Monitoring and Evaluation Manager Afghanistan

Title: Monitoring and Evaluation Manager Afghanistan

Tracking Code: 218583-927

Job Location: Kabul, Kābul, Afghanistan

Position Type: Full-Time/Regular

Job Description

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

Mercy Corps has been working in Afghanistan continuously since 1986, currently in 9 provinces, with a large portfolio of programs aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture and natural resource-based livelihoods, increasing food security, promoting micro-finance and strengthening private sector, civil society and government institutions. Donors include the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the European Union (EU), and the Department for International Development of the British Government (DFID).

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Monitoring and Evaluation Manager will be a key position in the $20 million, 2-year USAID-funded Kandahar Food Zone (KFZ) program.  He/she will lead enhanced innovation learning and knowledge management activities.  This will require close cooperation with the program’s Chief of Party (COP) and Provincial Program Manager, and country portfolio Knowledge and Learning Director.  He/she will oversee the program’s internal monitoring systems including data collection, analysis and reporting and will be the senior leader responsible for cross-cutting programmatic information management, ensuring that information collected is reflected upon, used for continuous improvement of ongoing programs, and is incorporated into consistently high quality reports. He/she will also be responsible for the production of best practices, lessons learnt, success stories and other documentation. 

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Vision, Leadership and Strategy on Monitoring and Evaluation Systems

• Provide leadership to the KFZ program in developing program level M&E systems that enable staff and stakeholders to analyze and effectively represent program results in a synchronized manner.
• Ensure that monitoring systems meet the requirements of USAID. Ensure that performance results can be used for continuous improvement.  

Monitoring & Evaluation System Development

• Establish M&E system serving the needs of the overall KFZ program. 
• The system must be designed and maintained to harmonize project approaches with utility and program quality in mind, providing managers and their team’s real time information that can steer program implementation as well as improves our ability to analyze and represent impact to USAID, government, colleague agencies, and communities themselves. 
• The system must include a variety of methodologies (both quantitative and qualitative) and also must engage communities. 

Staff Training and Capacity Building

• Build the capacity of all relevant team members to develop and maintain an excellent M&E system, including regular reflection and analysis of program monitoring data and production of evidence-based recommendations and reports.  P
• rovide extensive support and capacity building to sub-grantee organizations to develop and strengthen their monitoring and evaluation systems and tools.

Evaluation Assessments

• Play a central role in supporting the baseline, mid-term and final evaluation as well as lead the design, field-testing, data collection and analysis of any additional evaluation initiatives that may be required.

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.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

 

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:  Learning and Knowledge Management staff

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO:  Chief of Party

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH:  The entire KFZ implementation team as well as local and international sub-grant recipients, as well as country portfolio Knowledge and Learning Director

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s Degree in social sciences, statistics, international development or related field is required or demonstrated equivalent work experience in the field.
• 5 years relevant field or management experience of complex, multi-dimensional programming.
• Relevant M&E experience as follows:
  • At least five years work experience in designing and implementing practical monitoring and evaluation, knowledge management or database management. 
  • Demonstrated skill in training and M&E capacity development of field staff.
  • Proven experience in designing and implementing M&E activities and indicators, as well as analyzing the data collected. 
  • Demonstrated skills in analyzing data, both qualitative and quantitative.
• Previous experience working on USAID funded programs strongly preferred.
• Previous management experience preferred.
• 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
• Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational, and prioritization skills are necessary.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members is required.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English, including report development, writing and editing.
• Strong management skills, with good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issues.
• Previous experience Afghanistan or South Asia

SUCCESS FACTORS:

Display an entrepreneurial spirit that is both creative and flexible. S/he will combine strong communication skills, creativity, initiative, participatory leadership and tactful decisiveness to assist in the development and implementation of Mercy Corps’ M&E strategy. S/he must have the confidence, and humility, to work effectively with a large variety of people who will be diverse culturally, economically and in social status. S/he must be sensitive to political and cultural nuance and able to consistently apply excellent judgment to a variety of demanding and fast-changing situations. Ability to foster solid working relationships with USAID, host Government, beneficiary communities, and partner organizations.

S/he will be knowledgeable of security protocols and be proactive in communication to and in response to security incidents. S/he will demonstrate a strong understanding of cultural, political and religious considerations in the region as well as a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, making effective communication a priority in all situations. The candidate should have a personality that enjoys working in difficult locations, can accommodate the insecurity that defines Southern Afghanistan and can cope with periods of intense activity as well as periods of isolation and potential loneliness. 

LIVING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

This position is based in Kabul, Afghanistan, and will work out of field and Kabul offices. It is unaccompanied and qualifies for hardship and R&R. Housing will be shared accommodations. Security permitting, at least 30% of the time should be spent in the provinces. The security situation is extremely volatile, particularly in the South, and may spike into situations requiring hibernation or evacuation. S/he is expected to follow all security protocols including limited movement when necessary.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Staff are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps’ policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

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