Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, & Learning (merl) Advisor

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About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action, helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Mercy Corps has been operating in Ethiopia since 2004. In partnership with civil society organizations, academic institutions, the private sector, and the government, Mercy Corps Ethiopia has reached more than five million Ethiopians with interventions to save lives and build secure livelihoods. Our programs emphasize market-driven solutions, reinforce social bonds, and help communities build resilience to the impacts of climate change. Currently in six regional states – Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, and South Nations, Nationalities and People's Region (SNNPR), and in Dire Dawa Administration and the capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa – Mercy Corps Ethiopia is driven by the mission to contribute to the emergence of a peaceful, resilient, and prosperous Ethiopia which is inclusive of youth and women. Our strategic directions focus on promoting inclusive and dynamic markets; promoting peace and social cohesion through strengthening formal/informal government structures and citizen engagement; improved natural resource governance; and integrated humanitarian response.

Position Title: Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) Advisor

Duty Station: Addis Ababa

Open Position: 1

Duration of Assignment: 6 months with the possibility of extension

Safeguarding Risk: High

Program / Department Summary

Empowering Families, Enriching Lives: Scaling LIWAY's Childcare Models for Two-Generational ECD is a two-year project (September 2024 – August 2026) in Addis Ababa, funded by the Conrad Hilton Foundation. This initiative is dedicated to improving early childhood development (ECD) while fostering economic empowerment by addressing systemic gaps in childcare access and workforce participation. By implementing scalable and evidence-based childcare solutions, the project aims to create sustainable and market-driven models that enhance the well-being of vulnerable families, particularly internally displaced people, refugees, and host communities.

The project focuses on expanding access to affordable, high-quality childcare by establishing new childcare centers and upgrading existing ones in underserved areas. These centers will provide a safe and nurturing environment where children receive essential care, nutrition, and early learning opportunities that promote cognitive, emotional, and social development. By reducing the childcare burden on women, the project enables them to engage in education, skills training, and employment, ultimately increasing household income and economic stability. Recognizing the interconnected nature of childcare and workforce participation, the project integrates childcare support into labor market interventions, ensuring women and youth have better access to job opportunities, vocational training, and entrepreneurship programs.

A key component of the project is its commitment to evidence-based policy advocacy. By conducting rigorous research on childcare needs, economic impacts, and best practices, the project generates valuable data that informs decision-making at both local and national levels. This research supports the development of policies that institutionalize childcare as a fundamental service, ensuring financial accessibility, regulatory improvements, and greater private sector involvement in childcare provision. The project also strengthens partnerships with government agencies, private sector actors, and development organizations to drive systemic reforms and promote sustainable childcare solutions.

Utilizing a Market Systems Development (MSD) approach, the project catalyzes market-based solutions that create jobs and increase incomes for women, youth, and displaced communities. It enhances job matching services, supports technology-driven employment solutions, and fosters collaboration with employers to integrate childcare support into workforce strategies. By building the capacity of childcare providers, offering financial incentives, and linking childcare services with employment initiatives, the project ensures long-term sustainability and scalability.

General Position Summary

The Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) Advisor will lead the implementation of the MERL strategy, ensuring all partners understand and adhere to the strategy and work plan. This role involves overseeing M&E plan execution, collecting and analyzing data, ensuring programmatic compliance, and facilitating regular learning and feedback sessions. The MERL Advisor will collaborate closely with technical teams and stakeholders, ensuring effective data management and timely reporting, while also building the capacity of staff and partners through training and support. This role is central to ensuring that project outcomes are measured, lessons are learned, and improvements are continuously made.

Essential Job Responsibilities

STRATEGY & VISION

• Develop and implement a robust Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) framework aligned with the project's objectives and outcomes.
• Lead the design and application of MERL tools, methodologies, and systems to measure the impact of project interventions, ensuring data-driven decision-making.
• Identify opportunities to enhance data collection, analysis, and reporting practices to promote continuous improvement and knowledge sharing across all stakeholders.
• Foster an environment where innovative solutions are applied to monitoring, evaluation, and learning challenges, facilitating a culture of adaptive management.
• Ensure integration of MERL activities with national and local development agendas, ensuring alignment with global best practices in MERL for development projects.
• Produce timely and high-quality reporting to donors, government, and internal stakeholders.

MEL STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION AND REVIEW

• Work closely with the Project Manager and project officer to lead the implementation of the MERL strategy.
• Ensure that all partners and their staff understand the MERL strategy and its work plan.
• Regularly monitor and review the MERL strategy and activities to ensure adaptability, making changes based on reflections and lessons learned from staff, partners, and stakeholders.
• Collaborate with the Project Manager to promote cross-learning and coordination among technical teams.
• Lead the management of the CNMS (Concept Note Management System), IPTS (Institutional Tracking System), and Tola Data for indicator tracking and reporting.

OVERSIGHT OF M&E PLAN IMPLEMENTATION

• Work closely with the Project Manager and project officer to lead the implementation of the M&E plan/Measurement Table.
• Ensure accurate data collection, compilation, consolidation, and analysis.
• Coordinate with the team to ensure timely and accurate data from partners and provide necessary follow-up, including data audits when required.
• Monitor programmatic compliance through document audits and assist partners in performing spot checks and assessments as needed.

