MEL Assistant - Tripoli (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. 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. We do this through:
• Addressing the humanitarian and protection needs resulting from crisis situations for the most vulnerable communities
• Enabling local communities, civil society and government to better prevent and respond to conflict, address needs and deliver sustainable development solutions
• Promoting economic growth and catalysing economic opportunities for vulnerable, under-employed groups in Lebanon

The Mercy Corps Lebanon team consists of over 100 staff working across five offices throughout Mount Lebanon, South Lebanon, Tripoli and the Bekaa Valley.

The Program / Department / Team

The BASATINE Program (Bolstering Agriculture Systems’ Ability to Invest, Nourish, and Employ) is a 42-month AFD-funded program implemented with a consortium consisting of 6 partners in North Lebanon and Bekaa. CARE International is the consortium lead while Mercy Corps is the lead on two of the five components. The intervention aims to immediately address food insecurity and provide needed income and technical support to farmers to survive the current crisis in the short-term, and to improve the capacity of food systems to maintain employment and growth over the longer-term via stronger domestic production and system linkages. Mercy Corps will lead on improved market linkages within the agricultural sector by working with input suppliers and with SMEs within the agro-food industry, and on the generation of evidence through research and regular MEL activities to promote evidence-based sector development

The program seeks to strike a balance between short-term urgent and ever-evolving humanitarian needs of agricultural producers, and the longer-term building up and facilitation of more efficient market systems supporting the sector. It seeks to address barriers and challenges to increased domestic production along the agriculture value chain(s) that are operationally and financially sustainable. It seeks to identify and scale up potential import substitutes for domestic market consumption and increased food security, while also identifying and addressing barriers to access export markets for improved trade and hard currency generation. The intervention will mainly focus on wheat and vegetables value chains, while also integrating segments of other value chains (poultry, potatoes, trees, etc.) to ensure that it follows a territorial approach. The program will have a strong MEL, research and learning agenda to provide ongoing evidence-based adaptation internally and the generation of actionable, contextualized research for humanitarian and development practitioners, donors, local and national level public sector, and private sector actors.

The Position

The MEL Assistant will be based in the Tripoli MC office and is expected to contribute to the quality assurance of program implementation. S/he will contribute to the monitoring and evaluation functions related to tracking project progress and quality, collecting useful, timely and actionable information for management, and contribute to the frequent review, reflection, and key learning process to improve performance. The MEL Assistant will work closely with the Senior MEL Coordinator, and the Project Manager to manage field activities for the program’s MEL functions. S/he will assist in implementing review and learning processes (e.g., complaints mechanisms, feedback loops, lessons learned documentation and sharing, etc.). S/he will work closely with partners and other stakeholders involved in program implementation in order to ensure a coherent and comprehensive program is implemented, lessons are learned, and experiences shared across the various sectors and program teams.

Essential Responsibilities

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

• Contribute to development and management of project databases to facilitate timely information updates, data quality assurance, sharing of information and learning, etc.
• Assist in the development of appropriate monitoring, tracking and reporting systems, tools and templates (including a M&E plan) that enhance monitoring of project outputs and quality, generate quality evidence on project impact and promote and ensure use of data for decision-making processes.
• Work with the Senior MEL Coordinator and Program teams to integrate M&E into ongoing project planning and implementation systems and ensure adherence to Mercy Corps M&E minimum standards.
• Conduct data collection for assessments and evaluations.
• Support use of digital data collection for M&E needs wherever possible.
• Generate quality evidence on program impacts and promote use of data for decision-making processes.
• Conduct regular monitoring visits and spot checks to the different project locations in Akkar and the North.
• Support documentation of project progress through tracking attendance sheets, photos, etc.
• Share regular written reports on monitoring findings and program participants stories.
• Participate in Lessons Learned sessions and disseminate results across the teams;
• Conduct data collection and assessments by phone when needed.

Data Analysis and Reporting

• Support project team in data collection and data analysis.
• Liaise with other project teams and M&E staff as required to ensure that the project databases complement and align with each other.  This will ensure that data on project outputs and project impacts are aligned and reported together.
• Coordinate with the Senior MEL Coordinator and the project team to review indicator updates on a monthly basis.
• Contribute data and analysis to program reports.
• Contribute to program achievement reporting on Activity Info, and other relevant reporting mechanisms.
• Support in the intra-agency referral mechanism.
• Support with commcare technical issues and forms where needed.
• Support with data cleaning and any Microsoft software use;
• Other tasks as required

Accountability

• Ensure that Mercy Corps’ Community Feedback and Accountability Mechanism is clearly communicated to project 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 to 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

None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Senior MEL Coordinator

Works Directly With: BASATINE field staff, BASATINE Program Manager, other MC staff, other consortium partners.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary 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, international development, or other relevant disciplines.
• 1 year of 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.
• Relevant experience in field survey/data collection techniques, data entry, data verification, and analysis.
• Good quantitative and qualitative analytical skills.
• Good computer skills.
• Experience developing data management systems (including ONA/KoBo/ODK) is an asset.
• Strong Communication skills, team coordination, listening, and consensus building skills.
• Positive attitude and passion for your work

Success Factors

A successful candidate will have the ability to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and security environment with a capacity to promote new approaches to programming and inspire groups to collaborate closely to implement high-quality programs. S/he will have proven ability to learn quickly, take initiative, and be accountable for results.  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 humor.

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.