Location: Surkhet and Jumla with frequent travel to other program districts

Position Status: Full-time, Regular

Salary Level: O1

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps is expected to begin a new program to enhance food and nutrition security, reduce future humanitarian caseload and improve the resilience of communities to recurrent shocks in the Karnali Province in Nepal, on or around October 1, 2020. The program will be a Multi-Year Emergency Food Security Activity funded by USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Affairs, and implemented in 6 districts (Mugu, Jumla, Kalikot, Surkhet, Achham, and Dailekh, with cluster hubs in Surkhet and Jumla) in the Karnali River Basin area. The new program, called “Building Hope Along the Karnali River Basin (Bhakari)”, is somewhat built upon many of the successes of the Nepal team’s previous Food for Peace program which ended in January 2020, the PAHAL program, but with some new districts and a much heavier emphasis on emergency response. It includes program components of agriculture and market systems, disaster risk reduction, water for productive use, natural resources management, and a large emphasis on a gender, equality and social inclusion approach, all with a highly integrated multi-sectoral approach.

General Position Summary

The Cluster Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Officer will work directly under the Bhakari Senior MEL Officer and work in close coordination with the cluster and district coordinators, thematic experts and the local implementing partner staffs. The main responsibility is to work with 3 implementing partners (local NGOs) to execute the program monitoring, evaluating and learning agenda at the respective cluster level and support Bhakari MEL team to monitor/ track progress, evaluate, document and disseminate the results. 

Essential Job Responsibilities

Under the supervision of Senior MEL Officer, the Cluster MEL Officer will work very closely with the MIS Officer and the Community Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM) Officer to execute monitoring, evaluation, and learning functions at the cluster and district levels. They will be responsible for supervising partner NGOs M&E Officers to assist on data collection, data entry, progress tracking, record keeping, and local NGO M&E capacity development. The specific duties and responsibilities of the Cluster MEL Officer include, but are not limited to, the following:

Strategic Leadership

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Provide support to cluster and district offices in aspects of MEL.

MEL Support to Central Team

• Participate in and contribute to Bhakari MEL strategy and work plan including development and update of MEL documents such as indicator performance tracking table (IPTT), Performance Indicator Reference Sheet (PIRS), training manuals/guidelines, surveys and assessments etc.
• Document field procedures in English and Nepali for internal records, sharing with a broader audience, and as instructional guides for district-level implementers
• Support in organizing review and reflect sessions at both center and field level. 

MEL Support to Cluster Team

• Review and provide approval of monitoring data from the partner NGOs.
• Support Sr. MEL Officer and the cluster team to access information, interpret monitoring results, and use information to manage activities.
• Support CARM Officer to ensure smooth operation of CARM activities and reporting.
• Support MIS officer in design and implementation of Bhakari database at the cluster and district level.

 MEL Support to partner NGO Team

• Provide backstopping and guidance to partner NGO M&E staff to effectively monitor, evaluate, learn, and report.
• Conduct capacity building of district level partner staff on MEL concepts and activities through designing and delivering formal trainings.
• Supervise partner M&E staff on data collection and entry tools, processes.
• With the Sr. MEL Officers and Thematic Officers, lead training of district staff on data validation Process. Ensure data validation processes are followed. Conduct spot checks with staff to validate data in the field and review data before sending to cluster.
• Act as a focal point of the allocated cluster; for any monitoring, evaluation and support requirements.

Managing the Bhakari MEL System

• Support the Senior MEL Officer on the documentation of Bhakari MEL processes, forms and formats.
• Provide feedback to the Bhakari cluster and central team on the Bhakari MEL systems to enhance functionality and efficiency.
• Ensure global standards for quality program monitoring and evaluation are followed and adopted by cluster team and local NGO team.
• Conduct regular quality checks and field visits are made to program activities, providing feedback and recommendations to relevant parties.
• Orient and support staff on ensuring program and data quality.
• Support in coordinating the baseline and final evaluation, Post distribution monitoring along with other key evaluation and research activities.
• Support in documentation including data collection for the development of case studies and success stories.
• Coordinate reporting with implementing and district level partners, specifically tracking deadlines; ensuring adherence to formats and requirements; ensuring reporting quality and accuracy; and periodic report writing, editing, and submission.
• Share compiled data with and from districts as needed for reporting to USAID and information sharing with stakeholders, as requested.
• Maintain coordination with the partner NGO M&E staff to ensure monitoring data collection processes in the district level are up-to-date and followed.
• Ensure smooth implementation and reporting of Bhakari’s CARM system at district and cluster level

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members and community operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Accountability to Programs Participants

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our programs participants and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging participating communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
• 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.

Others

• Ensure proper integration of safeguarding and GESI aspects into MEL planning and implementation.
• Mercy Corps as a humanitarian agency is expected to respond as and when crisis and humanitarian situation engulfs. As an MC employee all staff are expected to be part of humanitarian and emergency response in addition to their regular roles and responsibilities.
• Conduct themselves both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and not to jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
• Other duties as assigned by Supervisor and or Country Director.

Supervisory Responsibility: Responsible for managing partner NGO M&E staff

Accountability

Reports Directly to: Bhakari Sr. MEL Officer

Works Directly with: Bhakari MEL team, District and Cluster Coordinators, Technical Managers and Partner NGOs staff as required.

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor degree in Social Science, Management, Agriculture, Livelihood, DRR or any related discipline.
• 3 years of experience in development field with at least 2 years’ experience in monitoring, evaluation and learning.
• Good understanding and skills at data management.
• Strong computer skill with a full knowledge of MS office applications including Nepali and English typing.
• Good oral and written English skills.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Strong team coordination, listening, consensus building skills and learning attitude.
• Previous experience of building M&E capacity (providing support in developing training tools, training, coaching and mentoring) is highly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a multi-cultural setting with a wide variety of partners and stakeholders.
• Good writing skills to prepare reports, complete analyses and make presentations. 

Success Factors

A successful candidate will have demonstrated skills and experience in building and maintaining partner relationships and ability to communicate effectively with team members of varied work styles and cultures, follow procedures, and meet deadlines with flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving. They will have a proven ability to; learn quickly, multi-task, prioritize, take initiative, and be accountable for results, understand the larger picture while remaining focused on the details, problem solving, work within a complex and sensitive setting and to follow laws and security protocols. Cluster MEL Officer should develop a strong understanding of program logic and should be able to express and document their ideas clearly and convincingly. The most successful candidate has a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

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 world’s 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. 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.

Shortlisting will be done on the basis of your answers while applying, please answer the questions carefully. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Telephone enquiries will not be entertained.