MEL AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER – Mercy Corps Ethiopia
Development and Project Management
Mercy Corps Ethiopia
Program / Department Summary
Mercy Corps is implementing eighteen Months, Global Affairs Canada; Peace and Stabilization Operations Program (GAC, PSOPS) funded project Gender and Conflict-Sensitive Approaches to Peacebuilding in Ethiopia (GCAP) across the Afar, Oromia and Somali regions. The overall goal of the project is increased peace, security, and stability for people, particularly women and young women and men, in Ethiopia. The project is structured around two areas: (I) support formal and informal institutions to improve their capacities to prevent and manage conflict and (ii) increase meaningful representation and participation by women and women-led organizations in conflict management and peacebuilding processes within formal and informal institutions.
General Position Summary
The MEL and communications Manager will be based at the GCAP program on a full-time basis and reports to GCAC program manager and technically to PaQ Director. S/he directly works with: RiPA MEL Manager, CARM advisor, GEDSI Advisor, Learning and communications specialist The general duties and responsibilities of the MEL and Communications Manager are to provide oversight of project-level monitoring and evaluation activities within the GCAP Program, ensuring the quality of the project’s MEL activities, information management via the programs reporting system (which may be tied with Mercy Corps’ proprietary Tola systems), and geographic information systems (GIS), where applicable.
The MEL and communications Manager’s role is to also oversee and ensure coordination of the various technical areas across the MEL staff of the Project, and other relevant Project staff and components. The MEL and communications Manager is responsible for the capacity building and mentoring strategy for program staff on themes related to monitoring, evaluation, accountability, reporting and learning.
Essential Job Responsibilities
Strategy and Vision
Program Management
● Set-up the MEL system, including all tools and data collection processes for program activities.
● Develop and review frequently the Project’s MEL Plan including Data Management Plan
● Oversee the implementation of the MEL System.
● Plan and lead all MEL activities including the baseline, midterm, and final evaluations, and develop standards for data collection.
● Supervise all sub-contractor involved in data collection activities including the baseline, midterm, and final evaluation teams, and review their standards for data collection.
● Train project team members and partners on their ME&L responsibilities
● Direct manage xx MEL staff in day-to-day MEL activities, as well as provide technical oversight.
● Update MEL and project management systems to reflect program progress and needs; enforce proper usage of these systems by program staff.
● Collect, analyze, and validate information and data on the performance indicators
● Present data analysis and periodic reporting in consultation with technical staff
● Ensure that lessons learned throughout the project are captured and communicated to internal and external stakeholders through appropriate channels
● Liaise with various stakeholders and project-related donors on relevant program MEL concerns.
● Take on overall responsibility for project reporting including Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Annual, Final, and ad-hoc reports.
● Address any other task assigned by the Program Manager.
● Given the nature of the work, staff are expected to be flexible and may be asked to carry out duties which are not specifically listed above. The job description may be revised after discussion between the staff member and the organization.
Internal and external communications
● Provide leadership in updating and implementation of a Mercy Corps Ethiopia Communication Strategy and Plans
● Ensure adherence to Mercy Corps branding and marketing standards, maintaining quality across materials, events, and other media.
● Oversee the development of publications, materials, and other products from design to writing, editing, branding and distribution
● Work with country PaQ team and program manager in the production of quarterly newsletter and donor reports.
● Manage special events and relationships that include facilitate government, corporate, donor, and other high level official visits to project sites and head office.
● Build the capacity of all relevant team members in communications, including Donor regulations and technical abilities such as photography, videography, developing messages and materials for program activities.
● Mercy Corps institutional linkage: directly work with Mercy Corps Regional and Global communications officers to ensure Mercy Corps Ethiopia communications materials are linked to MC Ethiopia and MC Global communications initiatives.
Team Management
● Recruit, manage and support capacity building of MEL team members working on the Durable Solutions and humanitarian response portfolios.
● Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles, and assist with career development.
● Assist team members with information, tools, and resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
● Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
● Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
● Train program team members and partners on their MEL responsibilities.
Influence and compliance management
● Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to humanitarian and durable solutions programming.
● Draft and/or review scope of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.
Influence and representation
● Identify, build, and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments, and other stakeholders.
● Communicate effectively to ensure overall program targets and donor obligations are met.
Security
● Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
● Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
Organizational 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.
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 programs.
Knowledge and Experience
● BA/S or equivalent, preferable in Economics, Statistics, business administration, public administration, or international development. MA/S in similar relevant fields preferred.
● 8 years of professional experience in a relevant field for international development programs; USAID or another donor, or NGO preferred.
● A minimum of 4 years of experience in monitoring and evaluation management on humanitarian response programming.
● Experience with ArcGIS or other geographic information system preferred but not required.
● Ability to prepare clear and concise reports.
● High degree of computer literacy; Excel and Word skills are essential.
● Ability to manage and meet deadlines.
● Ability to work independently on multi-task load.
● Excellent communication and organizational skills.
● Fluency in written and oral English and Amharic languages. Must be able to read and interpret documents and communicate with others as necessary to perform job duties effectively.
● Basic mathematical skills and able to perform job specific mathematics with experience in statistical analysis and statistical software.
● Should also have experience in experimental design of evaluations.
Success Factors
● Business minded, entrepreneurial, adaptive, curious, great problem-solving skills, unafraid to ask questions, and results motivated.
● Tolerant and flexible individual able to work in difficult and stressful environments and follow procedures.
● Excellent communication, facilitation, and networking skills with a wide range of private, partner and NGO-sector actors.
● Computer literate especially in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
