Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation (MEL) Assistant – Yumbe

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization and has been operating in Uganda since 2006 with a growing portfolio and proven track-record of providing market-oriented solutions (currently valued at over $60 million) focused on humanitarian response; food security; agriculture and livestock market systems development; peacebuilding, youth economic productivity; and resilience. Mercy Corps has applied market-driven solutions to communities across the Country, equipping individuals and households with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to generate improvements in their access to markets, livelihoods, health, nutrition, and security, to improve their overall resilience.  Our programs focus on:

1. Strengthening market systems to enable inclusive economic growth and resilience
2. Strengthening governance structures, to prioritize and advocate for community needs, making informed decisions, and allocating resources in a participatory, transparent, and accountable manner
3. Building institutional capacity to enable communities to attain better health, nutrition, and sexual reproductive health outcomes
4. Meeting the immediate needs of refugees and hosting communities, while strengthening market systems and resilience capacities

Since 2016, Mercy Corps has been responding to the refugee crisis in Uganda.  Our interventions cover both the settlements in Northern Uganda and Urban centres where refugees have congregated. In 2020, our programs reached over 1 million Ugandans and Refugees.

Program Summary

The Delivering Resilient Enterprises and Market Systems (DREAMS) program is a collaboration between three leading organizations in the field of global poverty alleviation: Village Enterprise, Mercy Corps, and IDinsight. The DREAMS program aims to improve the well-being of 150,000 women, children, and men over the course of the five years.  Targeting refugees and host community members in the West Nile region of Uganda, our innovative approach will layer two evidence-based models[1] – poverty graduation and market systems development – to achieve increased household income, savings, and assets: improved food security and wellbeing.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) assistant will work with the Mercy Corps DREAMS project team to ensure the collection of quality MEL data for the program.  S/he will support in the monitoring and data collection of the project, support assessments, and contribute to report writing. S/he will ensure that performance monitoring and results reporting tools and processes across the entire program are in place, effectively implemented and well synchronized between the Activity sites. The MEL assistant will be an integral member of the project team learning and reflection processes, contributing to the discussion on beneficiary feedback.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Work closely with the program team and local partners, to ensure effective monitoring, evaluation and reporting of program activities and results.
• Support in the development of the MEL tools and prepare tool matrix
• Coordinate reporting with local partners, specifically tracking deadlines, ensuring adherence to formats and requirements, ensuring reporting quality and accuracy, and periodic report writing, editing, and submission.
• Support in compiling progress against indicators and report back to the team according to the monitoring plan.
• Perform spot checks on the program activities, identify learnings to improve on program implementation and report monthly
• Ensure adherence to MEL minimum standard in carrying out his /her duties, advising and supporting team members in understanding all the standards
• Support in ensuring that the DREAMS TOLA account is updated with all the indicators, result and the means of verification collected and uploaded in the DREAMS google account on a monthly basis
• Support in updating the Activity Info website as per the achievement during the quarter of the project implementation
• Support the development of community accountability and reporting mechanisms (CARM) for the project and orient project staff as well as local partners on the same.
• Actively participate in household identification and verification of project participants under the DREAMS project
• Under guidance of the Senior MEL Officer, s/he will participate in all MEL monitoring and evaluation activities such as market assessment, price monitoring and baseline /end line data gathering needs.
• Ensure adherence to program management minimum standards in carrying out her duties, advising and supporting other staff in the same as required.
• Support in coordinating the baseline, mid-term evaluation and final evaluation, along with other key research activities. The assistant will for example support the supervision of enumerators during the different data collection and entry exercises.
• Support in building the capacity of all relevant team members to implement program-monitoring tools, accurately enter program data into relevant databases, and enable them to develop excellent reports and other documents.
• Support in building the capacity of team members through ongoing training and support on monitoring tools, entering program data into databases, the development of reports and other documents.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
• Sensitize communities on the DREAM’s CARM system and encourage them to share feedback through the promoted channels.

Other:

• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission
• Perform any other duties assigned.

 ETHICS AND INTEGRITY:

• All Mercy Corps staff are expected to behave ethically and demonstrate highest level of integrity in their professional and personal life. Mercy Corps has zero tolerance to any form of fraud, corruption, abuse, harassment, or Any breach of our policies or misconduct will lead to disciplinary action or may lead to termination.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in management, statistics, economics, social science, or related field.
• Good understanding and skills at data management, data flow and Prior experience with computerized data management systems.
• Strong computer literacy with full knowledge of MS Office applications expert knowledge of Excel and the use of Ona, ODK and other mobile data collection platforms is required.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Strong team coordination, listening, and consensus building skills.
• Fluent in both spoken and written English.
• 2-3 years of experience working in the NGO sector in M&E, community development or economic and market development.
• Prior experience carrying out surveys or conducting qualitative and quantitative data collection.
• Strong analytical skills coupled with a solid understanding of quantitative indicators and data collection strategies.
• Able to drive a motorbike safely with valid license or willingness to obtain one in the first 6 months of employment.

ORGANIZAITIONAL LEARNING: As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:

None.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Senior MEL Officer.

Works Directly With: DREAMS Project and MEL Team, Country-level MEL Manager and Finance and Operations Team.

Success Factors

The successful MEL Assistant will combine exceptional communication and analytical skills and keen attention to detail. S/he will have the ability to think creatively about operationalizing and improving the MEL system of the program. S/he will have proven experience with cross-cultural team, mobilizing communities and supervising data collection assignments. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail as well as strategic vision are essential. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations. A good sense of humour and the ability to learn from mistakes are vital!

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in the West Nile region of Uganda. Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values always and in all locations.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization 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.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening, and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out individuals with 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 based on 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. 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.