Monitoring , Evaluation and Research Specialist

Job Title 1:                        : Monitoring , Evaluation and Research Specialist

Reports to                              : Program Quality Lead 

Number of Post                     : 1 (One)

Duty Station                          : Country Office, Addis Ababa

Terms of Employment         : Fixed term for two years

 

About Plan International:

 

Plan is a leading international children’s development organization with no religious, political or governmental affiliation, our vision is of a world in which all children realize their full potential in societies that respect people’s rights and dignity.  Child Centered Community Development (CCCD) is Plan’s Child wellbeing approach in which children, families and communities are active and leading participants in their own development.

Working in 72 countries across the world, Plan’s stated Global Strategic Goal (2011-15) is to reach as many children as possible, particularly those who are excluded or marginalized, with high-quality programmes that deliver long-lasting benefits. Plan aims to achieve this goal by working in partnership with others and through high performing teams whose behaviors reflect the corporate values. Plan is committed to realizing child wellbeing and is obligated to provide children with whom it works a safe and conducive environment.

Plan has been operating in Ethiopia since 1995, and currently operates in five regions of the country with a range of multi-sectoral development and humanitarian programmes.

About the Position:

 

The overall purpose of this role is to strengthen Plan’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Research (MER) system in the country in support of programme development, learning and accountability (PALS) and quality improvements. This will directly contribute to the achievement of Plan’s Strategic Priorities as Stipulated in the CSP in relation to programs’ effectiveness and qualities.  He/she ensures that program quality is reflected within the entire project cycle and that all field program implementation is undertaken efficiently and effectively by reflecting that all M&E requirements are in place and that cross cutting issues of inclusion and DRR are properly incorporated.

 

Dimensions of Role:

 

Financial measures or statistics relevant to post such as budget; list of direct and indirect reports

 

·         The post holder will report to the Lead, Program Quaality and will be responsible for the country M&E  budget close to 200,000 Euro and provide budget oversight for field based projects except for individual grant project budgets with own project managers.

·         The post holder directly supervises the PA M&E Coordinators.

·         The job holder is responsible for initiating, development and delivery of a Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Framework as part of the Country Strategy Plan.

·         S/he provides managerial and technical leadership in the development of the Monitoring, Evaluation and Research (MER) Plan.

·         S/he will be responsible for providing technical leadership and support in program/project design, planning, information gathering and synthesis, reflection and reporting processes. This includes supporting the development of PA Annual Plans, CO Annual Budgets, Annual Participatory Program Reviews and implementation of MER Plans. Provide strategic overview of the implementation of PALS across Plan’s 4  regional programs and respective implementing and to inform system development and capacity building initiatives.

·         S/he also ensures Programme Quality Framework is integrated with other organizational systems and benefits from external best practice; and strengthens the monitoring, evaluation and research network in the organization and contributes for the same in RESA and Plan Globally. The Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Specialist have individual responsibility to support Programme Quality development and implementation in the country. Manages the process to set procedures for country level programme planning, monitoring and evaluation processes Manages the Programme and Projects Module (PPM) Business to ensure that Plan’s ICT systems support the planning, monitoring and evaluation processes described in PALS.

·         The position will be based at the Country Office.

 

Typical Responsibilities:

 

Monitoring, Evaluation and Research

·         Ensure Plan’s planning, monitoring and evaluation processes meet the sector standards and comply with external accountability requirement.

·         Provide quality guidance to regional programs (PAs) in implementing PALS in their planning, monitoring and evaluation processes and in materialize PALT and CSP goals and objectives.

·         Facilitate the monitoring, evaluation and research network in the country to promote good practice and identify ways to strengthen Plan’s planning, monitoring and evaluation processes.

·         Ensure that M&E data from all regions for both external and internal audiences as required are collected, analyzed and availed for decisions

·         Identify and respond to information requirements of different stakeholders and make information accessible on timely basis.

·         Manage consultants and research partners to ensure that commissioned researches and evaluations are carried out to a high, international standard and successfully completed.

·         Support knowledge management and learning by producing specific programme information resources.

·         Produce country level programs’ performance reports (quarterly, APPR and CPPR) to enable effective decision making by the management teams in the country –both at PA and CO.

·         Provide timely feedbacks to all relevant staff about the outcomes and quality of programs’ mid-term and end evaluation.

·         Proactively seek and promote best practice as part of monitoring, evaluation and program effectiveness practice.

·         Develops and implements new methodologies for improving Plan’s MER system at different levels in the country.

·         Maintain consistency in monitoring and evaluation standards in the organization, leading the consistent application of MER system and donors compliance in programs’ cycle management process.

·          Identifies weaknesses in monitoring and evaluation practice and develops targeted solutions alongside the identification and promotion of high quality evaluation practice.

