Advanced cross-cultural sensitivity, including experience working and communicating with professional and support staff in a multicultural, multi-linguistic environment; ability to promote an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect 

Other:                   

• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office, including proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint 

• Strong team management skills preferred. 

• Written and spoken fluency in French; English proficiency preferred. 

• Ability to travel to target regions in Mali (in compliance with safety and security restrictions).