Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an International non-governmental organization supporting relief and development work in over 99 countries around the world. CRS programs assist persons on the basis of need, regardless of creed, ethnicity or nationality. CRS is a global leader in health, WASH, agriculture and livelihoods programming, and promotes resilience building in impoverished, disaster-affected, and climate change-impacted areas around the world.  CRS re-established presence in Nigeria in 2000 and currently works in 18 of Nigeria’s 36 states, focusing on agriculture and livelihoods, health, and emergency programming.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist

Job Ref Code: MEL250419
Location: North East Nigeria
Department: Programs
Band: 7
Reports to: Chief of Party

Background

• CRS is bidding for a multi-million-dollar, multi-year USAID/Nigeria Small Town WASH program.  The program will be implemented in the Northeastern region of Nigeria. 
• This program seeks to develop and implement interventions that will sustainably increase access and management of water, sanitation and hygiene services in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states of Nigeria. 
• This effort will contribute to ongoing efforts to promote resilience, recovery and development within Nigeria and neighboring countries around the Lake Chad Basin. 

Job Summary

• The MEL Specialist will oversee all Collaborating, Learning and Adapting (CLA) activities across the USAID/Nigeria Small Town WASH programthat leads to robust evidence for data use and decision making, including assessments /surveys; routine programdata collection; accountability to beneficiaries, donors and other stakeholders; document retention and archival; capacity development program staff on MEL; compliance with USAID MEL requirements; cross-learning among programs; and, internal and external reporting.

Specific Job Responsibilities
Strategic guidance and leadership on MEL:

• Use SMILER method to lead the development and regular updating of program MEL tools, approaches, frameworks and databases, these include but not limited to: Theory of Change, Theory of change narrative, Proframe, Logframe, IPTT, DIP, MEL plan, FRM, Data flow, Stakeholder analysis, reporting flow mapetc
• Ensure application of standardized MEL tools and approaches across the program with respect to the MEL Policies and Procedures.
• Support the CoP to monitor USAID/Nigeria Small Town WASH programimplementation progress on a regular basis against USAID and CRS quality standards and international humanitarian principles through monitoring visits, data quality audits, spot check against reports and review of implementation reports.
• Build the capacity of program staff and implementing partners in collection and analysis of data (method, formats, software, etc.), indicator measurement, feedback and responsemechanisms, negative impact analysis, etc.
• Provide technical support to program staff for the implementation of monitoring and evaluation activities, data management and integration of cross-functional issues.
• Directly lead on program wide assessments and surveys including baseline, midterm and end line evaluative surveys.  This might entail leading recruitment, orientation, deployment and management of external consultants.
• Support iterative program development ensuring lessons learnt from implementation / assessments are incorporated into implementation.
• Foster a learning environment, lead learning and knowledge management within the program and ensures such best practice is communicated across CRS Nigeria.
• Ensure that program data is protected and shared according to CRS and donor principles.
• Encourage the integration of good ICT solution to ease the process of collecting, management, analyzing and protection

Vertical and horizontal accountability:

• Work closely with CRS and partners’ Gender and Accountability Specialists to ensure robust and participatory beneficiary accountability and feedback mechanisms are established, used and reported against.
• Support the CoP in compilation of donors, government ministries’ and departmental agencies (MDAs) and CRS reports as per the agreed upon reporting schedules.
• Build the capacity of program staff in humanitarian accountability frameworks including ‘Do No Harm’ and ‘Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability’ (CHS) (HAP, People in Aid and SPHERE).

Cross-cutting:

• Directly supervise the program’sMEL Staff and consultants.
• Coordinate consortium partners’ MEL staff attached to the program.
• Build capacity of CRS and consortium partners’ MEL Coordinators / Managers / Officers to address their job requirements. 
• Provide technical review and support across all components of the program. 
• Incorporate required and emerging good practices into CRS regional MEL efforts and ongoing technical support
• Integrate the MEL community of practices
• Create opportunities for reflection and learning among MEL advisors and practitioners within the Consortium, Country Program and the Region. 
• Communicate agency approach to MEL and key findings, to Consortium Partners, Country Program and Regional colleagues.
• Contribute to regional and agency technical guidance.
• Share MEL learning and experiences in broader regional and global agency discussions, and with peer organizations. 
• Determine and address regional or sub-regional priorities for advancing MEL.

Key Working Relationships
Supervisory:

• TBD.

Internal:

• USAID/Nigeria Small Town WASH program DCoP, Program Managers and Sectoral Team Leads; Consortium Partners; Director of Early Recovery and Resilience, CoPs and Program Managers of other CRS Programs; MEL coordinator at the CP level, TA MELSupport Departments including Operations etc.

External:

• MDAs, UN agencies, Peer agencies (NGOs) and Community Representatives.

Agency Wide Competences (for all CRS staff):
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Serves with Integrity
• Models Accountability and Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning
• Committed to Continuous Improvement and Innovation

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Monitoring and Evaluation or any other related field.
• At least 5 years’ hands on experience designing, developing and using MEL systems.
• Demonstrated ability to develop, contract and manage consultancies.
• Prior MEL experience on programs of a similar size, theme (WASH) and scope in developing countries; experience in providing MEL services on multi-sector, multi-year programs is desirable. 
• Experience with USAID rules, regulations and requirements is preferred.
• Experience working in similar context (i.e. conflict and harsh environments) in sub-Saharan Africa required.  Prior experience in North East Nigeria is preferred
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.  Knowledge of local languages preferred.
• Strong computer literacy with a full knowledge of office applications.

Required Travel:

• To field locations in Nigeria

Application Closing Date
8th May, 2019.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should download the "CRS Application Form" using the link below, fill and send with a detailed Resume as one document (in a PDF Format) indicating position being applied for and the Job Ref Code as the subject of the application (e.g. MEAL Specialist MEL250419) to: [email protected]

Click here to Download Application Form - Dropbox

Click Here for Job Details (Doc)

Equal Employer Opportunity:

• “CRS is an equal -opportunity employer, does not discriminate based on race, color, religion and we are committed to gender sensitive programming and management’. etc.
• Qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply”

Statement of Commitment to Protection:

• ‘’CRS’ recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation’’