Program / Department Summary

Since 2002, Mercy Corps has worked alongside Liberians to build pathways out of poverty, poor governance, and economic hardship. Mercy Corps’ interventions have evolved based on the context and needs of the Liberian people. Today, we are focused on the following areas: good governance, youth employment and market systems development, renewable energy, financial inclusion, and health and nutrition. We work closely with the Government of Liberia, the private sector, civil society, international and local NGOs to implement our programs in 10 of the 15 counties of Liberia. Mercy Corps is one of the foremost development actors in Liberia implementing strategic and systems driven programming.

Mercy Corps is planning to submit a bid in response to a USAID opportunity for Food Security, Nutrition and Resilience. This will be a $20 million, five-year activity with three objectives: 1) strengthening agricultural practices and on-farm processing capacity of targeted beneficiary groups; 2) diversifying livelihoods and increasing incomes, savings, access to financial services, land and agricultural equipment; and 3) improving market access and year-round availability, accessibility and the utilization of nutritious food by households in targeted communities.

The objectives of the activity will be achieved through increased sustainable agricultural production and productivity by smallholder farmers, subsistence farmers, agriculture cooperatives, and women and youth groups. Potential value chains for this activity include vegetables, fruits, mini-livestock, poultry, small ruminant, rice, cassava, integrated rice-fish and vegetables, aquaculture, and a variety of high-value crops (e.g. cocoa, coffee, oil palm, etc.). The Activity will be implemented in rural and peri-urban communities within USAID/Liberia's zone of influence (Lofa, Bong, Nimba, Margibi, Grand Bassa, and Montserrado).

The Position

Mercy Corps is seeking a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Manager to provide overall leadership, coordination, and technical supervision for all MEL aspects of the FSNR Activity. This key personnel position is expected to start around October 2022 and is expected to last through the life of the project (5 years).

Essential Responsibilities

TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP

Develop, set-up, and oversee the program MEL system, including Activity Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan (AMELP) and research plans, MEL tools and technology, instrument design, data collection methodology and processes, data and information management systems, and data analysis to assess and share the impact of the program. Align the AMELP with Mercy Corps’ Global MEL Policy and Program Management Policy. Ensure the program uses the necessary MEL systems and tools to inform, improve, and feed into broader country-level MEL systems and strategy. Take the lead in aligning, collecting, analyzing, and reporting on program indicators (e.g., performance, operational, context, etc.) and community accountability and response mechanisms through the program’s MEL systems, including consortium partner systems, and other external systems as relevant. Support teams in collecting sex and age disaggregated data and using gender sensitive, socially inclusive, and digital data collection methods to understand and respond to program results with diverse audiences, decision makers, and stakeholders. Lead development and operationalization of the program’s collaboration, learning, and adaptation strategy. Strengthen team capacity for collaboration, learning, and adaptation (CLA) including creating a culture of learning and systems thinking to stimulate an adaptive, iterative management approach. Lead the integration of community accountability and reporting mechanisms into the MEL system design. Design and facilitate regular, strategic planning sessions and learning events, assisting FSNR in a learning journey as well as development of its annual plans. Present program M&E results, research, and learning to external stakeholders and the program team in a way that influences decision-makers and promotes adaptations from learning.

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

Ensure that the MEL systems meet the data, evidence, and learning needs of the program and help address shortfalls in MEL, CLA, and data management that affect program implementation. Ensure adherence to Mercy Corps’ MEL Policy, including the use of TolaData, adherence to Mercy Corps’ Program Record Retention Policy and Responsible Data Policy, and regular Data Quality Assessments. Develop program and operational reporting templates that facilitate the acquisition, aggregation and flow of information and learning within the program as well as externally. Maintain a comprehensive reporting and accountability schedule as well as review program reports to ensure that reports contain accurate, clear, and high-quality data and presented in the proper format.

TEAM MANAGEMENT AND CAPACITY

Oversee program MEL staff and subcontractors, such as external evaluators and enumerators. Build the capacity of all relevant program and partner team members to develop and maintain an excellent MEL system and CLA practices, including regular reflection and analysis of program quantitative and qualitative data. Strengthen linkages with other internal resources, including the Digital Library, Hub, and Workplace, to enhance organizational learning where relevant to MEL. Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO BENEFICIARIES

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward 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.