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

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

Funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Mercy Corps has been implementing the “3amaly” project in Lebanon since November 2018. 3amaly is an integrated project designed to improve livelihood opportunities for women and youth (aged 15-34) from (1) Tripoli, in the North Lebanon Governorate; (2) Saida in the South Governorate; (3) Lower Chouf in the adjacent Mount Lebanon Governorate; and (4) the city of Nabatiyeh in the Nabatiyeh Governorate. The ultimate outcome of this project is increased valuation of women and youth for their active economic role within their households and communities.

The program, which will come to an end in March 2023 has now entered its critical close-out phase, which includes documentation of key lessons learned and final evaluation (management of consultant team, oversight of data collection, review of report), as well as critical reporting functions (Activity Info, indicator tracking, annual report). This is why the program is now looking to recruit a MEL & Reporting Coordinator.

The project is implemented through three integrated approaches, each with its own set of outcomes, with a heavy emphasis on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Under the "Skills Building" component, Mercy Corps aims to improve technical and employability skills for young men and women by providing them with gender-responsive market-driven vocational and employability training in partnership with the private sector and facilitating work-based learning (WBL) placements. Under the "Business Support" component, the project aims to create employment opportunities for women and young women and men by improving the capacity of existing (operating for more than one year) nano, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (NMSMEs). Under the "women’s economic empowerment (WEE)" component, the 3amaly project aims to reduce barriers to entrepreneurship, employment, and/or employability faced by women and youth, particularly young women.

General Position Summary

The MEL Manager will contribute to the quality assurance of program implementation and ensure that the program is meeting its deliverables, as well as developing tools and reports to demonstrate the impact and results of program implementation. The MEL Manager will be responsible for supporting Mercy Corps staff to regularly collect, enter, verify, and analyze data and work with the MEL team to make timely adjustments to measure the impact of Mercy Corps’ programs and to ensure M&E data are accurately incorporated into all organizational reports and information products. They will ensure the collection and analysis of useful, timely and actionable information for managers and decision-makers, and contribute to the frequent review, reflection and key learning processes to improve performance, with a focus on the final deliverables of the program.

Given the timeline, the MEL Manager will be asked to be a critical leading role on the final evaluation and close out of the program, including documentation of final program performance review, key lessons learnt and success stories, which will feed into reporting and development of new interventions.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Maintain the program Commcare data collection and management system;
• Work with program teams to integrate MEL into ongoing program planning and implementation systems and ensure adherence to Mercy Corps MEL minimum standards;
• Assist with the development of appropriate monitoring, tracking and reporting systems, tools and templates that enhance monitoring of program outputs and quality, generate quality evidence on program impact and promote and ensure use of data for decision-making processes;
• Assist the program team to develop and promote the use of standard indicators, tools and forms (as appropriate) and MEL practices across the program and coordinate the collection of information required for country-level management;
• Coordinate assessments and evaluations;
• Ensure that monitoring plans are developed for the remaining period of program and ensure that regular monitoring visits are conducted by MEL staff to the different program locations, ensure that minimum standards are being met, and that reports are shared with the program teams;
• Work with the program team to gather success stories and anecdotal evidence of program impact to share for outreach and with donors.
• With support from the PaQ team, oversee the work of the final external evaluation team, by inputting on their deliverables and following up with them on the submitted workplan and deliverables.

Data Analysis and Reporting

• Design, facilitate and support data collection and analysis systems, including baseline, midline, and end line surveys, regular monitoring, data collection and analysis, feedback and reporting;
• Generate data reports (tables/graphs/reports) from the database at regular intervals, ensuring reports/information are available for program implementation staff as required;
• Facilitate data analysis with program implementation team as requested;
• Conduct regular field visits to ensure all elements of the data system are being utilized effectively, assessing and identifying breakdowns and areas that require clarifications and improvements;
• Coordinate with field team to implement system corrections and adjustments, solving operational issues and documenting actions taken and next steps;
• Work with program teams to ensure data analysis and reports are integrated into programmatic decision-making to improve impact of the program;
• Contribute to monthly reports and other ad hoc reports to meet donor and internal requirements;
• Report program achievements on TOLA, Activity Info, and other relevant reporting mechanisms.
• Compile and maintain a database of the status of program reporting;
• Communicate timelines for inputs and review of reports, and help ensure adherence to key calendar deadlines through regular deadline reminders and escalating late reports as appropriate;
• Gather inputs from Component Leads, Program Manager, and M&E staff, operations, and finance teams as necessary as basis for drafting and editing reports;
• Compile monthly and quarterly reports from all components;
• Ensure finalized reports are available on the shared server;
• Work closely with Component Leads and other program staff to identify and produce compelling success stories.

Capacity Building

• Build the capacity of all relevant team members to develop and maintain a robust MEL system;
• Adapt existing protocols and plans to mentor and coach colleagues to build their capacity to enable them to develop high quality reports.

Database Management

• Manage the program database that improves the program’s ability to inform program implementation, analyze data, and represent impact to key stakeholders;
• Contribute to understanding of and support for mobile data collection hardware and software, including Commcare and Power BI;

• Ensure all relevant program staff are able to utilize the database to analyze program information and results;
• Review data being collected in order to locate and fix problems with data entry or integrity;
• Document database contents, protocols and update manuals for smooth functioning of the data management system;
• Manage regular synchronizations of data;
• Troubleshoot front and back end issues with the database, including any synchronization issues with field-level data entry.

Accountability

• 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 that Mercy Corps’ Community Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM) is clearly communicated to program beneficiaries, and that the hotline numbers are visible to end beneficiaries throughout the program;
• 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: Director of Programs

Works Directly With: ,, PaQ unit, GESI Advisor, Sr WEE Coordinator, Skills Coordinator.

Knowledge and Experience

• • BA/S or equivalent, preferable in social sciences, business administration, public administration, international development or other relevant disciplines;
  • At least three years of expeirence in development and humanitarian programming.

• • M&E and/or other relevant experience;
  • Fluent in both spoken and written Arabic and English;
  • Previous experience working with international and/or local NGOs;
  • Extensive experience in field survey/data collection techniques, data entry, data verification, management and analysis;
  • Advanced computer skills and experience using data management systems including Commcare/ONA/KoBo/ODK are strongly preferred;
  • Excellent reporting skills;
  • Strong coordination, listening, and consensus building skills.

Success Factors

The successful MEL Manager will be bright, energetic, hard-working and eager to learn.  They will take a deep personal interest in humanitarian and development assistance.  They 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.  They 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. They will strictly follow all protocols related to safety and security, and hold self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modeling Mercy Corps’ values.

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.