Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Officer

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Officer for Girls Get Equal (GGE) 2.0 Project

No. of Vacancy: 1

Functional Area: Program, Partnership and Impact (PPI)

Reports to: Project Manager – Girls Get Equal (GGE) 2.0 Project MERL Coordinator (Dotted: Regional Office – West)

Location: Regional Office West Birendranagar, Surkhet

Travel required: Project working district

Grade: C1

Type: Open to all applicants; Project based employment until December based in Regional Office, 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

The Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) Officer will lead and support the implementation of an effective MERL system for the Girls Get Equal (GGE) 2.0 Project. This includes developing and implementing project M&E framework, M&E plan and capturing the learnings as per agreed learning agenda. The role will ensure effective community feedback mechanism. The role will also maintain effective project database management including from partners’ which are required for final evaluations as well as final audit.

Description
DIMENSIONS OF THE ROLE

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, MERL Officer for Girls Get Equal (GGE) 2.0 Project will ensure compliance on delivery of overall results as per agreed project indicators within time, scope and budget of the project. The position will maintain effective database management of project throughout the project implementation, update Indicators Tracking Table regularly, and conduct project monitoring systematically. The role will also provide demonstrated evidence of well-functioning child-friendly community feedback mechanism. The role will provide substantive input to the project team during development of annual work plan and annual targets. The position will ensure learnings from the project are well documented and shared internally as well as externally in coordination with Research, Evaluation and Knowledge Management Specialist and Communications Manager. In coordination with the MERL Unit, the position holder will be the focal point for studies such as baselines, mid-line, and endline evaluations as well as other relevant studies. The MERL Officer will also build the capacity of partner organization’s staff in all MERL-related tasks, systems, and processes.

The position will work closely with the MERL Coordinator based in the Regional Office and the Project team as well as other program staff and MERL staff as necessary.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

Establish effective project monitoring system

• Support in designing Monitoring and evaluation framework for assigned project.
• Improve the existing MERL system, in coordination with the regional program teams, project team and MERL unit to ensure quality deliver in time.
• Ensure all MERL activities are conducted timely as per project calendar.
• Develop project quality monitoring tool/checklist based on quality benchmark and project implementation guideline.
• Conduct regular project monitoring visit for quality enhancement, sharing lesson learnt and good practices.
• Perform regular field visits to ensure the quality of data collected by program and partner staff and to verify the accuracy of reported data.
• Support project team by findings improvement areas and contribute in quality activities delivering.
• Ensure monitoring data is collected, consolidated and analyzed according to the MERL Standard.
• Prepare, disseminate and follow up MERL report as part of Plan International’s information management system.
• Provide substantive input during development of annual work plan and annual targets.

Facilitate accountability and stakeholder feedback mechanisms

• 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.
• Lead to enhance accountability mechanism in the community level and project implementation sites.
• In coordination with Project Manager and regional team, design and carry out review and reflection with partner organisations and communities.
• In coordination with implementation partner, design, plan and carry out social audit.
• Develop and follow up plan of action based on recommendations from review/reflection and social audit events of the project.
• Support the program team to establish community feedback mechanism for assigned programmes/projects to respond to the complaints/feedbacks/concern from community and beneficiaries, including analysis of data with management actions identified.
• Ensure that a system for collecting and managing feedbacks at the level of beneficiary communities is effective and make any improvements in Plan International’s accountability to its beneficiaries.
• Concerned Plan and partner staff are oriented on accountability mechanism.

Evaluations, research and learning generation and Knowledge Management

• In collaboration with the Research, Evaluation and Knowledge Management Specialist, Project team and regional team, be a focal for all evaluations and research activities of the assigned project.
• Participate in the development of data collection tools and the design of evaluations and research.
• Perform quantitative and qualitative data analyses using appropriate software.
• Work with program teams to utilise data for quality improvements in project implementation.
• Document good practices, lessons learned and feedback to influence and guide the design and implementation of our programs.
• Organize learning events and workshops for to document lessons learnt, good practices and areas of improvement.
• Organize dissemination events of evaluations, research and study at community, district and provincial level.
• Maintain effective data management system for the project including both quantitative and qualitative data.
• Store the key project documents such as evaluation, research, study reports, narrative reports, learning documents etc in the Data Archiving System.

Develop capacity of Plan International Nepal and partner staff

• Identify the capacity gaps and work with MERL team, project team, regional team, to build the capacity of partners to ensure smooth implementation of MERL system, participatory monitoring and evaluation and improved for capacity.
• Support the MERL Manager in providing capacity building training and mentoring in MERL to relevant staff in the field offices and partner organisations.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree in Rural Development, Social Work, Sociology, Development Studies and other social sciences with 2-3 years of experience in the relevant sector of working in project monitoring and ensuring child-centered accountability mechanism.
• Experience of working in research and evaluation in development sector would be an added advantage.
• Spoken and written communication skills in English and Nepali.
• Proven experience with quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.
• Experience conducting interviews with young people, children and communities.
• Strong capacity and creativity in leading and facilitating participatory methodologies to meaningfully engage beneficiaries, including children, and receiving their feedback through approaches such as social audit.
• Experience in capacity development of staff or partners in project monitoring, evaluation or research.
• Ability to facilitate workshop, review and reflection meeting, lesson learning session and MERL training.
• Excellent knowledge and skills in Windows, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and data analysis tools and software.
• Experience in program data management, use of data management electronic devices such as tablets is highly desirable.

Desirable

• Experienced in rights-based approach to development.
• Facilitating child led monitoring, evaluation or research.

PLAN INTERNATIONAL’S VALUES IN PRACTICE

We are open and accountable

• Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
• Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
• Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
• Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
• Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people

We strive for lasting impact

• Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
• Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
• Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
• Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.

We work well together

• Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
• Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
• Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
• Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.

We are inclusive and empowering

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

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

The position is based in Regional Office, Surkhet, with frequent to travel to project districts.

LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH CHILDREN

Mid Contact: Frequently interaction with children

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

Application Deadline: Sunday 26th Jan, 2025

Source: Kantipur Dainik, 11 January, 2024