MEL Manager (Applications will only be accepted if submitted through the link provided)

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Mercy Corps has been present in the Middle East since the 1980s and currently works in Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. Working in Lebanon since 1993, Mercy Corps is committed to generating positive opportunities for women, men, boys and girls from Lebanese, Syrian, and Palestinian communities, with a strong focus on engaging youth.  Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping build secure, productive and just communities. Our programs focus on four sectors:  Economic Opportunities, Governance and Social Stability, Youth and Humanitarian interventions. The Mercy Corps Lebanon team consists of over 150 staff working across four offices throughout Mount Lebanon, South Lebanon, Tripoli and the Bekaa.

Program Summary

In 2019, Mercy Corps, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), Oxfam in Lebanon and Al Majmoua established the Consortium “Linking Vulnerable Populations and Inclusive Market Networks to Advance Sustainable Economic Development in Lebanon” - or “LINKED” - to contribute to sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic development in Lebanon. DRC is the consortium lead.

With support from European Union’s Madad Trust Fund (MADAD), LINKED intends to deliver an integrated livelihoods package comprising a series of mutually reinforcing and sequenced activities. On the one side, it will aim to ensure vulnerable households have enhanced capacities to identify and pursue decent livelihoods pathways and improve access to employment opportunities for vulnerable job seekers through enhanced marketable skills and linkages with employers. In parallel, it will seek to strengthen capacities of selected local businesses to provide decent, inclusive and sustainable income generation opportunities.

The €14.5 Million programme will be delivered in Bekaa, Tripoli and Mount Lebanon governorates most affected by displacement for a period of 32 months and will target Lebanese vulnerable populations and refugees. The action is designed so that each agency will serve as thematic lead for various elements of each output – DRC for employability, Mercy Corps for Business Support, Oxfam for Advocacy and Decent Work conditions, and Al Majmoua for financial inclusion – while DRC and Mercy Corps will be delivering the bulk of employability and business support activities in their own geographical area of implementation.

General Position Summary

The MEL Manager will provide oversight of program-level monitoring and evaluation activities, ensuring the quality of the program’s MEL activities, information management via the programs reporting system (which may be tied with Mercy Corps’ proprietary TOLA systems), and geographic information systems (GIS), where applicable. The MEL Manager’s role is to also oversee and ensure coordination of the various technical areas across the MEL staff of the program, and other relevant program staff and components. The MEL Manager is responsible for the capacity building and mentoring strategy for program staff on themes related to monitoring, evaluation, accountability, reporting, research and learning. The MEL Manager will ensure that the program is able to make effective, evidence-based decisions and use results-based management, providing lessons learned and recommendations based on program data. The MEL Manager will also oversee programmatic learning agendas, research and evaluations.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Monitoring & Evaluation

• • Set up the MEL system, including all tools and data collection processes for program activities;
  • Develop and review frequently the Project’s MEL Plan including databases, dashboards, data flows, and tool matrices;
  • Plan and lead all MEL activities including the baseline, midterm and final evaluations, and develop standards for data collection;
  • Supervise all contractors/consultants involved in data collection activities, including the baseline, midterm and final evaluation teams, and review their standards for data collection;
  • Train project team members and partners on their MEL responsibilities;
  • Directly manage all program MEL staff in day-to-day MEL activities;
  • Update MEL and program management systems to reflect program progress and needs and enforce proper usage of these systems by program staff;
  • Collect, analyze and validate information and data on the performance indicators;
  • Present data analysis and periodic reporting in consultation with technical staff;
  • Ensure that lessons learned throughout the project are captured and communicated to internal and external stakeholders through appropriate channels;
  • Take on overall responsibility for MEL contributions to program reporting including Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Annual, Final and ad-hoc reports;
  • Address any other task assigned by the Program Manager;

Research & Learning

• • Design and oversee program learning agenda;
  • Design and oversee programmatic research, contributing to Mercy Corps’ evidence base;
  • Contribute to lessons learned meetings;

Data Analysis, Reporting, and Integration of Data into Decision Making

• • Lead and design data collection and analysis systems including baseline, annual, and end line surveys, regular monitoring, data collection and analysis, feedback and reporting;
  • Ensure generation data reports (tables/graphs/reports) from the database at regular intervals, ensuring reports/information are available for program implementation staff as required.
  • Ensure data analysis with program implementation team as requested;
  • Coordinate with field team and partners to implement system corrections and adjustments, solving operational issues and documenting actions taken and next steps;
  • Ensure data analysis and reports are integrated into programmatic decision making to improve impact of the program;
  • Ensure reporting of program achievements on TOLA, Activity Info, and other relevant reporting mechanisms;

Team Management

• • Develop the capacity of the MEL team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development;
  • Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance and reach objectives;
  • Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews;
  • Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence;
  • Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary;

Capacity Building

• Conduct a needs assessment for the partners and determine a M&E training plan and tools to support staff;
• Conduct a needs assessment for coaches and implement an induction on M&E and a training plan to inform coaches about the importance of M&E and how information feeds into the program;
• Develop training material and implement training plan based on the assessment needs and gaps of partners and M&E focal persons;
• Build the capacity of all relevant team members to develop and maintain a robust M&E system;
• Review partner reports and provide feedback and comments to improve reporting quality;
• Adapt existing protocols and plans to mentor and coach colleagues to build their capacity to enable them to develop high quality reports.

Accountability

• Coordinate with the team to build systems that promote beneficiary accountability by ensuring that communities participate in initial assessments and program design;
• Coordinate with program teams to ensure that communities are informed about our programs and what we do, are aware of their entitlements, are comfortable to give feedback and that feedback is used to improve the quality of our programs;
• Ensure all activities are gender sensitive and follow Mercy Corps’ Gender Equity Policy;
• Apply Do No Harm standards to ensure activities do not have detrimental effects on vulnerable communities;
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and not jeopardize its humanitarian mission;
• Other assigned tasks, as necessary.

Organizational Learning 

As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Supervisory Responsibility

2x MEL Officers

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Program Manager

Works Directly With: PAQ Manager, MERL Specialist, Reporting & IM Coordinator

Knowledge and Experience

• • BA/S or equivalent, preferable in social sciences, business administration, public administration or international development or other relevant disciplines required. MA/S in similar relevant fields strongly preferred;
  • At least 4 to 6 years of experience in M&E and/or other relevant fields (research, project management, etc.);
  • Previous experience working with international and/or local NGOs;
  • Advanced computer skills and experience developing data management systems including ONA/KoBo/ODK are required;
  • Extensive experience field survey/data collection techniques, data entry, data verification, and analysis;
  • Strong team capacity building, coordination, listening, and consensus building skills;
  • Ability to prepare clear and concise reports;
  • Ability to manage and meet deadlines and to work independently on multi-task load;
  • Excellent communication and organizational skills;
  • Fluency in written and oral English and Arabic required;
  • Experience in quantitative and qualitative research is an advantage;
  • Experience in statistics and statistical software is an advantage.

Success Factors

The successful MEL Manager will be bright, energetic, hard-working and eager to learn.  S/he will take a deep personal interest in humanitarian and development assistance.  S/he will be attentive to detail and able to carry out assigned tasks in a timely manner and according to a very high standard of quality. S/he will be creative and flexible, contributing to developing and encouraging new and innovative solutions, but at the same time will not have any difficulty in adhering to systems and procedures. S/he will strictly follow all protocols related to safety and security, and holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Mercy Corps’ values.