The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center is inviting applications for the role of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Specialist to be part of our global mission.
This is a regionally recruited position; therefore, individuals with experience in the MENA region and relevant abilities from diverse locations around the world are encouraged to apply. The successful candidate can be based in Egypt or Sri Lanka.
The MEL Specialist - will lead the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning components of the Water Resilience Tracker, Al Murunah and other selected and recently approved FCDO projects. The primary focus of the incumbent’s work will be associated MEL delivery on specific assigned projects under FCDO portfolio (currently secured and incoming). Over time, they contribute to other projects with themes related to water resilience, nature-based solutions, climate change adaptation, agricultural water management, gender transformational change, and fragile, conflict-affected, and human migration settings.
The MEL Specialist will support the relevant teams by leading the development and implementation of MEL systems in line with donor requirements and will contribute to project impact evaluation objectives. The person will manage relevant partner relationships and address MEL questions from the IWMI team as well as implementing agencies and partners. The MEL Specialist is expected to be a strong team player who can carry out daily MEL tasks and communicate with local partners and project stakeholders in line with relevant cultural contexts and at the same time also ensure quality delivery of various knowledge products in a timely manner.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
- In collaboration with the project team (IWMI and partners as relevant), develop, implement, and revise as required comprehensive MEL systems including the incorporation of indicators in consultation with the projects’ donor, FCDO. In more detail, this includes:
- Design of project Theory of Change (ToC) and associated key performance indicators covering both donor compliance and important project indicators to understand program quality and performance,
- Design of baseline/midline/endline tools and methodology and periodic measurement tools covering both qualitative and quantitative progress tracking systems highlighting program quality, program outcomes and impact measurement (where relevant).
- Support development of program minimum standards and monitoring systems.
- Support development of project and portfolio knowledge management systems to capture progress and achievements (linked to clear communications /advocacy and influence strategies)
- Developing indicators, tools and systems for assessing sustainability and scalability of project approaches.
- Lead FCDO-mandated quarterly, bi-annual, and annual MEL reporting requirements, including aspects related to Value for Money assessments.
- Guide, oversee, and undertake quality assurance for project partners’ implementation of the established MEL systems and upskill as necessary.
- Ensure partners have aligned MEL systems and processes to enable appropriate and timely reporting against progress on project indicators.
- Set up an indicator tracker that is updated regularly in order to provide status updates to management to support decision-making and adaptive management
- Coordinate uniform (and country-specific) monitoring activities across project countries in order to be able to provide adequate reporting on outputs, outcomes, and impacts achieved, as well as identification of lessons learned to support project effectiveness as well as contribute to project outcomes
- Provide regular training for staff, and as needed partners, on the use of tools, trackers and additional updates from donors
- Support monitoring of project environmental and social impact mitigation measures and project safeguarding compliance.
- Produce project-derived impact stories, implementation guidance, and comparable knowledge outputs.
- Provide sound and pragmatic judgment and assistance to project leads and coordinators on appropriate documents, organize and capture project progress, measure achievements against targets
- Work closely with staff on developing case studies, blogs, lessons learned documents, as well as relevant 'pause and reflect' activities which support shifts in focus and attention.
Requirements
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:
Essential,
- Master’s degree in Agriculture, Water Resources Management, Geography, Economics, Gender Studies, Sociology, Administration, Information Management, Project Management, Finance or a closely related discipline.
- Minimum of 10 years of MEL experience in activities related to climate change adaptation.
- Additional qualifications in MEL and/or over 05 years of experience in MEL assignments in the MENA region and wider.
- Proven record of high-quality reporting and experience with data visualization software (Tableau or other) and data analysis and data management techniques.
- Experience with working on large donor-funded projects, preferably FCDO-funded.
- experience in facilitating joint analysis and sense making of program performance and impact data to inform project design/ adaptations and distil recommendations about project effectiveness, efficiencies and impact.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:
Essential,
- Professional familiarity with:
- Water resource and agricultural water resource management in the MENA region and wider.
- Formal frameworks (preferably FCDO’s) for gender, equity, and social inclusion – and specifically “gender transformational objectives”.
- Fragile, vulnerable, conflict-affected, and human migration contexts.
- Working knowledge of applied research for development project implementation (especially related to climate change adaptation), and associated MEL techniques and practices.
- Independent and critical scientific thought including a sound understanding of MEL systems, indicator development, and how they relate to Theories of Change and Log frames as well as their relationship to impact evaluation.
- Strong quantitative survey and qualitative data collection and analysis skills.
- Good interpersonal skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships both in person and remotely with people in a multicultural and multi-disciplinary environment, with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
- Ability to work in a team and excellent organizational skills, with a proven ability to manage multiple competing priorities under strict deadlines with minimal supervision.
- Ability to effectively establish priorities, and plan, organize, implement and monitor work activities with limited supervision.
- Fluent command of spoken and written English.
- Willingness to travel nationally or regionally at semi-regular intervals or for extended durations (up to 10% of time).
- Skills to select, organize, and present appropriate information in a concise and coherent manner and to relate such information to broad areas of development and policy.
Desirable,
- Knowledge of international development and humanitarian assistance concepts, approaches, programs and issues.
- Knowledge of gender-based violence prevention concepts, approaches, and issues.
- Fluent command of spoken and written French & Arabic.
Benefits
This is a regionally recruited position with a competitive salary, an attractive retirement plan, comprehensive international health insurance, life insurance accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, and long-term disability coverage. Regionally recruited staff who are employed at a duty station outside of their home base/country of nationality will also receive relocation assistance, a housing allowance, home-leave plane tickets for self and eligible dependents and education assistance for eligible dependents. The duration of the contract will initially be for a period of two years.
HOW TO APPLY: Apply for the position by following the application instructions at www.iwmi.org/jobs. We will be accepting applications through 24:00 (IST) on November 13, 2024 (applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis). Your application must include a CV, cover letter, and three (3) references, which may be contacted if you are shortlisted. Receipt of all applications will be acknowledged, but only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
IWMI believes that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. We offer a multi-cultural, multi-color, multi-generational and multi-disciplinary working environment. We are consciously creating an inclusive organization that reflects our global character and our commitment to gender equity. We, therefore, encourage applicants from all cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, and gender identities.