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT, DISSEMINATION, AND FEEDBACK

• Coordinate with technical teams and implementing partners to compile and disseminate monthly updates from the region and other reports as required.
• Summarize monthly lessons learned and ensure dissemination with partners.
• Provide weekly updates to the Project Manager and project officer to share with stakeholders.
• Assist technical teams in developing, implementing, and analyzing sub-activity evaluations, alerting teams to results provided by the online information system.
• Organize feedback sessions and other platforms with partners, participants, and stakeholders (private and public sectors). Ensure timely responses are provided with the assistance of the project manager and project officer.
• Collect and document case studies and success stories for internal and external sharing.
• Ensure regular and timely reporting from project staff and implementing partners by monitoring receipt of monthly, quarterly, and annual progress reports and following up with partners on non-reporting.
• Conduct quality control tests on incoming data.

TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT TO SUB-GRANTEES

• Collaborate with the Project Manager and project officer to ensure compliance with branding and marking policies in the field.
• Work with Project Manager and project officer to assist partners in developing success stories.
• Organize quarterly M&E workshops with the Project Manager and project officer to address identified needs and gaps.

STAFF TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING

• Build the capacity of all relevant team members to develop, review, and maintain an effective M&E system.
• Ensure regular reflection and analysis of program monitoring data and provide evidence-based recommendations and reports in a timely manner.
• Offer ongoing capacity building for incoming staff on M&E and assist the program team in technical learning activities.
• Organize other capacity building initiatives with the Project Manager and project officer.

EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENTS

• Play a key role in supporting baseline, mid-term, and final evaluations.
• Work with partners on design, field-testing, data collection, and analysis of additional evaluations that may be required at the program level.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING

Support Mercy Corps' commitment to organizational learning by dedicating 5% of time to personal and professional learning activities that benefit both the organization and individual development. Conduct yourself professionally and personally in a manner that reflects well on Mercy Corps and supports its humanitarian mission.

PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION & STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

• Oversee the implementation of the MERL activities across various partners, ensuring accurate data reporting, and establishing clear communication and reporting structures.
• Facilitate collaboration with key stakeholders, including government agencies, implementing partners, private sector actors, and the community, to enhance the overall MERL efforts.
• Develop strategies to ensure that project evaluation results are used effectively for program adaptation, advocacy, and scale-up planning.
• Build capacity among team members and partners in research and learning approaches to ensure data-driven decisions are institutionalized throughout the project lifecycle.
• Represent the project at relevant external meetings and conferences to share results, promote collaboration, and advocate for MERL best practices.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to staff, ensuring that they are equipped with the necessary skills and tools to implement MERL activities effectively.
• Support the recruitment, training, and capacity building of team members involved in data collection, research, and evaluation activities.
• Promote a collaborative work environment, emphasizing the importance of data-driven decision-making, reflection, and knowledge sharing.
• Ensure team members understand the strategic objectives of the MERL framework and their role in achieving those objectives.

FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

• Ensure that all MERL activities comply with donor guidelines and Mercy Corps' operational standards.
• Oversee the financial aspects of MERL-related activities, ensuring efficient and transparent use of resources while adhering to the project budget.
• Maintain systems to ensure financial compliance with donor and organizational standards in the collection, processing, and reporting of data.

INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION

• Represent the project in relevant external meetings and conferences to promote the MERL approach and share project insights.
• Advocate for the importance of evidence-based decision-making and demonstrate how MERL activities contribute to the project's success and impact.
• Engage with donors and partners to share results, learnings, and insights from the project's MERL activities.

GEDSI (GENDER, EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION)

• Adhere to gender minimum standards.
• Allocate budget for GEDSI-related activities and staff capacity building on GEDSI.
• Make sure GEDSI issues are properly reflected during program management.
• Support the organization's commitment to age and gender inclusive team building processes.
• Promote an inclusive and equitable workplace culture.
• Support staff capacity building on increasing staff knowledge of GEDSI.
• Ensure that gender, equality, diversity, and social inclusion (GEDSI) principles are embedded in all MERL activities, including data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Promote inclusive learning and research approaches that reflect the needs of women, youth, and marginalized groups in the project's activities and outcomes.
• Strengthen the capacity of team members to apply GEDSI considerations when designing and implementing MERL strategies.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES

Perform other duties as assigned by the Project Manager.

Supervisory Responsibility

No

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Project Manager

Works Directly With: Project officer

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders: Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of our field projects.

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor's or master's degree in a relevant field (e.g., social sciences, economics, international development, statistics) or related field is required or demonstrated equivalent work experience in the field.
• Minimum of 3 years' relevant experience, especially in the areas of monitoring and evaluation and learning and knowledge management.
• Advanced knowledge of Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) practices, including data collection, research methodologies, and impact measurement.
• Proven experience in implementing MERL frameworks and ensuring effective integration into program design and implementation.
• Experience in managing large-scale data collection efforts and in the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data.
• Strong analytical, strategic planning, and project management skills.
• Ability to lead data-driven interventions and provide actionable recommendations to improve program performance.

Success Factors

• Fluency in English and Amharic (additional local languages are an asset).
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and work effectively under pressure.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively convey technical information to a diverse audience.
• Excellent presentation, reporting, and negotiation skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint) and familiarity with data analysis tools and visualization software.
• Must have the flexibility and resilience to work in challenging environments and embrace adaptive management processes.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of our field projects.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world's most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives. We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening, and evolving to become more diverse, equitable, and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact. We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status, or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

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