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 now, and for the future.
Mercy Corps has worked in Jordan since 2003 to implement a variety of programs funded by global public institutions, as well as private donors to meet the urgent needs of vulnerable populations, build cohesive and civically engaged communities, and increase inclusive economic opportunities. Mercy Corps’ current portfolio in Jordan focuses on three domains: resilient individuals, strong communities and governance, and environmentally sustainable and inclusive economic growth. Mercy Corps integrates crosscutting themes of youth, gender equality and empowerment, governance, natural resource management and technology.
The Program / Department / Team (Program / Department Summary)
Informal Livelihoods Advancement Activity (Iqlaa) is a five-year USAID-funded program that aims to support Jordan's home-based businesses (HBBs) and Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) to grow, transform, and become resilient to future shocks. HBBs and MSEs are essential drivers of employment and economic stability in Jordan. Micro and small enterprises represent 98 percent of all businesses in Jordan and compose half of the country’s private sector employment. Therefore, the Iqlaa approach places formal and informal Jordanian HBBs and MSEs on a path to recovery, stabilization, and growth following the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, focusing on four critical sectors: agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, and services, with special attention to technology development and implementation.
Mercy Corps' approach to IQLAA integrates direct assistance with market systems development (MSD) interventions to support MSEs along the full journey from recovery to growth and resilience. Grounded in evidence-based, adaptive, and inclusive support, Jordan’s MSEs can emerge from the COVID-19 crisis stronger and more resilient, transformed through new ways of doing business and improved access to financial markets, and services. Understanding that women, youth, and people living with disabilities (PLWD) face unique constraints to starting up and leading resilient MSEs, Mercy Corps design will infuse a Gender, Youth, and Social Inclusion (GYSI) lens throughout all interventions. Mercy Corps approach is committed to supporting MSEs to build back, formalize, and grow, emphasizing systems-level change, equitable opportunities, and a dignified work environment for all women, men, and youth, and PLWD in Jordan.
The Position (General Position Summary)
The Monitoring and Evaluation officer will support the implementation of the Informal Livelihoods Advancement Activity. S/he will work under the supervision of the Senior MEL Coordinator in regular monitoring and evaluation of the project activities; the MEL officer will be responsible for MEL activities related to a set of sub-grants and implementing partners as assigned. This includes but is not limited to the development of intervention-level MEL Plans, the development of data collection tools, quantitative and qualitative data collection, field monitoring, qualitative data analysis and reporting, reporting writing, and evaluation. The MEL Officer will be responsible for collecting, and verifying the intervention data in line with USAID’s requirements, the already established MEL systems as well as information management protocols, and centralized dashboards. The MEL Officer will report directly to the Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator but will work closely with the Collaboration, Learning, and Adaption (CLA) Manager, Senior Information Management (IM) Coordinator and other project team members.
Essential Responsibilities
MEL DESIGN AND PLANNING
● Develop intervention-level MEL Plans, including the development of logframes, and alignment of intervention-level activities and indicators with the broader contractual indicators and results.
● Develop and maintain intervention-level Results Chains to link the intervention-level activities with the broader aims of the program.
● Develop intervention-level indicators in coordination with the Senior MEL Coordinator, CLA, Manager, Senior IM Coordinator, technical leads, sub-grantees, and partners.
● Coordinate with the relevant stakeholders, technical leads, sub-grantees, and partners to ensure agreed-upon and participatory MEL Planning.
● Work with the relevant technical leads and partners to ensure accurate projections for the annual work planning.
● Work with the CLA Manager to ensure reflection of Iqlaa’s; learning agenda on the MEL Plans as appropriate.
● Work with the Senior IM Coordinator to ensure alignment of MEL Plans with Iqlaa’s centralized and automated MEL Systems.
● Develop the intervention-level data collection tools in collaboration and coordination with the Senior MEL Coordinator, CLA Manager, Senior IM Coordinator, technical leads, sub-grantees, and partners. This includes drafting the tools, considering the feedback from stakeholders, and creating the XLS’s meta-tools using Mercy Corps Standard MEL Tech Suite and in line with Iqlaa’s centralized and automated systems.
