Rwanda CLA Activity

Scope of Work

Senior Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Advisor

Location: Kigali, Rwanda

Time type: Full time

THE POSITION

ME&A Inc. is seeking to hire a Senior Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Advisor to join the team implementing the Collaborating, Learning and Adapting Activity, a USAID/Rwanda funded activity.  The activity started in December 2021 with a life span of five years to December 2026, contingent on funding from the donor.  The activity aims to provide monitoring, evaluation and learning services to USAID/Rwanda through the implementation of activities requested by the donor.  The assignment involves managing local contractors as well as providing self generated technical products addressing the needs of USAID/Rwanda.

THE COMPANY

ME&A is a small women owned business based in the United States of America.  It has been contracted to implement the five year Collaborating, Learning and Adapting Activity on behalf of USAID Rwanda.  ME&A, Inc. is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior MEL Advisor:

• Is responsible for all MEL technical advice and support services to successfully complete activity objectives.
• Will support the Chief of Party (COP) to promote coordination, collaboration, continuous learning, and adaptive management across all Mission development objectives, projects, and implementing partner (IP) activities.
• Will provide mentoring and coaching to locally hired MEL specialists so that they progressively assume greater responsibilities.
• Is responsible for reviewing all relevant documentation, producing a collaborative work plan, planning and oversight of data collection efforts, and ensuring the timeliness and quality of deliverables.
• Will work with Mission staff to define scopes of work for research and evaluation assignments, including defining a concise set of appropriate research questions.
• Will develop initial study and evaluation plans, including identifying the type and number of short-term experts required to staff them.
• Will recruit, interview, and onboard short-term experts for study and evaluation teams
• Will oversee the development of detailed research and evaluation plans, including the creation of data collection instruments.
• Will contribute to the process of hiring external data collection/survey firms if necessary, such as by developing scopes of work and reviewing bids.
• Supervise research/evaluation teams during fieldwork, data analysis, and report writing.
• Review draft reports, provide comments, and ensure final reports are of the highest quality.
• Build the capacity of sub-awardees and contractors to collect and use MEL data.
• Develop USAID’s capacity to utilize MEL data in program design and their decision-making process.
• In collaboration with the COP and CLA Advisor, assume a leadership role in identifying critical knowledge gaps and needs related to key strategic risks and assumptions.
• The Senior MEL Advisor reports directly to the COP.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced degree in a relevant field of study such in development evaluation, economics, statistics, demography, international development, or other social science fields. At least seven years of progressive professional experience with USAID’s program cycle.
• Strong monitoring, evaluation, and learning experience.
• Extensive experience in hands-on/technical – data analysis including modelling, experience in survey/evaluations design, conduct, and management, including the development of monitoring systems.
• Proven ability to gather and analyze data and to prepare concise and well-written reports/presentations for different audiences – technical, management, and other stakeholders.
• Experience in designing systems for cleaning, analyzing, reporting, and archiving data to facilitate evidence-based organizational learning.
• Experience with data visualization tools, techniques, and methods preferred.
• Proficiency in statistical analysis and good knowledge of at least one statistical package (e.g., SPSS, R, Stata, SAS) preferred.
• Rwandese Nationality.
• Qualified female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply.

This job description summarizes the main duties of the job. It neither prescribes nor restricts the exact tasks that may be assigned to carry out these duties. This document should not be construed in any way to represent a contract of employment. Management reserves the right to review and revise this document at any time.

Interested and qualified candidates should submit one page Cover letter, updated CV and names, title, and contacts of three professional referees, to include most current employer (All should be in one document) via email to: [email protected] with the position applied for clearly indicated in the subject line.

The applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.