The Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Advisor is a key, short-term position in Mercy Corps designed to support team transitions, and the nationalization of Timor-Leste’s MERL team. The MERL Advisor will be responsible for technical leadership on upcoming programmatic assessment, research and evaluation projects, and ensuring that MERL research deliverables are of a high quality and are delivered in a timely manner. S/he will support MERL inputs in proposal development and work with the 5-person Timor-Leste MERL team to refine indicator plans, tailor data collection tools and data flows, and build user-friendly dashboards for new programs. The MERL Advisor will also provide technical support to the MERL Manager and team to ensure that the country office meets Mercy Corps’ MEL Policy Minimum Standards and that Timor-Leste’s MERL systems, processes and practices contribute to improved program quality, performance, results and impact.

Essential Job Responsibilities

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

• Lead document reviews and assessments to support upcoming new business opportunities.
• Assist in designing programs that incorporate Mercy Corps’ standards on design, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Develop and refine Theories of Changes, log frames and indicators, using Mercy Corps resources.

MERL SET-UP AND PLANNING FOR NEW(ER) PROGRAMS

• Lead the development of key MERL start-up deliverables, such as MEL Activity Plans.
• Ensure programs that are in the early phase of implementation have high-quality, well understood M&E plans, processes, and practices. Work with program and MERL team members to:
  • Co-develop Performance Management Plans (Indicator Plans + Indicator Performance Tracking Tables);
  • Update or build new ONA data collection tools;
  • Ensure data collection, cleaning, analysis, visualization and review processes are integrated into Mercy Corps Timor-Leste’s Knua system;
  • Co-build program-specific Knua dashboards;
  • Ensure Indicator Plans are added to Tola, Mercy Corps’ Global system.
• Collaborate closely with Program Managers and MERL team members to ensure M&E systems and processes serve the needs of the program team, the country portfolio, and the donor.

ASSESSMENTS, RESEARCH AND EVALUATION

• Lead/conduct specified assessments, research and evaluation projects, including design, data collection, analysis, synthesis and reporting.
• Liaise with consultants, program and MERL team members to ensure contracted/outsourced assessments are technically sound, accurate and meet the needs of Mercy Corps team members and donors.
• Support the capacity of national MERL team members to conduct analysis and derive insights.

PROGRAM REPORTING QUALITY

• Coordinate with the Country Director, Director of Programs, MERL Manager and Program Managers to ensure that reports are timely, high-quality, and responsive to donors.
• Assist program teams in timely and accurate reporting to donors.
• Support national team capacity building and transitions through coaching in report writing and quality control of final written products.
• Conduct MERL quality reviews for specified programs focused on assessing M&E data collection and analysis practices, and adherence to minimum standards.

MERL AND PROGRAM PERFORMANCE PRACTICE IMPROVEMENT (FOCUSING ON MEL POLICY ADOPTION)

• Support the MERL Manager to ensure that Mercy Corps Timor-Leste meets or exceeds Mercy Corps MEL Policy Minimum Standards, and that Timor-Leste’s MERL systems, processes and practices contribute to improved program quality, performance, results and impact.
• Support the Timor-Leste MERL team to develop and maintain a system that improves the country’s ability to analyze and represent impact to donors, government, colleague agencies, and communities themselves.
• Work with MERL, program and HQ support teams to build a culture of adaptive management, evidence and learning in Timor-Leste, and support better performance of the country team in these areas. Assist country teams to make use of M&E data and contribute to evidence-based learning.
• Build the capacity of relevant team members to develop and maintain MERL processes and practices, including the periodic reflection and analysis of program monitoring data to disseminate learning.
• Engage with CDs, DoP and MERL Manager on leadership issues related to monitoring and evaluation and the relationship between M&E and program quality – including use of indicators.

WAYS OF WORKING

• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally.
• Sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance and reach objectives.

SECURITY

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.

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.

