MEL Manager - FORSA II (Applications will only be accepted if submitted through the URL link provided below)

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long-term impact.

The Program / Department / Team

The “Fostering Resilience by Strengthening Abilities” FORSA II program is a 6.5 million Euros three-and-a-half-year (December 2019 - May 2023) program focusing on the nexus between education and employment. The program targets youth between the ages of 16-34 from Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian families, with a specific focus on women and girls in the target areas. The overall objective is that women and youth are supported to access education and employment in targeted areas in the Bekaa and South. 

The primary objectives of the program are that:

1. Youth from all targeted communities have improved market-driven skills as a result of better-quality training systems;
2. Job placement systems provide equitable and sustainable access to jobs for targeted populations.
3. Male and female youth have improved pathways to self-employment.

The Position

The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Manager will provide oversight of program-level monitoring, evaluation and learning activities, ensuring the quality of the program’s MEL activities, and information management via the programs reporting system (which may be tied with Mercy Corps’ proprietary TOLA systems). The MEL Manager’s role is also to 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 Responsibilities

Monitoring & Evaluation

• • Set up the MEL system, including logframe, all tools and data collection processes for program activities;
  • Develop and continuously review 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, analyse and validate information and data on the performance indicators on a regular basis;
  • Present data analysis and periodic reporting in consultation with program 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

• • Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary;
  • 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;

Capacity Building

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

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 jeopardise its humanitarian mission;
• Other assigned tasks, as necessary.

Supervisory Responsibility

MEL coordinator

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Programme Manager

Works Directly With: FORSA II Programme team, MC Support Departments (MEL, HR, Finance, Operations), other employment programming within Mercy Corps Lebanon

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• 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;
• 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;
• Sense of humour and strong team spirit;
• Knowledge of Mercy Corps MEL systems is a plus;

Success Factors

A successful candidate will have a passion for supporting and facilitating the success of freelancers and believes in the potential of remote working. S/he will have a proven ability to learn quickly, take initiative, and be accountable for results. A strong asset would be her/his ability to test and propose new creative ideas, with a forward-driven mentality that is solution-oriented and optimistic. Ability to work independently and as part of a team, with curiosity about and sensitivity to new cultures, a desire and ability to learn and grow, both personally and professionally, and a great sense of humour.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. 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.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Beirut, Lebanon it requires up to 60% of local field movements to various regions in the country, with the possibility to support other country offices and which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. Housing for this role is in individual housing and staff will have access to good medical services and the living situation is of a high standard.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organisations 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 organisation 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 e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.