DATA COLLECTION AND VERIFICATION
● Undertake or contribute to intervention-level baseline assessments as required.
● Follow up with the relevant stakeholders and support them to ensure quality, accountability, and timely data collection in line with USAID’s requirements, contractual obligations, Mery Corps’ guidelines, and Iqlaa’s MEL systems. This includes but is not limited to the biodata of the targeted entities, assessment of targeted businesses, and service provision data, in collaboration and coordination with the Senior IM CoordinatorMonitor the service provision reporting and follow up on any deviations related to the quality, accuracy, and timeliness of data entries with the relevant stakeholders, in collaboration and coordination with the IM team
● Verify and validate the reported achievements promptly and in line with the requirements of the established and agreed upon MEL Plans, systems, and contractual obligations.
● Collect the intervention-level quantitative and qualitative MEL data according to the agreed-upon MEL Plan and systems; this might include but is not limited to field observations, satisfaction surveys, pre/post assessment, post-distribution monitoring, focus group discussions, structured and unstructured interviews, collecting success stories.
ACTIVITY MONITORING AND CONTINUE LEARNING
● Conduct field visits and observations to monitor the quality and accountability of implemented activities in the field.
● Engage with the relevant sub-grantees, service contractors, implementing partners, and technical leads to ensure the understanding and alignment of implementations with the approved plans and agreed-upon arrangements.
● Capture and disseminate the real-time monitoring findings that emerged as appropriate.
● Work with the CLA manager to collect the required qualitative data and observations to inform the learning events.
● Contribute to the intervention-level learning events as assigned.
● Report any concerns, complaints, or significant deviations to the supervisor, PQL Director, or any appropriate Mercy Corps channels as relevant.
DATA ANALYSIS AND REPORTING
• Use Iqlaa’s automated MEL systems and centralized dashboard settings to analyze and report intervention-level quantitative data.
• Analyze the collected qualitative data promptly and use Mercy Corps’ MEL Tech Suite and its tools such as MaxQDA.
• Contribute to the monthly PQL/MEL reports and disseminate them as requested by the Senior MEL Coordinator and the PQL Director.
• Develop and disseminate intervention-level reports as requested by the Senior MEL Coordinator and PQL Director.
• Ensure the highest quality levels of the MEL reporting; this includes but is not limited to accuracy, thoroughness, validity, reliability, creditability, presentation of ideas, visualization, and proofreading.
EVALUATION
● Support the senior MEL Coordinator in evaluating the assigned interventions as required.
● Support and contribute to Iqlaa’s annual surveys, mid-line evaluation, end-line evaluation, cross-cutting evaluations, and any other specific evaluations or assessments as required.
SAFEGUARDING 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
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options
Supervisory Responsibility
None.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Senior MEL Coordinator.
Works Directly With: PQL Director, CLA Manager, Senior IM Coordinator, CLA Officers, IM Officers, technical leads, partners, sub-grantees, and services contractors.
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills
● Minimum BA degree in Economics, Statistics, Industrial Engineering, or other relevant fields.
● Three years of experience in supporting the monitoring and evaluation of development and/or relief programs and DOS/USAID-funded projects is a plus.
● Demonstrated skills in both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.
● Experience developing and delivering training on MEL to local partners.
● Experience in developing logframes.
● Excellent writing skills, including reports, best practices, case studies, etc.
● Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including Excel and Word
● Proficiency in developing XLS.
Success Factors
The MEL officer should commit to humanitarian and development principles, willingness to learn new skills and methodologies, Ability to work under pressure, independently and with limited supervision and within a team, demonstrate great analytical and reporting skills, problem-solving skills and commit to his/her work and daily tasks.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Amman, Jordan and it requires up to 60% travel to Jordanian’s governorates to support implementing the program activities.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development
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.