Monitoring & Results Measurement (MRM) Manager FCDO Ukraine - Nexus Durable Solutions Initiative

Programs Kyiv, Ukraine

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Description

     
The position is contingent on funding

 

About Mercy Corps

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

 

Enhancing resilience is at the heart of what Mercy Corps does and how we work. Mercy Corps strengthens sources of resilience to enhance the capacities of people, markets, and institutions to handle shocks, reduce risk, build more equitable and responsive systems, and improve well-being. Through our programmes, partnerships, and influence, we support communities to cope, adapt, and ultimately thrive.

 

Since the escalation of the war in 2022, Mercy Corps has supported more than 300,000 people in Ukraine. We have provided cash assistance, food, shelter, and hygiene kits, psychosocial support, grants for micro, small, and medium businesses, as well as small to medium farming enterprises, and conducted large-scale information campaigns.

 

About the Programme

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has launched a call for proposals for NGOs to deliver the Nexus Durable Solutions Initiative. The programme will be funded by FCDO’s humanitarian The overall aim of the 3-year programme is to provide resilience support (farm & off-farm) to improve the food security and self-reliance of vulnerable, war-affected households and communities by protecting and restoring their food production and livelihoods. 

 

The programme will further build on this work to conduct a market system diagnostic leading to the deployment of a pilot for a Durable Solutions’ Initiative, aiming to support the transition (of at least some) of the beneficiaries of humanitarian assistance to self-sufficiency, through access to finance and further development support, securing a pathway toward economic independence in the long run.

 

The programme combines humanitarian early recovery under a first component (“Track 1”), funded from FCDO’s Humanitarian portfolio, with a market systems based Durable Solutions Initiative pilot (“Track 2”), which requires an extensive evidence and learning component.

 

General Position Summary
The Monitoring and Results Measurement (MRM) Manager will be a core member of the Programme Management Unit (PMU). The MRM Manager will manage Nexus DSI MEL team, as well as the Evidence & Learning unit. S/he will oversee the implementation of the monitoring, evaluation and learning plan of Nexus DSI activities, cultivating a strong learning culture, and providing leadership and strategic direction to the MEL staff of the consortium's partners, as well as downstream partners.
The MRM Manager will lead on the design of the Research and MEL Plans in close collaboration with various other technical leads. S/he will set the technical direction for the programme’s key learning questions, coordination of information sources, analysis of trends, and contribute to the programme’s influence strategy. The MRM Manager will be responsible for overseeing MEL workstreams, various assessments and integrated research components, including data collection, analysis and learning papers, ensuring effective coordination and sharing of information and learning within the programme. As such, the MRM Manager will play a key role in ensuring effective practices for adaptive management are in place, taking a facilitatory role in pause and reflect sessions, contributing to evidence-based decision-making. 
Essential Responsibilities
STRATEGY AND PLANNING
  • Design and develop a comprehensive MERL Strategy in collaboration with the programme team (to be reviewed by and agreed with FCDO).
  • Inform the development and implementation of a Market Diagnostic, as outlined by FCDO.
  • Lead the development of an Evidence and Learning plan, based on the results of the Market Diagnostic and the Durable Solutions pilot, in addition to valid research investigations (e.g. impact evaluation, in-depth study) and in close collaboration with programme leadership and partners to (to be reviewed by and agreed with FCDO).
  • Lead on synthesising and disseminating programme data relevant to performance and implementation among all consortium partners. 
  • Oversee data measurement and analysis of key performance indicators to inform strategic decision making and manage Value for Money throughout the programme.
  • Coordinate consortium level MEL and Learning events and deliverables throughout the life of the programme
  • Participate in inter-agency meetings to ensure coordination, and share best practices and harmonise tools.

