Monitoring Evaluation Research and Learning Senior Officer at Weema International Inc

Founded in 2011, WEEMA International is a nonprofit organization working in Southwestern Ethiopia in Central Region. WEEMA is licensed to operate in Ethiopia as a foreign charity. We partner with rural communities to provide safe water, quality education, economic opportunities, and lifesaving healthcare so the whole community—including the most marginalized—can thrive. We aim to serve as a model of community-led development, demonstrating the power of development by Ethiopians for Ethiopians.

JOB SUMMARY:

The MERL Senior Officer is responsible for the overall participatory monitoring and evaluation, impact assessment, research and timely reporting of WEEMA’s programs/projects and activities. She/he provides technical leadership to capture program intervention activities and results, ensure high-quality, timely, valid, and verifiable data collection and analysis. She/he leads preparation and implementation of M&E plan and coordinates the proper and timely evaluation of program impact. She/he supports the CD in establishing and implementing strategic direction, planning, organizing and coordinating the overall functions of WEEMA in Ethiopia.    She/he will give an input in development/review and proper implementation of organizational specific strategies, robust systems, policies, and procedures that meet the mission, vision and objectives of the organization.

In collaboration with the CD, she/he will support the development/review and proper implementation of organizational specific strategies, robust systems, policies, and procedures that meet the mission, vision and objectives of the organization.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Job Responsibility #1:  System and Structure Design and Adaptation 

• Develop and/or strengthen new/existing monitoring and evaluation guide, systems and procedures of the organization;
• Develop impact indicators and a monitoring strategy for project/s success;
• Develop and share appropriate MERL tools to all program and support services staff;
• Design and apply appropriate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Programs design and implementation across the organization.

Job Responsibility #2:  Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment 

• Develop monitoring and evaluation plans for all programs/projects, consult with project owners, to monitor indicators of quality and impact
• Plan and conduct regular and demand-based joint monitoring and evaluation of programs/projects in collaboration with programs team;
• Assist the project/s personnel with M&E tools and support them to ensure effective implementation of M&E;
• Monitor and evaluate overall progress on achievement of project/s results;
• Monitor the effects and sustainability of the project’s results;
• Provide recommendation for further improvement of logical framework;
• Suggest strategies for improving efficiency and effectiveness of the project/s
• Provide inputs, accurate data or statistics for all relevant reports to the Country Director and WEEMA HQ based in USA, as appropriate and in consultation with the Country Director;
• Oversee qualitative and quantitative data gathering and management, and analyze the data using relevant statistical packages and data visualizations tools to produce reports;
• Based on identified capacity needs, design and deliver in-house capacity building related to M&E;
• In collaboration with Head of Programs, ensure the implementation of Accountability framework by program team;
• Supports the program team to prepare program/project LoG frame and indicators ;
• Develop sound concept notes, strong project proposals, theory of change, ToR and MoU to different funding agencies and firms;

Job Responsibility #3: Research, Learning and Reporting

• Participates in relevant meetings, and seminars representing WEEMA in consultation with the CD;
• Lead integration of research, M&E findings, and other evidence into internal program learning
• Conduct and/or supervise research, including desk and field research, as necessary for ongoing and new programing
• Collect and analyze data, and share the findings with teams,
• Ensures the communication of M&E concepts within WEEMA, with members and other stakeholders;
• Participates in the documentation and dissemination of lessons learned;
• Critiques and compiles periodic reports prepared by Program Managers and Operations/Support services team; compares and analyzes the implementation with plan and provide constructive feedback;
• Coordinates quarterly, bi-annual and annual reports preparation by program and operations/support service teams and submits to the Country Director
• Develops and implements systems, structures and processes to strengthen program accountability of all stakeholders by involving appropriate stakeholders;
• Establish and strengthen community Voice Committee practices specific to the project implementation sites of WEEMA
• Collect and analyze monthly project performance report from program managers and provide appropriate constructive feedback
• Facilitate learning opportunity for the staff to be able to implement the programs well
• Ensures that all projects have been signed by relevant stakeholders including government counterparts and communicated to all stakeholders, as appropriate
• Create and maintain electronic and physical program/project files in collaboration with program team and share programmatic documents to internal and external users as appropriat
• Make sure that quarterly and annual reports submitted to government stakeholders in a timely manne
• Maintain M&E data for usage by staff in external outputs such as publications, awareness raising events, and advocacy opportunities
• Contributes to seeking funding opportunities and developing grant proposals
• Technically guide and support the field office MERL officer to conduct her/his job in accordance with MERL guideline and standards

Job Responsibility #4:  Reporting and Documentation

• Produce progress reports monthly, quarterly, and annually on all project activities, and submit to the Country Director and to the project/s signatories;
• Participate in mid-term and annual project/s reviews, in planning workshops and assist the Project Coordinator/team in preparing relevant reports;
• Produce and document knowledge, experiences, best practices, and share across the organization in collaboration with Program Managers
• Produce and document project/s learnings, case stories, reports, etc. in collaboration with Program Managers
• Facilitates baseline, midline and endline studies/evaluations and share reports to all relevant internal and external stakeholders in time;

Job Responsibility #5: Policy, compliance and others

• Adhere to the PSEAH Policy and Code of Conduct, and report all concerns of any suspected violation of these policies.
• Contribute to the realization of WEEMA’s Gender Strategy and inclusive culture, including doing one’s part to create a safe, equitable, and nondiscriminatory environment.
• Stick to WEEMA HR Manual, Child Protection Policy, Gender Strategy, Whistleblowing Policy, Safety and Security Policy and PSEAH Policy.
• Ensure all new employees receive the Gender Strategy, PSEAH Policy, and Code of Conduct brief orientation as part of their induction.
• Ensure Gender equality, disability inclusion and PSEAH measures are implemented within her/his area of responsibility.
• Follow up, and address, Gender, disability and SEAH issues appropriately and create a conducive working environment for the sensitive groups.
• Perform other duties as required by the CD.

Duty Station (Place of Work): Addis Ababa with frequent travel to the field.

Mode of Employment: One-year contract with the possibility of extension