Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Specialist

The Institute of Development Studies is currently seeking to recruit for a Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Specialist to focus on the MEL of research and knowledge mobilisation. The MEL Specialist will be based at IDS in Brighton, UK within the KIP (Knowledge Impact and Policy) team. The KIP cluster contributes directly to IDS’ vision of Engaged Excellence, working across the institute and with partners to support this social and economic change by promoting evidence-informed policy making and practice.

The post will focus on MEL of research and knowledge mobilisation projects. The core duties will be to manage and implement a portfolio of MEL work that contributes to the Institute’s goals. This will include, designing and implementing MEL plans and theories of change, processing and analysis of M&E data, interviewing development actors and contributing to building an innovative portfolio of work across diverse areas of research. The post-holder will be expected to manage competing responsibilities with support on setting priorities from their line manager in order to act as a champion for learning and build institutional and partner capacity to deliver effective MEL.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Lead a programme of MEL work

• Project manage a portfolio of MEL projects from inception to delivery, including developing theories of change and logframes, identifying appropriate methods, data collection and analysis, reporting and reflection.
• Data collection, analysis and management including desk research of literature, collecting and digitally processing numerical data, text analysis of qualitative data, etc. Also collecting primary data from key informant interviews, focus groups and workshops with partners and stakeholders.
• Contribute to annual and quarterly progress reporting, co-ordinating with consortium and in-country partners to maintain and update databases and logframes and supporting with any additional data analysis or synthesis to meet funder reporting requirements.
• Capacity development and MEL mentoring with consortium and in-country partners where appropriate.
• Design, deliver and facilitate learning and reflection moments within project cycles to reflect on contribution and causality and ensure that lessons are actionable and articulated to theory of change.
• Co-ordination / project management with wider project teams and manage MEL deliverables as appropriate
• Line manage more junior / temporary staff as appropriate

Be a champion for learning

• Champion a commitment to learning in your interactions with others.
• Promote theory of change as a tool to support reflection and adjustments to project implementation.
• Lead by example, and implement reflective practice throughout your work, for example keep appropriate records, undertake reflective exercises at appropriate points in a project cycle, proactively seek opportunities to learn from others and to share lessons from your own work.
• Document new MEL approaches and tools developed in your work and share conceptual reflections on how change happens within IDS and with the international development community

Build capacity of others to undertake MEL

• Prepare guidance notes, organise and deliver training workshops, provide 1:1 advice in MEL approaches, methods and tools
• Mentor internal or external colleagues who are developing their skills/experience in MEL Work as part of a team
• Input to ongoing KIP plans and proposal development processes.
• Participate in MEL team activities as appropriate.
• Represent the KIP team and/or IDS in internal and external meetings.
• Play an active role within IDS, particularly on monitoring, evaluation and learning matters
• Work closely with the team to ensure effective team organisation, co-ordination and communication activities.
• Support planning across the team’s work programme and facilitate other strategy meetings as appropriate, working closely with the Manager and other team members.
• Support other non-MEL work as maybe required across the team’s programme of work.

We are looking to recruit someone with the right balance of the following:

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in social sciences, international development or related field
• Post graduate degree in social sciences, international development or related field

Knowledge

• Thorough understanding of issues and methods relating to MEL and Theory of Change
• Participatory methods and facilitation tools and approaches
• Understanding of the research to policy arena and associated theories and frameworks.
• Issues related to measuring the impact of research and knowledge work.
• Data management systems and procedures
• Current debates in development across a range of disciplines and themes

Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communications skills, and ability to express complex ideas in accessible language to produce both technical reports and communicate impact stories
• Strong interpersonal skills, including relationship-building, influencing and negotiating
• Excellent numeracy skills with an understanding of standard data handling processes and the ability to develop and maintain databases and conduct statistical analysis.
• Experience of capacity building and facilitation
• Production of literature reviews and assessing the quality of evidence.
• Stakeholder mapping, tracking and analysis

Experience

• Design and implementation of MEL systems in diverse development contexts and applications of both standard and innovative tools and approaches.
• Significant facilitation experience, including with culturally diverse groups of stakeholders
• Evaluation design, understanding of different approaches and methods and their applicability, advantages & disadvantages
• Primary and secondary data collection and analysis
• Working in a programme environment with external stakeholders and across cultures
• Leading learning activities and embedding reflective practice within own work and promoting to others
• Resource management (Time, money, people as appropriate to project / programme delivery)
• Working successfully in a team, and of cross-team working
• Experience with knowledge management and communications
• Experience of working in fragile and conflict affected settings and dealing with sensitive data.

Attributes

• Proactive and enthusiastic approach
• Attention to detail and a commitment to the quality of outputs
• Ability to work within a team as well as ability to work with minimal supervision within agreed guidelines
• Ability to work systematically and coordinate and prioritise multiple tasks, to tight deadlines
• Ability to assert oneself and ask for assistance or clarification if required

There may be some UK and international travel involved in this role.