Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.
Mercy Corps has been operating in Jordan since 2003. In partnership with civil society organizations, the private sector, and the government, Mercy Corps Jordan has reached more than 3.4 million Jordanians and displaced populations in the country. Working throughout Jordan Mercy Corps is driven by the mission to contribute to the emergence of a peaceful, resilient and prosperous Jordan which is inclusive of youth and women. We seek to build a future for Jordan in which all people feel secure, believe in the goodness of communities and institutions around them, and are on a sustainable path toward economic self-reliance. Our strategic directions focus on promoting strong communities and governance, peace and social cohesion and environmentally sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
Mercy Corps is seeking a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Director to lead implementation of the expected five-year, $50-100m USAID-funded Informal Livelihoods Advancement Activity (Iqlaa) program. The proposed program will aim to put Jordanian Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) on a path to recovery after the extraordinary crisis that the businesses have faced, help them access the safety net measures in Jordan, and, most importantly, regain productivity and growth. This will be achieved through activities and grants to get micro and small enterprises back to work, link them back to markets, and put them on a track to formalization and growth.
The MEL Director will be responsible for ensuring robust performance monitoring and evaluation that supports the achievement of the program objectives. The MEL Director will provide oversight and ensure the quality of all project-level monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning activities within the Iqlaa program.
The MEL Director’s role is to also ensure coordination of the various technical areas across the M&E staff, including Research, MEL, CARM, and ICT/Database team members, as well as other relevant program team members and partners. The MEL Director is responsible for the capacity building and mentoring strategy for program staff on themes related to monitoring, evaluation, accountability, reporting, learning, and adaptive management. The MEL Director will work closely with the Chief of Party (COP) to guide the program in operationalizing an adaptive, iterative management approach with a culture of evidence-based decision-making.
MEL STRATEGY AND AMELP
Set-up and oversee the timely implementation of the monitoring and evaluation system, including Activity Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan (AMELP), M&E Technology, Learning and Research Plans.
Align and integrate collection, analysis and reporting on indicators related to the program’s overall operational context and performance and community accountability and response mechanisms (CARM) within the program’s AMELP.
Harmonize the MEL system across consortium partner systems, and other external systems as relevant.
Ensure the quality of implementation of MEL for the Iqlaa program, consistently reviewing and adapting the MEL systems and tools,to the needs of the changing context, use the learning to inform country-level systems and strategy.
Lead the design of high quality qualitative and quantitative M&E indicators, tools, participatory and inclusive processes and protocols for data management, including data collection, analysis, reporting, storing, visualization; identify and set up relevant MEL technology and information management platforms in line with Mercy Corps guidance.
Ensure systems are established and maintained to collect sex and age disaggregated data and use gender sensitive, socially inclusive, and remote data collection methods to understand and respond to program results with diverse audiences, decision makers, and stakeholders;
COLLABORATION, LEARNING AND ADAPTING
Work closely with Mercy Corps’ HQ-based MEL and Research and Learning departments to develop and implement the iqlaa program’s CLA plan and learning agenda.
Lead and/or collaborate with external researchers and evaluators on the design and roll out of the program assessments, formative research and RCTs, baseline study, and evaluations, while setting up effective systems for continuous learning, reflection, and adaptive management.
Lead the team to create a plan to operationalize and capacity build CLA practice, including creating a culture of learning and systems thinking to stimulate an adaptive, iterative management approach;
Design and facilitate regular, strategic planning sessions and learning events, assisting Iqlaa in a learning journey as well as development of its annual plans.
Provides guidance, recommendations, and leadership to ensure that the MEL systems meet the data, evidence, and learning needs of the program, including the sharing of information internally and externally, are met, and help address shortfalls in MEL, Research, CLA, and data management that affect program implementation.
Develop and oversee implementation of appropriate learning products to promote routine sharing and learning within the program, including consortium partners. This will include identification, documentation and sharing of learning from process, output, outcome and context indicators specific to women’s agency, leadership, normative change and institutional strengthening.
Facilitate inclusive and gender-sensitive MEL and research processes and approaches, engaging local organizations, institutions, and women, to design and implement national- and community-level data collection tools and contribute to data analysis
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
Ensure data management processes (collection, cleaning, analysis, storage, reporting, visualization, etc.) are functioning in all activity locations (including partner activities) to provide quality data within deadlines.
Ensure data quality through routine internal Data Quality Assessments (DQAs) as required by Mercy Corps MEL Policy, and make adjustments as needed.
Ensure Iqlaa adheres to Mercy Corps’ MEL and, Program Record Retention and Responsible Data Policies.
Develop program and operational reporting templates that facilitate the acquisition, aggregation and flow of information and learning within the program as well as externally.
Maintain a comprehensive reporting and accountability schedule as well as review program reports to ensure that reports contain accurate, clear, and high-quality data and presented in the proper format.
TEAM MANAGEMENT
Oversee the Iqlaa MEL team and sub-contractors, like external evaluators and enumerators.
Build the capacity of all relevant program and partner team members to develop and maintain an excellent MEL system, including regular reflection, learning and adaption, by using the analysis of program quantitative and qualitative data, as well as other knowledge gained through the program’s overall AMELP.
Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
COLLABORATION AND REPRESENTATION
Collaborate with technical leads across the coalition and build processes for regular feedback loops in order to ensure functioning adaptive management
Actively contribute and collaborate with regional and global counterparts to promote the use of MEL best practices and lessons learned.
Strengthen linkages with other internal resources, through Mercy Corps’ internal knowledge management platforms,, to enhance organizational learning where relevant to MEL.
Present program MEL to external MEL and Research stakeholders to influence decision-makers and promote adaptations from learning.
SECURITY
Work closely with the country team’s security focal point to develop and maintain systems that promote the safety and security of all team members.
Ensure that activities are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security..
Number of direct reports is to be determined.
Reports directly to: Iqlaa Chief of Party
Works directly with: MEL Team, other Mercy Corps Jordan and consortia Directors, technical leads and program managers, finance and operations teams, HQ Regional Program team, HQ Technical Support Unit.
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.
The successful candidate will be capable of multitasking, rapid decision-making, and creative problem-solving. They have initiative, drive and a lot of energy, as well as high emotional intelligence, constructive mentoring skills and proven experience with capacity strengthening of local partners. S/he will be known for flexibility and creativity in project planning and building responsive systems, and is able to solicit and understand diverse perspectives, build consensus among a variety of stakeholders, and effectively and clearly communicate decisions.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
This position is based in Amman, Jordan which is an accompanied post. Jordan is a middle income country with excellent education, medical, and other facilities in the capital Amman. Jordan is a very safe country with excellent communications, transportation, and housing infrastructure. Although neighboring countries continue to experience political unrest, Jordan has been a stable monarchy for over 30 years and the destination preference for many people from the Middle East to relax or gain access to available services.
Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/STA to a field posting. Team members 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.
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
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.
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
As a safeguarding measure, Mercy Corps screens all potential US-Based employees. This is done following the conclusion of recruitment and prior to assuming full employment.
Our screening process is designed to be transparent and completed in partnership with new Team Members. You will have the opportunity to disclose any prior convictions at the conclusion of the recruitment process before the check is initiated. We ask that you do not disclose any prior convictions in your application materials or during the recruitment process.
This vacancy is archived.