Summary
Description
Plan works for girls’ rights. Harmful barriers like child marriage, human trafficking and gender-based violence are preventing girls and young women from achieving their full potential. Plan, along with government and private partners, fights against harmful gender norms and empowers young people to create positive change in their communities. We have worked in communities for more than 80 years and provide locally-driven programming through 240 offices around the world.
Plan International USA is fully committed to the safeguarding of all children and young people from all forms of violence.
If have 5+ years of experience with MERL with at least 2 years of experience working on USG funded programming (USAID, DOS, DOL, BHA and/or PRM), have an interest in advancing gender equality across our core technical areas (disaster risk management, education, and youth and economic empowerment) are a culturally competent collaborator, thrive under pressure, have a healthy sense of humor, and are excited to join a growing team, this role is for you. Must be passionate about humanitarian assistance and advancing rights for girls around the globe.
Position Description:
The Monitoring, Evaluation Research and Learning (MERL) Advisor will provide technical leadership and implementation oversight for various Plan International USA MERL initiatives throughout the world. The position will be responsible for providing technical assistance to in-country project implementation teams and collaborating with Washington, DC based technical and program staff to design and lead high impact programming with rigorous M&E strategies and robust learning agendas.
Essential Functions:
Leadership
- Responsible for leading MERL technical approach across multiple projects from design through start-up, implementation, and closeout
- Lead the development of project learning plans to produce research studies, technical briefs, and other knowledge products for internal and external use.
- Support the development of organization-wide learning plans, research agendas, standardized templates, and other initiatives related to the organizational MERL strategy.
- Provide technical oversight and mentorship to MERL initiatives led by junior-level Associates.
- Represent Plan as a thought leader in MERL before US-based and international partners and internally for Plan USA
- Contribute to annual team and organizational work planning
- Establish and maintain productive relationships with key stakeholders, including implementing partners, Plan country offices, local government officials, NGOs and community groups.
- Work collaboratively with other project team members to ensure necessary program planning, development, resource availability and management activities function smoothly and efficiently.
Management
- Ensure portfolio of projects meet technical targets and all deliverables are of high quality
- Work collaboratively with project staff and US-based staff to assure proper financial projections, reporting, spending and compliance with project terms and conditions related to MERL activities.
- Promote and support the dissemination of best practices among the project teams.
- Contribute to timely, accurate and appropriate reporting of program activities and results to the donor, including progress reports, and annual reports.
Business Development
- Lead the design and writing of MERL components for USG, Corporate Foundations and Individually-funded proposals.
- Contribute to recruitment of Key Personnel on USG proposals where appropriate.
Skills and Competencies:
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to present materials in meetings, at conferences and to write project documents (including research and evaluation design plans, logic models, data collection and data analysis plans, and final reports) and proposals with minimal revisions from the supervisor.
- Experience developing MERL components of successful proposals to USG or other major international donors
- Knowledge of research and evaluation (process, outcome, impact) concepts and principles, and the ability to apply them during the implementation of project tasks; ability to design large evaluation development plans. Data collection (key stakeholder interviews, focus groups, surveys, and secondary data analysis techniques), data management, and data analysis skills, experience with SPSS and good working knowledge of SAS a plus.
- Experience developing successful, replicable and sustainable projects
- A team player accustomed to building team capacity, delegating working teams, and developing communities of learning among host country partners and counterparts
- Excellent interpersonal, writing, and oral presentation skills
- Strong change management, results oriented and decision making skills
- Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks and short deadlines
- Fluency in English
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 25%
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor’s-level degree in a relevant discipline
- A minimum of 5+ years of experience in designing and implementing project monitoring and both quantitative and qualitative evaluations in a global context
- Experience in monitoring and evaluation of both development and humanitarian projects
- Experience developing MERL components of successful proposals to USG or other major international donors
- Experience developing successful, replicable and sustainable projects
- Experience with and understanding of Global Health Initiative, Feed the Future and other USAID M&E frameworks
Other Duties
This job description does not contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time.
Plan is an equal opportunity employer and follows all laws associated with the EEOC.