 

MONITORING & EVALUATION 
  • Oversee and support the delivery, development and analysis, of formative assessments for the programme and work with the Track leads to distill learning, support decision-making and action findings. 
  • Design the detailed MEL Plan for the programme, ensuring close coordination and cooperation across partners and components of the programme. 
  • Set up the MEL system of the programme, including the set up of technology for MEL and TolaData maintenance, ensuring they are compliant with donor and Mercy Corps’ requirements.
  • Lead systematic reviews of relevant theory and evidence to help identify core learning questions and working hypotheses.
  • Oversee and guide the design and implementation of quantitative and qualitative data collection tools and analyses.
  • Lead the monitoring and evaluation milestones related to the programme, including baseline, midline and endline, final evaluation, MEL-related formative studies and recurring monitoring activities.
  • Coordinate and manage the production of external-facing learning products targeted to a wide variety of stakeholders and audiences.
  • Provide support to programme managers to review MEL budgets, BVAs and ensure appropriate levels of resourcing for MEL Deliverables, if needed.
  • Work closely with CARM specialists to integrate communities and other stakeholders’ feedback into reporting products to inform programmatic adaptation  

 

RESEARCH & LEARNING
  • Facilitate learning sessions with programme team(s) and external stakeholders to reflect on evidence and drive planning and implementation of programme inputs and activities.
  • Develop Evidence & Learning plan and oversee its implementation. 
  • Support the development, management and coordination of knowledge management databases and tools.
  • Support the consortium's intentional learning and continuous improvement culture by contributing to strategies to monitor, evaluate and report on the effectiveness of programme efforts through activities, such as Pause & reflect sessions, After-Action Reviews, quarterly reviews, and internal performance reviews.
  • Conduct training sessions with partners about the various learning and knowledge management tools.
  • Develop knowledge management tools and processes, adapt them if needed through the programme duration, and ensure implementation adoption 
TEAM MANAGEMENT
  • Develop and ensure capacity building plans are used to mentor and coach staff to build their capacity.
  • Foster a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
  • Lead a team across research, monitoring, evaluation and learning activities, including across consortium partners to ensure close integration of implementation and learning. 

 

ACCOUNTABILITY TO PARTICIPANTS AND STAKEHOLDERS
  • Collaborate with Community Accountability and Response Mechanism (CARM) staff members to strengthen systems to promote accountability to participants and communities.
  • Support programme teams to ensure communities understand their rights and are comfortable to provide feedback to Mercy Corps on MEL processes and programme activities.
  • Ensure all research and MEL activities are gender sensitive and in adherence with Mercy Corps’ and FCDO Gender Policies.
  • Apply Do No Harm standards to ensure that MEL activities do not have adverse effects on communities.
  • Support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to participants and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in design, monitoring and evaluation of projects.

 

Supervisory Responsibility: Number of direct reports is to be determined. 

 

Reports Directly To: Consortium Director
Works Directly With: Programme Management Unit (PMU), Steering Committee, Track 1 and Track 2 Leads, Mercy Corps Ukraine Director of Programmes, consortium partner focal points. Coordinates with HQ International Finance. and the Technical Resources and Quality Unit. and Mercy Corps regional and HQ MEL teams.  

 

Minimum Qualifications & Transferable Skills  

  • 7+ years experience in designing and implementing approaches to MEL.
  • Experience working for FCDO funded programmes preferred.
  • Proven ability to produce final documents (such as logframes, M&E Plans, learning agendas, etc.) for donor consumption required.
  • Experience with theoretical and practical background in MEL and knowledge of qualitative and quantitative methodologies and techniques required.
  • Successful experience with the adoption of mobile data collection tools like Open Data Kit (ODK) and ability to use data visualisation software (e.g. PowerBI) preferred.
  • Thematic experience in agriculture, market systems development, livelihoods programming, and knowledge of the Ukrainian context preferred.
  • Proficiency in English required, Ukrainian and/or Russian would be advantageous. 

 

Success Factors:
  • High-level communication skills.
  • Strong time management and prioritisation skills.
  • Effective interpersonal skills.
  • Strong attention to detail.
  • Self-motivated, but able to work within a team.
  • Experience working towards achieving set targets and exceeding them.
  • Demonstrated self-reliant problem-solver.

 

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This position is based in Kyiv, Ukraine, with significant travel required to programme locations across the country.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organisations 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 organisation 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. 

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.

Safeguarding & Ethics

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.

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