About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.
Mercy Corps has been operating in Jordan since 2003. In partnership with civil society organizations, the private sector, and the government, Mercy Corps Jordan has reached more than 3.4 million Jordanians and displaced populations in the country. Working throughout Jordan, Mercy Corps is driven by the mission to contribute to the emergence of a peaceful, resilient and prosperous Jordan which is inclusive of youth and women. We seek to build a future for Jordan in which all people feel secure, believe in the goodness of communities and institutions around them, and are on a sustainable path toward economic self-reliance. Our strategic directions focus on promoting strong communities and governance, peace and social cohesion and environmentally sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
Program Summary
Mercy Corps seeks to achieve its mission through program impact, innovation, and influence. Mercy Corps’ strategy, ‘’Pathway to Possibility’’, reflects our ambitions to not only meet basic needs of communities affected by conflict and climate, but to achieve lasting, transformational change at scale. Pathway to Possibility (P2P) includes a three-layers resilience approach at its core and aims to deliver impact through four key outcome areas: Food Security, Water Security, Economic Opportunity, and Peace and Good Governance. P2P is also driven by five organizational commitments on being climate smart; evidence-driven; safe, diverse and inclusive; locally-led; and innovative and creative.
To deliver on P2P, Mercy Corps recently changed its global program department structure into two key teams: A Technical Resources and Quality (TRaQ) Unit which aims to deliver measurable impact, leads agency thinking in key technical and program management areas, and ensures quality programing while maintaining agency visibility with key audiences; The Evidence & Learning (E&L) Unit, which leads Mercy Corps’ efforts to use data, evidence, and analytics to improve programs, scale what works, and influence others. Evidence & Learning at Mercy Corps comprises Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, Research and Learning, Crisis Analysis, and a developing Knowledge Management/Evidence Use team.
To deliver on P2P and to reflect these structural changes, Mercy Corps is introducing the Program Quality, Evidence and Learning (PQEL) role to support in delivering measurable impact in quality programming, leading agency thinking in key technical and program management areas, and maintaining agency visibility with key audiences. The use of data, evidence, and analytics to improve programs, scale what works, and influence others has never been more important.
General Position Summary
The Program Quality, Evidence and Learning (PQEL) Director oversees the MEL and Research, Grants Management and CARM teams. This role supports robust program delivery and quality across Mercy Corps by integrating context-driven best practices, technical approaches, quality standards, and accountability mechanisms. A critical aspect of the role will be in fostering evidence generation and learning as well as knowledge-sharing and capacity strengthening across the country portfolio. Under the leadership and direction of the Director of Programs, who oversees all program-related functions, the PQEL Director ensures consistent implementation of program management standards, processes, and best practices to improve the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of Mercy Corps’ programs in Jordan. S/he will also drive the quality of evidence-based programming and practices while ensuring that a culture of adaptation and learning is embraced and connects across both the humanitarian and development portfolio.
Essential Job Responsibilities
STRATEGY AND VISION
● Develop and lead on compelling Program Quality, Evidence and Learning (PQEL) strategic directions that reflects MC Jordan Country Strategy FY24-26 and that aligns with P2P, Global and Regional MENAE strategies
● Utilize the MC Jordan Country Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) to deliver on key objectives and targets that pertain to Program Quality, Evidence and Learning, and contribute to other workstreams as needed
● Lead on the establishment of the PQEL unit in Jordan, overseeing Community Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM), PM@MC, Grant Management and MEL functions, ensuring the department is cohesive, appropriately staffed, accountable (team members are clear on the unit’s mandate and priorities), and that new team members are properly onboarded
● Serve as a key partner to the DOP to ensure PQEL workstreams, initiatives and priorities are integrated across all programs and to ensure high level coordination
● Collaborate and coordinate with Regional and Global Technical Resources and Quality (TRaQ) and Evidence & Learning (E&L) teams, ensuring Jordan’s participation in strategic work streams while requesting their support when needed.
● Contribute to the achievements of other organizational commitments whenever possible (climate smart; innovative and creative; evidence-driven, locally-led; safe, diverse and inclusive)
PROGRAM PERFORMANCE & QUALITY
• Lead in establishing efficient program quality systems, processes and tools across MC Jordan’s program portfolio
• Champions and provide tangible technical support and guidance to Program Leads around Mercy Corps’ Program Management Policy and its associated minimum standards to ensure that teams are driving transformational impact through executing programs that are of the highest quality
• Support Program Leads and teams with the implementation of policy, procedures, and standards (inclusive of PM@MC, CARM, MEL, GESI, Cash Transfer Program/ GDP, and Infrastructure) while overseeing efforts to conduct gap analysis, develop action plans, contextualize, and continuously iterate through pause and reflect
• Identify, develop and disseminate Program Management guidance, tools, and templates needed for program teams to meet and exceed the Program Management and minimum standards throughout the program life cycle.