Knowledge and Experience

• BA/S or equivalent, preferable in international development, economics, evaluation or gender. MA/S in relevant field strongly preferred.
• 4 years of experience in program quality, monitoring and evaluation, including relevant experience building M&E systems, leading data collection and data validation exercises, developing high quality deliverables and building staff capacity.
• Experience working with a variety of donors, including USAID and DFAT.
• High degree of computer literacy; Excel and Word skills are essential. ONA, Tableau and Open Data Studio skills are strongly preferred.
• Excellent organizational skills, an ability to manage and meet deadlines and to work independently (on a multi-task load).
• Excellent English communication skills are essential. Tetun communication skills are strongly preferred.
• Internationally recognized qualification in project or program management strongly preferred.

The Position Summary

The Director of Policy and Advocacy will be responsible for leading policy influencing initiatives with the government of Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia. S/he will conduct a deep political and policy analysis for each country to understand the policy framework relevant to P/CVE, peace and stability, identify potential policy changes that could support a more holistic and comprehensive approach to achieving stability in the borderlands, and will support policy makers with resources and technical guidance to support the policy process. S/he will engage closely with policy-makers across the 3 target countries at different levels to support policy and legislative reforms, and will build the capacity of civil society actors within the target countries to undertake advocacy and policy engagement. S/he will drive the policy and advocacy strategy for the programme, working with the programmes, research and learning teams to ensure that research and evidence is used to inform policy initiatives.The Director of Policy and Advocacy will be a key member of the programme management team, and will work with other technical sector leads to ensure that community-level interventions, government policies, and research are delivered in a complementary and mutually-reinforcing way to achieve maximum impact.

Essential Job Responsibilities

STRATEGY AND VISION

• Lead development of the programme’s policy and advocacy strategy by leading a deep political and policy assessment of each target country and identifying key legislative and policy interventions that could strengthen the government’s capacity to improve stability and counter violent extremism in the borderlands
• Contribute to shaping the programme’s research and influencing agenda, working with the Research Director to integrate and advance research, learning and advocacy in order to deepen the contextual understanding of drivers of violence and extremism in the borderlands of Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia and the sources of community resilience.
• Stay abreast of the policy and political environment and emerging challenges, and be ready to engage with policymakers in each context to represent the program’s recommendations on how to tackle evolving dynamics. Ensure that team members in the region are on message with our vision and position.

 POLICY AND REPRESENTATION WORK

• Represent the program in advancing policy issues related to PCVE, stabilisation and violence prevention including by building strategic partnerships, holding influencing meetings with government and other stakeholders, and by presenting policy and research at external events.
• Build a network and establish and maintain strategic relationships with relevant local and international stakeholders, to continually inform, challenge, and improve Mercy Corps’ advocacy, strategy, and program development.
• Engage stakeholders at the community level to inform advocacy action planning, ensuring that program strategies and policy advocacy are driven by and aligned with community priorities.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

• Lead in the structuring of partner roles and responsibilities for policy and advocacy work, oversee their activities and provide continuous technical support and capacity building as required.
• Build a network of local organizations to engage on policy initiatives at the sub-national and County level.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

• Track global policy developments affecting VE in the East/Horn of Africa Region, including policies of regional states, donor policies and UN policy.
• Work with the field teams and global P&A team to plan and produce effective, thoughtful and timely written products that advance policy perspectives important to our mission.

TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING

• Enhance the programme team’s capacity on policy and advocacy by designing and leading technical training sessions for Mercy Corps staff and local partners and providing ongoing coaching and mentoring.
• Promote active learning and adaptive management, and contribute to agency-level networks and working groups, through documentation and knowledge sharing around best practices and lessons learned in P/CVE programming.

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 toward 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.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Minimum Qualifications & Transferrable skills

• Master’s degree in Peace Building and Conflict Resolution or related discipline.
• At least 8 years experience working on countering violent extremism programming, conflict mitigation and resolution, and/or violence reduction and prevention programs.
• Demonstrated experience working to influence local and national government policies to promote peace-building and development outcomes.
• Solutions-oriented individual, with strong strategic thinking capabilities.
• Demonstrated effectiveness managing a diverse team of staff, consortium partners and local implementing partners, building a cohesive and results-oriented team to deliver on complex programming result.
• Experience working with a diverse range of community members to discuss sensitive and delicate topics in a conflict-sensitive manner.
• Excellent writing and reporting skills.
• Excellent verbal and inter-personal communications skills.
• Demonstrated sensitivity, skill, and experience working within different cultural settings and navigating public affairs and communications on sensitive issues.