 

Staff development and management

·         Provision of training on Plan’s MER corporate systems (APPR, CPPR and PPM business) for stakeholders across the organization ranging from a basic understanding to specific training on key planning, monitoring and evaluation processes.

·         Work closely with the PA Monitoring, Evaluation and Research coordinators to improve the quality of monitoring and evaluation and provide technical supports as needed to PAs and CO’s program team.

·         Provide guidance on implementations of Plan’s corporate system (APPR, CPPR and SAP business) to PAs and CO program department team.

·         Ensure platform for Programme Quality (MER system) learning to promote discussion on key issues and innovations.

·         Ensure equal and fair opportunities and representation of both sexes and persons with disabilities in the program area.

 

 

 

Internal collaboration

·         Works creatively to support Programme Units’ staffs and thematic leaders in the CO in demonstrating effective MER system.

·         Collaborate with technical programme specialists in the country and with NOs staffs (when required) to develop monitoring and evaluation frameworks for specific programmatic/ thematic areas.

·         Ensure donors’ programmatic compliances issues are adequately met.

·         Ensure CCCD principles and strategies are mainstreamed in MER tools and frameworks.

·         Collaborate with other functions (finance, risk management, grant compliance coordinator and gender) to ensure that Programme Quality standards and processes integrated across functions.

·         Contribute to the wider work of the Programme Effectiveness team on a flexible and supportive basis.

·         Mainstream child Protection in the program area as well as observe the Child Protection Policy and be vigilant to report all child protection concerns.

 

Dealing with Problems:

Complexity of problems handled & the degree of investigation, analysis, & creative thinking required to solve them

 

This position requires a very high degree of conceptual, analytical and deductive thinking. It requires ability to investigate into and solve complex problems that the organization focuses on. The position requires an objective, integrated and multidisciplinary approach to programming. The post holder requires a clear understanding of the policies, procedures, strategic direction of the organization and the ability to conceptualize the existing interrelationships, organizational working environment and other prevailing conditions. The post holder must be able to cope up with and address all M&E related problems that Plan is facing currently.

 

This position deals with almost entirely with analytical work requiring attention to detail in proposals, terms of reference, technical reviews and reports.

Communications and Working Relationships:

Working contacts inside and outside the organization; include the purpose and level (high, medium, low) of the contact

The post holder is required to develop and maintain a range of working relationships with partners, communities, staff, consultants and relevant institutions with regard to MER activities.

·         Work closely with CP team leaders, grant project coordinators, M&E coordinators, grant compliance coordinators, finance team, PA program staffs in rolling-out and development of M&E/Programme Quality system and policies.

·         Collaborate with other members of Program Quality Team (inclusion specialist and Partnership specialist) both at CO and PAs on Programme effectiveness deliverables.

·         Collaborate with the other teams in the Programme Department on the MER framework development and practices.

·         Collaborate with the PA M&E coordinators and the CO communications department to facilitate the dissemination of evaluations and other programme documentation.

·         Work closely with NOs’ M&E advisors to strengthen alignment of national organization requirements with Plan’s corporate systems.

Work with finance CO team on the testing and rollout of SAP related software within the new System Integration Project.

Child Protection and Gender Equality

·         Demonstrate commitment to Plan’s child protection policy through implementing the policy in its entirety, and report any actual or potential risk situations following the reporting procedures, being aware of abuse and risks to children, being vigilant, becoming familiar with the Child Protection Policy.

·         Raise children’s rights/protection awareness and important of gender equality and respect to diversity within Plan and amongst partners and community members.

·         Child protection and gender equality policies are understood by the staff and partners.

·         Ensure equal participation and benefit of boys and girls and children with disabilities in all phases of programme/ project implementation.

Plan offers a competitive salary and benefits package to its employees. The post in on a fixed term contract bases ,salary will be in the range of 19,382.00 to 21,536.00 ETB subject to negotiation plus a very attractive benefits including Monthly Transportation Allowance, Monthly Pension & PF Contribution of 15% of basic salary, Annual Medical Allowance, 24 hours GPA Insurance and others. Plan also provides a number of capacity development opportunities to its employees including Talent Management Programme.

January 2016. Please use the subject: “

hile you apply for this post. Please also attach your CV, a letter explaining why you are the best candidate for this job, non-returnable copies of all the supporting documents, your current and expected salary, your contact details including phone and emails and contact details (both email and phone) of two referees who know you professionally.  Please note that one of the referees must be your current/most recent line manager. The complete application should be sent to:

Only short listed applicants will be contacted.

Plan operates an equal opportunities policy and actively encourages diversity, welcoming applications from all areas of the national community.

References will be taken and background and anti-terrorism checks will be carried out for the successful candidate in conformity with Plan’s Child Protection Policy.