Alumni Talent Pool: MEL Tech Automation Lead Roles

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning Various, United States

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Description

The Alumni Talent Pool is open exclusively to former Mercy Corps team members who were employed within the past 4 years and completed at least 1 year of service.  
You do not need to submit a cover letter, a CV/Resume is sufficient. 
Application Deadline: 15 May 2026. 
  
About Mercy Corps 
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.  
In disaster, in hardship, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.  
Now, and for the future. 
  
The Program 
Mercy Corps has created an Alumni Talent Pool to support emergency response, transitions and complex program start-up, by fast-tracking Mercy Corps alumni into temporary MEL Tech Automation Lead Roles. The initiative focuses on matching qualified team members with urgent country-based needs, for short-term placements (3 months on average). This is an opportunity for senior program leaders that offers more professional and personal flexibility and access to diverse experiences.   
  
The Role  
Mercy Corps alumni who were employed within the last four years qualified to fill Senior MEL Roles will be eligible to join the Alumni Talent Pool. Once selected into the Pool, members will have access to short-term opportunities in countries where Mercy Corps operates. Responsibilities and supervisory structures will vary depending on the type of assignment. 
When on assignment, members will be eligible for competitive salary and benefits. The eligible salary ranges and a description of all benefits associated with these short-term positions will depend on the type of employment they are hired under and may vary if this is an expat position, consultancy or if the work is done remotely.  
 
MEL Technology Strategy & Systems 
  • Lead design and implementation of MEL Technology plans, covering end-to-end data collection, storage, management, analysis, and visualization (within the Mercy Corps MEL Tech Suite – in particular CommCare, Microsoft Power BI, Microsoft Azure).
  • Develop and implement MEL Technology plans for data collection/case management (CommCare), data management/storage (Microsoft Azure), analysis and visualization (Microsoft Power BI), in line with donor and internal learning requirements and organizational reporting needs.
  • Establish and oversee CommCare data collection and case management applications to ensure program participants and activities are tracked longitudinally.
  • Establish and standardize data pipelines and automation workflows to reduce manual processing, improve data quality, and accelerate reporting cycles.
  • Develop data dashboards and visualization products tailored to diverse audiences — donors, senior management, government counterparts, and field teams.
  • Ensure all MEL Tech systems comply with Mercy Corps Responsible Data standards and protect Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in accordance with data protection policies. Where new technologies are needed that are not covered within the Mercy Corps MEL Tech Suite, ensure that the decisions around what to use and how to integrate them into existing pipelines are followed as per Mercy Corps relevant policies.
  • Directly support data quality assurance/assessment processes and ensure traceability of quality data within each MEL Technology.
Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Integration
  • Collaborate with Program MEL Leads and MEL Directors to integrate technology solutions into Activity Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (AMEL) plans.
  • Support design and implementation of MEL surveys, assessments, and evaluations using digital tools; build in system-level data quality controls.
  • Facilitate interpretation of program data and promote a culture of evidence-based adaptive management; translate analytical outputs into accessible decision-support products.
  • Establish clear data reporting workflows from field collection through donor and internal reporting, reducing bottlenecks and ensuring timely, high-quality data availability.
  • Support implementation of MEL Policy standards across programs and help address gaps in M&E systems that affect program delivery.
Capacity Building & Knowledge Transfer
  • As and where required, conduct a comprehensive MEL systems diagnostic to identify issues and suggest solutions, using Mercy Corps MEL diagnostic tools and DQA resources.
  • Contextualize and oversee implementation of MEL tech suite trainings, ensuring that all staff are proficient in utilizing the Mercy Corps required technology platforms, have the necessary skills to conduct successful digital data collection tools, data management platforms, and data analysis.
  • Document SOPs, system architecture, and user guides for all deployed solutions to ensure continuity and institutional knowledge retention.
  • Promote a data-literate culture by coaching staff on interpreting and acting on data for program improvement.
Coordination & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Collaborate with senior management, IT, and operations teams to align MEL tech investments with organizational systems and country-level infrastructure realities.
  • Liaise with donors and partners on MEL data requirements and technology deliverables, as relevant to the assignment.
  • Represent Mercy Corps in inter-agency MEL technology and data standards forums as appropriate.
  • Contribute to MEL team structuring, resourcing, and budgeting for technology components when operating in a MEL Director capacity.
Safeguarding Responsibilities
  • Works to ensure Mercy Corps’ Safeguarding Standards are integrated and upheld in all areas of HR work.
  • Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
  • Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
  • Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.  
The Process  
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview process and to provide professional references; Interviews ill assess competencies and qualifications, and may include case study or scenario-based questions, including practical demonstrations of MEL tech problem-solving.
Those meeting the minimum qualifications and demonstrating competency in the priority areas will be invited to join the Pool. Once selected into the Alumni Talent Pool, members will provide information about their professional experience, qualifications, availability, and preferences. Pool members will then be matched to specific temporary employment opportunities (on average 3 months) as hiring managers request support from the Talent Pool. Pool members will manage their own time and availability and will have the option to accept or decline any particular assignment.  
  
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders 
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. 
Successful Talent Pool members are self-starters who are ready to dive into an assignment on short notice. They have a positive attitude, are adaptable to changing circumstances, and are focused on problem solving. They have good self-awareness and understand their personal strengths and development needs, which they continuously work on between assignments. Talent Pool members understand it is a privilege to work in this sector and bring this enthusiasm to all their Mercy Corps assignments. 
  
Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills  
  • BA/S or equivalent in a relevant field (information systems, data science, statistics, international development, or related); advanced degree preferred. 
  • At least 5 years of field experience in emergency and/or development programs with a strong MEL and MEL tech focus.
  • At least 2 years of experience in a senior MEL or MEL Technology role with demonstrated ownership of data systems design and implementation. 
  • Prior experience with Mercy Corps within the last four years, as an employee and/or consultant (Should have worked with Mercy Corps for at least one year). Proven completion of Mercy Corps MEL Tech training content.
  • Demonstrated hands-on expertise of: CommCare, Power BI is required 
    Prior demonstrated experience working in data engineering/databasing platforms such as SQL, datalake/warehouse architecture, and/or Microsoft Azure is preferred though not required.
  • Prior demonstrated experience in GIS/geospatial analysis preferred though no required.
  • Proven ability to design and manage data pipelines, automated workflows, and structured databases in field program settings.
  • Experience building and training MEL digital systems; ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical audiences.
  • Demonstrated experience with data analysis, data quality management, and visualization/reporting for varied stakeholder audiences including donors.
  • xperience leading teams, managing performance of supervisees, and coaching or mentoring staff.
  • Professional proficiency in at least one of Mercy Corps' working languages (English, French, Spanish, Arabic); multilingual proficiency strongly preferred.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions 
Living conditions will depend on the location of assignment but may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. Housing will depend on the assigned post and will be specified in the position description. 
Ongoing Learning 
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  
  
Team Engagement and Effectiveness  
Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work. 
We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together. 
  
Equal Employment Opportunity 
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable law.   
  
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. 
As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline ([email protected]). 
  

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