• Oversee efforts to ensure that all programs in Jordan adopt and use recommended program filing structures to improve record retention, documentation management, standards adherence, and information sharing
• Lead on the country roll out, familiarization, adoption and maintenance of global applications including the Program Management Dashboard App (PMD App), CARM Automation and the Program Identification Assignment App (IDAA).Support the DOP in effective collaboration between program teams (grants/new business, program implementation and PQEL teams) to ensure utmost program quality and that program standards are being met
• Support the overall program cycle - from identification and design, kick-off to close-out - to drive strong evidence-based program design, promote program adaptation throughout implementation, ensuring programs are performing and of high-quality, and that evidence and learning are generated throughout the program lifetime.
• Work closely with Regional TRaQ team as needed to ensure necessary program quality gaps are being identified and supported in a timely manner
• Support the Monitoring and Evaluation (MEL) teams for all MEL-related functions with a strong focus on in all quality assurance processes in the country (including but not limited to the MSR and TolaData)
• Support the development of sector guidance and lead MEL Teams in developing corresponding MEL frameworks in accordance with the overall country strategy
• Support the CARM team for all-CARM related functions, ensuring sound and efficient systems are in place across all programs and that CARM data are reviewed regularly for program adaptation
• Support the CARM team in the expansion to the larger accountability framework and ensure that an appropriate CARM system is in place for all programs with results utilized for implementation improvements and overall learning
• Support HR in leading the roll-out of Gender, Diversity and Inclusion as a priority area for MC Jordan and ensure GESI minimum standards are being met.
EVIDENCE GENERATION & LEARNING
● Lead on MC Jordan Evidence-Driven commitment and support the development of an evidence and learning vision in Jordan in collaboration with the Regional Evidence and Learning Unit and other evidence generation teams
● Contribute to a culture that elevates the importance of evidence and learning at large to improve programs, scale what works and influence others
● Coordinate with Regional Evidence & Learning Unit (ELU) to develop or support the development key evidence and learning priorities for MC Jordan at country and/or program level, in line with Jordan’s Country Strategy and in alignment with Global and MENAE Evidence and Learning Agenda (ELA)
● Develop and/or integrate new knowledge management systems to improve the processing, analysis and utilization of data and evidence generated across programs
● Coordinate and collaborate with Regional Crisis Analysis teams to include CA work when relevant and applicable to the broader MC Jordan evidence and learning priorities and/or framework
● Coordinate and collaborate with Regional TRaQ/Technical teams to include technical assessments and other relevant outputs when relevant and applicable to the broader MC Jordan evidence and learning priorities and/or framework
● Support program teams at inception stage to promote the development of key learning and/or research questions in collaboration with technical experts in-country, regionally or globally
● Lead efforts to develop and resource strategic local and regional partnerships to advance MC Jordan evidence and learning strategic directions and influence, such as research firms, academics, analysis agencies, data processing organizations etc.,
● Contribute to MC Jordan influence objectives through the intentional and organized use and dissemination of generated evidence and learnings in various platforms and fora.
GRANTS MANAGEMENT & PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
● Work closely with Project staff, operations and finance, to ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations (including PM@MC 2.0 minimum standards).
● Ensure that programs are executed in alignment with the donor agreement and the applicable donor regulations, staying abreast of changes in the regulatory environment related to donor/grant compliance; updating partnership process, tools, policies and procedures as necessary.
● Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to programming.
● Draft and/or review scope/s of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.
● Oversee and coordinates reporting workflows and processes between Project partners, team leaders, senior leadership, and HQ to ensure the timely and quality development, review and submission of reports and other communication products.
● Lead the development of processes to support program teams in integrating cross-program learning and ensure that lessons learned are used to inform adaptation of activities and future program design, with a particular focus on the use of quantitative and qualitative data for adaptive management and design
● Work closely with the DoP to drive new business development opportunities, and lead efforts to identify, pursue, and secure new funding opportunities that align with Mercy Corps' strategic priorities.
● Work closely with the program teams and technical advisors to develop innovative concept notes, proposals and partnerships that strengthen Mercy Corps' programmatic impact and contribute to the long-term sustainability of the Jordan country portfolio.
● Ensure that new business efforts are informed by evidence-based learning, market trends, and emerging needs within both humanitarian and development sectors.
● Guide the Grants Management Team to initiate the appraisal process for new funding opportunities, leading to go/no go decisions
TEAM MANAGEMENT
● Supervise and manage all PQEL team members and ensure their work is aligned and contributing effectively to the PQEL team’s strategic directions
● Create and sustain a safe, diverse and inclusive work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to grow, learn and achieve excellence.
● Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews
● Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives, including capacity strengthening as needed
● Ensure appropriate staffing within the PQEL purview, and ensure all staff understand and are able to perform their role
● Hire, orient and supervise new team members as necessary
REPRESENTATION AND COORDINATION
● Coordinate internally with other teams in the country, regionally and globally to ensure the successful delivery of the PQEL mandate.
● Collaborate closely with regional Evidence and Learning and TRaQ team for all needed technical support
● Lead efforts in sharing best practices with the broader humanitarian and development community in Jordan when it pertains to evidence and learning and program quality
● Ensure MC Jordan is a thought leader in key technical areas relevant to MC Jordan portfolio
● Represent Mercy Corps in external coordination and donor meetings, as required.
● Participate in the Complex Program board calls and associated follow-up as needed.
SAFEGAURDING RESPONSIBILITIES
• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members