Mercy Corps is an International Humanitarian organization operating Water and Sanitation, Economic Development, Livelihoods, Capacity Building, Emergency Response, Health and Nutrition, and similar sectors in the regions of SNNPR, Somali, Oromia, Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa. Mercy Corps works with communities, public and private sectors to implement appropriate relief, recovery and development interventions. Mercy Corps Ethiopia invites motivated and qualified candidates to apply for the following vacant position.

Position Title:  MONITORING EVALUATION RESEARCH LEARNING(MERL)ADVISOR

Duty Station:  ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

Post Position: One

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps is one of four partners in a five-year program led by SNV Netherlands Development Organization and funded by the Swedish International Development Organization (SIDA). The Livelihoods Improvement for Women and Youth in Addis Ababa (LI-WAY) program utilizes a making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) approach to contributing to sustainable poverty reduction and social stability in Addis Ababa. LI-WAY will work to mobilize, catalyze and enable market-based solutions to create jobs and increase income for women and youth.  The consortium, led by SNV, additionally comprises Mercy Corps, Technoserve and Save the Children. The program aims to improve market functions, improve support-service effectiveness and improve the business environment.

Mercy Corps will lead all activities related to financial services and market information systems and will manage the Challenge Fund. LI-WAY lasts for five years of which the first ten months will be an inception phase.

General Position Summary

The Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Advisor will lead and coordinate the Monitoring and Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) activities for LI-WAY in coordination with the knowledge management expert. S/he will be responsible for providing technical leadership in the area of MERL. S/he will develop the result measurement and management systems, approach and tools following the DCED standards, lead the development of results chains and indicators for program and each intervention, baseline survey and end-line evaluation.

The -MERL Advisor will be part of the Mercy Corps Ethiopia broader Learning and Knowledge Management Technical Working Group, which is expected to contribute its collective time, as needed, towards other Mercy Corps programs and program development.

The individual filling this position will have a responsibility to lead managing and coordinating knowledge management and research related function of the LIWAY program implemented by Mercy Corps Ethiopia. S/he works with Mercy Corps M&E and LIWAY program/technical staff to develop and implement strategies and will capture, share, and extend knowledge within LIWAY program and among partners and other stakeholders at the local, national, and international level. S/he will capture and document best practices and communicate the progress and achievements of intervention/initiatives through strategic communication channels. S/he will participate actively in defining LIWAY program research agendas and lead the design and conduct of research studies and assessments. The Advisor will consult and collaborate with the M&E team of SNV, the lead agency of the LIWAY Program.

Essential Job Responsibilities

The MERL Advisor is responsible for managing and implementing mainly across the selected market sectors for the Li-WAY program and Mercy corps other programs as required the MRM 

Overall Management of MERL Activities

·         Lead and coordinate the development and implementation of the result measurement and management system.

·         Coordinate and supports the design, reviews, and updating of the result chains for the program and each intervention.

·         Coordinate and supports the development of indicators for each results chains, each intervention, and overall program.

·         Facilitate the baseline, mid and end-line surveys.

·         Lead the documentations including conducting project case studies, Success story, generating and documentation of knowledge, lessons learned and best practices and dissemination of program key results and learning information to concerned stakeholders along with the intervention and program cycles.

·         Facilitate periodic program reviews and learning forums, ensure proper documentation of findings and learning.

·         Organized all program information including knowledge generation, storage/retrieval, documentation, dissemination, photographs, etc).

·         Provide training on the Concept of M and E, Learning and Knowledge Management (LKM), different M and E tools, Database management/data quality, data analysis, Accountability mechanism, to multiple implementing partners at different times.

·         Ensure that MERL provide ongoing evidence and inputs for improving intervention

·         Ensure preparation of program reporting for donor and government partners. 

·         Perform other functions as may be assigned by LI-WAY management.

 Security

·         Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.

·         Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

 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.

Knowledge and Experience

·         Bachelor Degree/Master’s Degree (preferable) in social sciences, statistics, Economics, Marketing, monitoring and evaluation, or related field is required

·         At least 3 years direct experience in result measurement and management; 

·         Experience in research, data analysis and management; 

·         Experience of working in NGOs, public and private sector development;

·         Experience in urban programmes, youth and women economic empowerment;

·         Experience in Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) approach is an added value.  

·         Relevant M&E experience as follows:

o   Demonstrated work experience in implementing practical monitoring and evaluation, knowledge management or database management.

o   Demonstrated experience in monitoring routine data collection, data analysis and reporting against indicators at all levels.

o   Demonstrated experience in quantitative and qualitative survey implementation and support. 

o   Demonstrated experience in indicator selection and reporting

·         Experience working in economic and social research.

·         Demonstrated experience and ability to professionally and appropriately represent the organization and negotiate with a diverse range of government officials, local organizations, donors and other groups for outcomes in the best interest of program implementation

·         Proven skills and knowledge in result measurement and management system, tools and approach including problem analysis, objectives and indicators setting, risk management.

·         Very good understanding of market system diagnoses and development.

·         Strong analytical and operational knowledge of monitoring and evaluation related market systems.

·         Strong ability to communicate effectively in oral and in writing, work independently and as part of the team, and work effectively with co-workers, partner agencies and the private sectors;

·         Computer proficiency in MS word, excel, and PowerPoint other data management tools.

·         Fluent in English and Amharic

Success Factors

The successful MERL Advisor will be a self-starter able to work in ambiguous situations. S/he will be a tolerant, flexible and able to work in difficult and stressful environments while following procedures. S/he will be highly effective at contributing to team building, problem solving, engaging, motivating and encouraging staff to bring creative solutions to development issues, identifying opportunities for increased impact, and pursuing project objectives.