Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Specialist – USAID Mali Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Platform

Social Impact, Inc. (SI) is a global development management consulting firm. We provide monitoring, evaluation, strategic planning, and capacity-building services to advance development effectiveness. We work across all development sectors, including democracy and governance, health and education, the environment, and economic growth. Since 1997 we have worked in over 100 countries for clients such as US government agencies, bilateral donors, multilateral development banks, foundations, and nonprofits.

** Please note, this is a local position and only open to Malian citizens. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. **

Project Introduction

On November 10, 2022, USAID/Mali awarded the five-year Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Platform contract to SI. The purpose of the MEL Platform is to provide technical and advisory services to design and carry out various monitoring, evaluation, and learning activities for USAID/Mali. This contract has three major components: 1) USAID/Mali monitoring support through a Third-Party Monitoring (TPM) mechanism; 2) Evaluation Services and Surveys; and 3) Collaborating, Learning, and Adaptive Management and Communication Services.

The MEL Platform assists USAID/Mali and its partners to generate empirical data and to foster learning and knowledge management, through a participatory process to support stronger results and improve evidence-based programming. These efforts facilitate informed program management decisions, shape the long-term strategic direction of programs and decision-making within the Mission, and enable USAID/Mali to comply with USAID’s monitoring and evaluation guidance as mandated in the Automated Directives System (ADS), especially in ADS 201. The principal customers for this MEL Platform contract are USAID/Mali staff, other USG agencies, USAID implementing partners, Malian Government counterparts, and relevant offices in USAID/Washington.

Position Description

The Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Specialist will work under the supervision of the Senior Evaluation Specialist in delivering MEL Platform Component 2: Evaluation Survey Services (ESS) requests received from USAID. In particular, the MEL Specialist will assist the Senior Evaluation Specialist in planning, supporting, and providing task management, compliance; and quality assurance to surveys, assessments, evaluations, and other studies deliverables requested by USAID. Additionally, the MEL Specialist will assist the Senior Evaluation Specialist in providing MEL technical guidance, training and/or facilitation support to USAID and its partners. The MEL Specialist will be responsible for coordinating daily operation and delivery in ESS; including data collection, coding, analysis, reporting, and use of evidence-based decision-making, learning, and adapting. Therefore, candidates shall have previous USAID experience and knowledge in performance and impact evaluation, survey, assessment, analysis, and other studies; as well as in their scoping, design, work planning, completion management, reporting and formatting, and dissemination. The MEL Specialist shall be familiar with USAID program cycle monitoring, collaborating, learning, and adapting requirements and practices, and with other cross-cutting policies; such as journey-to-self-reliance, localization, gender, and youth.

Responsibilities

• Participate in monitoring, evaluation, survey, assessment, and study teams as Request Manager or team member.
• Provide compliance and quality assurance to evaluations, surveys, assessments, and other studies.
• Create effective monitoring indicators, plans, processes, and systems for evaluations, surveys, monitoring activities, assessments, and other studies.
• Facilitate the development of customized approaches to M&E services, using a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods and a results-driven approach.
• Provide support or conduct ESS Request desk review and consolidation of their findings.
• Coordinate with the GIS & Data Management Specialist as appropriate on relevant ESS requests.
• Contribute to and design tailored data collection tools to inform EES Request questions and requirements.
• Conduct data quality assurance on potential use of secondary data and during data collection, data verification and cleaning of quantitative data sets, and data triangulation of qualitative data sets.
• Manage and provide support to coding and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data using software’s such as Excel, STATA, SPSS, Survey CTO, and Dedoose.
• Provide support or conduct data quality assessment.
• Contribute to and draft ESS Request associated deliverable documents.
• Prepare MEL related training or facilitation materials.
• Support the integration of MEL into learning and continuous quality improvement efforts.
• Any other tasks assigned by the Senior Evaluation Specialist or the Chief of Party.

Qualifications

• Professional Proficiency (Level III) in both French and English is required.
• Bachelor’s degree in Development or a related field (such as Economics, Statistics, Geography, Evaluation Sciences, Political Science, Public Administration, Business Administration, or another related field). Master’s degree preferred.
• At least eight years of experience in Mali development cooperation, inclusive of three years in a USAID project MEL role.
• Prior demonstrated experience in conducting ESS of international development cooperation programs, projects, or activities, including specifically for USAID.
• Good knowledge of USAID requirements for performance and impact evaluations, assessments, and analysis.
• Demonstrated experience conducting data analysis with both quantitative and qualitative data software (such as Excel, SPSS, STATA, and Dedoose) to produce high quality synthetic visualization of findings.
• Ability to effectively manage varied workload and meet tight deadlines.
• Good interpersonal communication skills and ability to liaise and communicate with various stakeholders.
• Ability to travel and deploy for short periods across Mali, including difficult to reach/hardship zones.

Join our energetic and innovative team!  We offer you the opportunity to play a leading role in the growth of our company, work as part of a creative and committed team, and make a difference in the well-being of our world.

To learn more about Social Impact, please visit our website: http://www.socialimpact.com.

SI is an EEO/AA/ADA Veterans Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

Only selected candidates will be contacted for an interview. Please, no phone calls.