Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Specialist

Job Summary

Every employee of IRI is responsible for carrying out the Mission of IRI and demonstrating the Core Values in their day-to-day operations. The Core Values, which are IRI’s foundational building blocks include:

Excellence– We believe in quality results delivered by investing in people. Freedom– We believe in exploration and experimentation to be agile and responsive. Respect- We believe in trust, empathy, and empowering people. Teamwork- We believe in diversity, inclusion, and the power of global collaboration. Transparency– We believe in open communication and clear decision-making. Accountability- We believe in personal responsibility as the foundation of success.

The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist will offer technical support for IRI’s monitoring, evaluation and learning efforts, including advising and assisting program staff with MEL related aspects of proposal development, project start up, project implementation and close out. The MEL Specialist will also contribute to IRI’s capacity building efforts for IRI staff and partners, particularly in designing and conducting trainings on monitoring, evaluation and learning for IRI staff and partners.

Position Requirements

• Undergraduatedegree in political/social science, international relations or related field. Graduate degree preferred.

• Minimum three years of professional experience in the international development sector, with at least one year of professional experience in MEL related roles.

• Demonstrated understanding of the program theory-based approach to program design, monitoring and evaluation.

• Familiarity with common MEL elements of proposals including but not limited to: logical frameworks, performance monitoring plans and indicator matrices.

• Ability to design and conduct performance evaluations, including designing methodology and data collection tools.

• Ability to collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data; experience in designing and administering questionnaires and interviews required.

• Strong organizational skills, execution of tasks, and attention to detail required.

• Ability to manage diverse activities and to meet deadlines required.

• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team, coordinate and effectively meet program goals.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite required.

• Familiarity with both qualitative and quantitative data analysis software, such as SPSS, STATA, R, NVivo, or Dedoose, preferred.

• Experience working with US government grants, cooperative agreements and similar funding mechanisms preferred.

• Experience working on democracy and governance grants preferred.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Support to DC-based and Field-based Program Staff – 90%

• Provide technical support for IRI’s monitoring, evaluation and learning efforts, primarily to program staff.
• Advise and assist staff with the monitoring, evaluation and learning processes, activities and products during the start-up and implementation phases of current IRI projects including developing MEL plans, indicator matrices, evaluation and learning approaches. Support staff in operationalizing MEL approaches by assisting with data collection tools and measurement strategies.
• Lead and contribute to performance evaluations of IRI projects, including designing evaluation methodologies, sampling strategies and data collection tools, collecting and analyzing data.
• Facilitate and contribute to project and program design sessions to develop, theories of change, logframes and logic models, and to identify expected results and benchmarks to track changes during project implementation
• Advise and assist program staff with the development and incorporation of MEL aspects for proposal development, according to requirements outlined in funding notifications as well as based the latest guidance, theories and approaches.
• Design and conduct trainings on monitoring, evaluation and learning for IRI staff and partners.
• Support IRI’s data quality efforts through conducting data quality spot checks.
• Travel overseas either conducting data collection, field research or conducting trainings.
• Foster and contribute to initiatives that build an equitable and inclusive workplace that embraces diverse identities, backgrounds, and experiences.
• Display cultural and gender sensitivity, engage with colleagues and partners in a respectful, welcoming manner and demonstrate integrity by modeling IRI’s values.
• Work with other members of the Evidence and Learning Practice (ELP) as a team to complete projects, achieve organizational goals and advance IRI’s Learning Agenda and related efforts.
• Backstop other members of ELP as needed.

External Engagement with the Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Fields- 10%

• Keep apprised of research in the academic and practitioner/policy communities on theoretical underpinnings of democracy and governance work.
• Determine the applicability of established and new methods for designing democracy and governance projects to ensure extensive monitoring, evaluation and reporting on such projects.
• Prepare external communications materials on IRI’s monitoring, evaluation and learning efforts, including blog posts, articles, presentations, etc.
• Performs other duties as assigned