Merl Advisor

FHI 360 is currently recruiting for the position of Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning Advisor based in Egypt supporting an anticipated USAID-funded project aimed to address and eliminate gender-based violence/violence against women and girls, including female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), child, early and forced marriage (CEFM), and seasonal marriage as forms of trafficking in persons (TIP).

The Activity will: (1) support positive behavioral change to end VAW/G; and (2) expand access to quality integrated VAW/G support services and responsive interventions, such as medical, legal, psychosocial, and economic empowerment services. The Activity will respond to the U.S. Government’s and the Egyptian Government’s shared policy priorities focused on gender equality and women’s empowerment. Employment is contingent upon successful award of the project to FHI 360, as well as USAID approval of the finalist.

The MERL Advisor is responsible for overseeing all project research and Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) activities, including design and implementation in close collaboration with other project teams. The Advisor will work collaboratively with other team members to build understanding of tools, and ensure data is correctly collected, analyzed, disseminated, and used by relevant stakeholders. The MERL Advisor is responsible for the design of surveys and analytical products, as well as for analyzing data against key indicators, including identifying key project learnings, and informing necessary adaptations to achieve project goals and preparing all reports required by USAID and for project internal purposes. S/he is responsible for developing tools and building the capacity of sub awardees and other project beneficiaries who will utilize data and report to the project for M&E purposes. The MERL Advisor will also lead the project’s Knowledge Management functions and serve as the project’s Collaboration, Learning and Adaptation (CLA) lead. The MERL Advisor will be a senior member of the project management team and be responsible, along with the Chief of Party, for overall technical quality of the project. The MERL Advisor will supervise the M&E team.
- Primary Responsibilities:_- Lead, manage, and coordinate implementation of M&E systems and reporting requirements for the project, including progress against key indicators from the project Activity Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan (AMELP)- Design, develop, and oversee implementation of M&E tools and systems to collect, analyze, and aggregate data that measure project impact and results against key AMELP indicators.- Lead data collection design, analysis, and use of data to promote evidence-based programming, provide timely feedback in relation to project targets, work plan activities and objectives, and address gaps in programming.- Develop high quality quantitative and qualitative methods and participatory methodologies to monitor program quality for performance and results.- Maintain understanding of overall M&E function and monitor the work in data analysis from other tools.- Revise, redesign, and monitor effectiveness of Data Collection tools, including spreadsheet templates as well as reporting frameworks in the project’s Knowledge Management System (KMS)- Develop protocols on Data Collection and work with M&E team to train staff and ensure accurate understanding of how to use Data Collection tools and assign and monitor responsibility for data collection and data entry.- Experience in leading and implementing Collaboration, Learning, and Adaptation (CLA) approaches, and developing learning and systems thinking.- Coordinate with all project teams, including technical and grants staff, to ensure sufficient understanding of Data Collection requirements, and ensure data is collected in a timely manner to meet USAID reporting deadlines.- Analyze data collected through spreadsheet and KMS tools, prepare and ensure accuracy of all USAID reporting requirements.- Communicate with relevant USAID and other donor projects on M&E actions and training activities, and support integration of the project’s M&E with the Mission’s DevResults system.- Contribute to training materials and conduct workshops for sub awardees on their M&E requirements against primary project indicators and develop templates and reporting schedules/protocols for grantees.- Support sub awardees, where applicable, in developing M&E data collection and analysis plans required both for project reporting purposes and measuring overall effectiveness of activities supported by the project.- Design and maintain project KMS, including developing reporting functions that align to project indicators, and developing Data Collection Protocols for staff.- Monitor KMS data entry and analysis to ensure KMS is meeting project needs.- Work with senior management and M&E team to revise and adapt programming based on survey findings, analysis of progress against key indicators, a