Senior Specialist – Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, Learning, and Accountability (MERLA)

Summary

This position supports monitoring, evaluation, research, learning, and accountability (MERLA) for multi-sectoral awards within the Department of Humanitarian Response (DHR). In this position, you will provide leadership on MERLA systems and processes, and lead training and capacity building on MERLA for colleagues at Save the Children U.S., Save the Children Country Offices, and emergency award field teams.

You will provide consistent support to global programs on data analysis, indicator development and tracking, target setting, accountability systems, MERLA-related donor deliverables, research, and evaluations, and will work with program teams to ensure that the data collected is appropriately used for program improvements and learning. In addition, you will support proposal development and explore innovative uses for technology in MERLA.

Funding for this position is expected to end on or about April 2022.

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

Support to Global Programs’ MERLA Systems and Processes (50%):

• Provides MERLA support to assigned multi-sectoral emergency programs.
• Supports programs and sectoral technical staff in selecting indicators and setting ambitious yet realistic indicator targets to measure program progress and achievements.
• Supports program teams with routine data collection and analysis, including through innovative platforms such as KoBo Toolbox and Power BI. Supports the development of program databases as needed.
• Conducts data quality assessments to identify and address data quality problems.
• Leads on design and development of research and evaluation tools for baseline studies, final evaluations, post-distribution monitoring surveys, and special studies.
• Conducts remote and in-person MERLA trainings and capacity building for DHR staff and colleagues overseas; promotes cross-fertilization of ideas and information exchanges across programs.
• Ensures that programs have appropriate accountability mechanisms in place.
• Provides in-country technical MERLA support to programs as needed
• Supports programs in determining how to use their data for program improvement and decision-making, and encourages the use of Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) approaches.
• Provides other MERLA-related support as needed.
• Exercises independent judgment and discretion on significant matters related to MERLA.

Donor Reporting and Compliance with MERLA Guidance (20%):

• Ensures quality and contributes to MERLA sections for semi-annual and annual donor reports and ongoing deliverables, as required by donor. Verifies the quality and correctness of data included in these reports, and contributes advanced analysis of data as needed. Reviews and finalizes evaluation reports, including copy editing for grammar and syntax in preparation for publication.
• Ensures program compliance with donor requirements, including (as applicable) USAID’s Open Data Policy (ADS 579), BHA monitoring and evaluation (M&E) policies and guidance, BPRM M&E requirements, and UN agency M&E requirements.

Program Learning and Innovation (10%):

• Leads on development of learning agendas for programs. Works with colleagues to develop research scopes of work, protocols, research methods, tools, and reports. Leads on submissions to Save the Children’s Ethics Review Committee (ERC).
• Leads development of MERLA-related communication documents (case studies, newsletters, etc.) for use by senior managers, donors, and external partners.
• Stays abreast of new and innovative MERLA technologies, and adopts them on programs when useful. Shares the new technologies with team members when relevant, and may conduct capacity building on them as needed.
• Coordinates with internal and external MERLA stakeholders to identify and communicate MERLA training and speaking opportunities for program managers and technical staff.
• May lead on identifying, developing, and maintaining program-specific relationships and partnerships with universities and research organizations.

Resource Mobilization (10%):

• Responsible for finalizing M&E plans, logical frameworks, and indicator selection for proposals, in collaboration with country office and program teams.
• Ensures proposals are compliant and responsive to donor M&E requirements as well as Save the Children MERLA policies and best practices.
• Participates on behalf of Save the Children and DHR at internal and external learning events and working groups, and presents data and research at public events.
• Writes proposals for research funding as appropriate.

Represents the Department of Humanitarian Response at the agency level and contributes to agency-wide MERLA best practices (10%):

• Contributes to MERLA components of DHR and Save the Children strategy.
• Represents DHR on the Save the Children MERLA Working Group along with other DHR MERLA colleagues.
• Works closely with other Save the Children departments on MERLA topics of mutual interest, especially as they apply to global and/or multi-country programs.
• Working with program staff, identifies strong MERLA candidates both for short-term and long-term positions.
• Provides information to their Manager or to other Senior Managers so that they can make accurate decisions.
• Builds effective relationships with peers and managers. Relates well to all kinds of people.

Required Qualifications

• A minimum of 5-7 years of relevant experience.
• Minimum of a Bachelor degree or equivalent related experience
• Demonstrated experience related to M&E and research, specifically with awards funded by USAID BHA (formerly FFP and OFDA), BPRM, and/or UN agencies.
• Demonstrated experience designing or managing logical/results frameworks, M&E plans, accountability mechanisms, and program evaluations.
• Demonstrated experience developing and tracking program indicator performance and developing donor reports for emergency programs.
• Proven experience designing and conducting quantitative household surveys and qualitative studies, including calculating sample sizes, selecting a sampling methodology, developing data collection tools, and training enumerators.
• Proven experience conducting quantitative and qualitative data analysis and interpreting results, and experience using statistical software.
• Demonstrated experience writing and disseminating reports and fact sheets/case studies.
• Professional proficiency in MS Office suite as well as statistical software and data visualization tools
• Demonstrated fluency in professional English verbal and written communications
• Proven ability to successfully work under tight deadlines, manage multiple tasks simultaneously, and work both independently and as part of multicultural teams
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally up to 30% of the time, including to emergency contexts. (Note: As of this posting, international travel is currently paused due to COVID-19, and travel would not be required until agency guidance permits).
• Willingness and ability to occasionally work irregular hours to accommodate calls with field teams in other time zones.
• Experience developing and conducting training programs for field staff including curriculum design, presentation and teaching skills, and training-of-trainers methods.
• Experience working in an emergency setting.
• Professional proficiency in Spanish, French, or Arabic.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience using KoBo Toolbox, ODK, or other mobile data collection software.

Why you should join the Save the Children Team…

Save the Children US offers outstanding benefits that include health, dental, vision and life insurances, pet insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage, an Employee Assistance Program, 403(b), generous vacation, personal sick leave, family leave, parental/adoption leave, commuter benefits, dress for your day, and much more.

Click here to learn more about how Save the Children US will invest in YOU!

About Save the Children

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom Save the Children is in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse. In addition, it is Save the Children’s policy to create and proactively maintain an environment that aims to prevent and deter any actions and omissions, whether deliberate or inadvertent, that place children at the risk of any kind of child abuse. All our representatives are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation. Any violations of this policy will be treated as a serious issue.

We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws.