MERL Coordinator

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning Coordinator

No. of Vacancy: 1
Location: Surkhet
Functional Area: Programme Quality Innovation (PQI)
Reports to: MERL Manager
Travel required: Plan International Nepal working districts
Grade: C2
Type: Open to all applicants, Fixed term employment until Dec 2026; based in Regional Office West- Surkhet

ABOUT PLAN INTERNATIONAL

Plan International is a development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We strive for a just world, working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners in over 75 countries. Our programs are underpinned by a core of defined values, including transparency and accountability, team collaboration, inclusion and integration, as well as the overall ambition to empower girls and young women as legacy.

Plan International has been working in Nepal since 1978 and developed a strong reputation as a respected development and humanitarian actor helping marginalized children, their families and communities to access their rights to health, education, economic security and protection. Through the support of local partners, Plan International has worked in 42 districts in Nepal since 1978.

Plan International strives for a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Our ambition from now to 2027 is to see All Girls Standing Strong Creating Global Change.

Plan international Nepal seeks candidates who practice feminist leadership, promote diversity, actively seek innovative solutions for problems, courageously and respectfully share their opinions and ideas, break down barriers and engender cross-department collaboration, practice active listening, maintain confidentiality, build trust and are passionate about children’s rights and equality for girls.

ROLE PURPOSE

Monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (MERL) underpins Plan International’s delivery of effective and accountable gender-transformative programmes and influencing. It is a critical part of our commitments under the Programme and Influence Quality Policy (PIQP) and the Programme and Influence Approach (PIA). The role will support MERL Manager and MERL Specialists in developing data collection tools, conduct data analysis and drafting reports as and when needed.

The main purpose of the Monitoring, Evaluation Research and Learning (MERL) Coordinator is to collect, review and share high quality, timely, accurate and complete programme/project-based monitoring information, research and evaluation data to support and inform overall project/programme being implemented at the regional as well as country level. The MERL Coordinator will focus on providing the necessary capacity building to partner organisations to improve their project monitoring and evaluation system. S/He will also implement Plan International Nepal’s Accountability Mechanism.

Candidates who have applied earlier, may not apply.

Description

DIMENSIONS OF THE ROLE

[This section provides a summary of the size and authority of the post. It covers the size of the budget held,
the numbers of direct reports, other key stakeholders who may depend on it, the type of communication required, the external representation involved and the reach of the role.]

Direct Line Manager: MERL Manager

Dotted Line Manager: Regional Manager, ROW

Budget Accountability: N/A

Number of direct reports: N/A

External relationships and representation:

As assigned by the supervisor/Line Manager this position holder is responsible to represent Plan at workshops, seminar and conferences related to monitoring and evaluation. S/he is also responsible for representing the organisation for providing various services to other NGOs or INGO Forums as assigned by the supervisor.

Risk management:

In accordance with Plan International’s Ethical MERL Framework and Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy, the organisation is committed to ensure that the rights of the children, adolescents and youth who are participating in monitoring and evaluation activities are respected and protected. Therefore, the position holder should be proactive that all ethical issues are ensured.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

[This section refers to people inside and/or outside of the organisation that the post-holder needs to have contact with, and why. This should include virtual presence.]

ACCOUNTABILITIES

[This section is critical for clarifying expectations of the role, providing the framework for its relationship with colleagues and providing areas of accountability against which performance can be managed.

This should include a series of brief statements that define the end results required. E.g. drive, contribute, identify, manage, responsible for, advise/coach, build, develop, provide, conduct, oversee, establish, participate etc.

Statements should ideally be worded so that they will lead to thoughts of measurement. For example, it is better to state something like “achieve maintenance standards” than “undertake maintenance”. The former leads to a measure against the maintenance standards.]

Ensure effective project monitoring

• Partners are oriented and capacitated on use of periodic/routine monitoring data collection templates and processes.
• Periodic/routine monitoring data from partner organisations are collected, reviewed, consolidated and shared with CO MERL specialists, MERL Manager and PU/FO programme team.
  Inputs/Feedbacks received are incorporated.
• Case stories are collected from each project at least once in three months with quality photographs.
• Regular field (project site) visits and interactions with project stakeholders of concerned programme team to assess progress of project. activities/interventions are organised; feedback (observations and recommendations) of the field visits are documented; concerned Programme Coordinators are provided with necessary support to identify and monitor actions to response feedback on a regular basis.

Strengthen capacity of partner organisations in monitoring and evaluation

• Capacity assessment of partners on project management focused on MERL is carried out and capacity development plan is developed to address identified gap, if any.
• Support and capacity building trainings provided to partners’ MERL focal staff in establishing effective project monitoring system through coaching, mentorship, on the job training, site visits and other technical supports.

Implement Plan’s accountability mechanism

• Participation of community people especially deprived communities in project cycle is ensured.
• Project stakeholders including community people are oriented on project scope before project start up and after any changes made in project scope.
• Project stakeholders are provided contact details (toll-free number, SMS, email address and contact person) for any feedback/grievances on staff behaviour and quality of project activities.
• Feedback received from projects stakeholders and community people are processed as per Plan International Nepal’s feedback mechanism.
• Review and reflection with government agencies, partner organisations, and community people including children, youth and girls is carried out at least twice in a year and agreed actions are documented and followed up.
• Partner organisations are provided necessary support to conduct regular social audit at project/community level.
• Necessary support provided to the MER Specialists for sharing findings, learning and recommendations from research and evaluation with community and partners as appropriate.
• Joint monitoring visits with government offices are organised at least twice a year.
• Project progress data compiled and presented in project advisory committee meetings at provincial and/or municipality level.
• Concerned Plan and partner staff are oriented on accountability mechanism.

Support in evaluation and research activities

• Participated with necessary technical support in CO initiated baseline studies, research and evaluation as and when needed.
• Study teams are provided with necessary support to coordinate field data collection.
• Programme team are provided with necessary support to implement management responses to recommendations of evaluation and research.
• Good practises are documented and disseminated.

Maintain external information at Province and Municipality level required for programme design and implementation

• Programme information (demographic, geographical, natural resources, government services/facilities, institutions (groups, CBOs and NGOs) and Plan support project information at
• provincial and municipality level maintained, shared with programme staff
• Field Office level periodic MER report for sharing within organisations and external stakeholders prepared.

Maintain MERL and Programme/Project Module of ERP systems in field office

• New staff are trained in MERL and Programme/Project module of ERP with prompt help while using system.
• Update of programme/project data in the system in time is ensured.
• Necessary support is provided to Program Coordinators for the quality and timely process of project documents and use of gender marker and safeguarding review checklist.
• Completeness of information as required in project approval processing is ensured.
• Monthly update of outputs and activities, people reach, milestones is ensured and followed up with the concerned for timely update.
• Timely completion of PCR is ensured.
• Update of visit reports and outcome of review/reflections meetings in the system is ensured.

Contribute in emergency responses in assigned location as per organisational need

• Role of MERL in Emergency performed as per MERL in Emergency process and procedure during emergency.

Any other tasks as assigned by line manager in accordance to organizational mandate and priority.

Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Program Participants and Gender Equality and Inclusion (DEI) are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

[This section details the skills, knowledge and expertise the post holder will be required to demonstrate in
doing the job well. This should include clear levels of technical expertise and skills that support our work at national, international, and global level.]

Education Qualification and Experience

• Master Degree (with 1-2 years of experience) OR Bachelor’s Degree in Rural Development, Social Work, Sociology, Public Health and other social sciences with 2-3 years of experience in the relevant sector.
• Clear understanding of the development sector, its operating and regulatory environment (in Nepal)
• Clear understanding of the socio/political economic and cultural issues of Nepal, specifically post located districts of the country.
• Clear in-depth technical and practical knowledge and understanding of the relevant job domain.

Knowledge

• Knowledge in use of analytical system (database system, spreadsheet and/or statistical software).
• Use of mobile/digital data collection tools.
• Experienced in applying recognised standards of data quality assurance.
• Analyse, synthesise and draw out conclusions and learning from monitoring data and processes.
• Experienced in implementing result/M&E framework.
• Knowledge on project cycle management.

Skills

• Analytical, strategic thinking and negotiating skills.
• Ability to build effective relations for influencing and team work.
• Excellent organisation and prioritising skills.
• Ability to write clearly and concisely in English and Nepali.
• Innovative and creative thinking with problem solving.
• Managing work relationships (internal/external), coordination and networking.
• Proven IT skills: Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint etc.
• Report writing and documentation.
• Ability to prioritise and multitask work when dealing with competing deadlines, sometimes with limited resources.

PLAN INTERNATIONAL’S VALUES IN PRACTICE

We are open and accountable

We create a climate of trust inside and outside the organisation by being open, honest and transparent. We hold ourselves and others to account for the decisions we make and for our impact on others, while doing what we say we will do.

We strive for lasting impact

We strive to achieve significant and lasting impact on the lives of children and young people, and to secure equality for girls. We challenge ourselves to be bold, courageous, responsive, focused and innovative.

We work well together

We succeed by working effectively with others, inside and outside the organisation, including our sponsors and donors. We actively support our colleagues, helping them to achieve their goals. We come together to create and implement solutions in our teams, across Plan International, with children, girls, young people, communities and our partners.

We are inclusive and empowering

We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge inequality in our programmes and our workplace. We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives. We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential.

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

[In this section, state “typical office environment”, or conditions such as “must work outside in an extremely hot and humid climate”. Also note if any protective equipment is required.]

This position is based in Regional Office –West, with frequent travel to field as necessary.

LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH CHILDREN

[Please use the level relevant for the position and delete others as applicable]

High contract: Job requires interaction with children while collecting data for monitoring, evaluation, research and feedback purpose.

“Say Yes ! To Keeping Children and Young people safe and Protected”

Source: Kantipur Dainik, 9 October, 2024