Spark
Regional Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager (National Post)
Position: Regional Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager
Location: Türkiye (Istanbul)
Application Deadline: 31 January 2023
Duration: 2 years with the possibility of extension
Start Date: As soon as possible
We are looking for an experienced manager bringing significant expertise to lead our monitoring and evaluation team, and drive our learning agenda for the Middle East.
The MEL Manager will lead
i) establishment and maintenance of an effective MEL system for our regional portfolio and results management related to global and regional indicators
ii) drive a learning agenda for the region, ensuring that lessons learned and good practices from our programmes, feed back into organisational learning and (new) programme development. This will require the Manager to work closely with SPARK’s expert team and RPD
iii) lead the ME team to ensure quality and timely donor reporting for all programmes in the Middle East. The ME programmes’ portfolio covers Türkiye and the Middle East including Syria-NW, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine.
The MEL Manager supervises the Regional M&E team and country based monitoring and reporting staff and provides technical leadership, strategic guidance and hands-on training to relevant program staff members and implementing partners. The Manager reports to the Regional Program Director and has a direct working relationship with the M&E and Quality Manager in HQ to adapt systems and tools to ensure data quality and consistent reporting across the region.
Main Tasks and Responsibilities:
Development and Management of an effective Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning system and templates for the Middle East programme portfolio in SPARK
Designing, planning and implementation of ME frameworks
Regional- global level
○ Improve and update the regional ME framework and management plan to monitor progress against the SPARK 2030 Strategy
○ Create a SPARK Learning Plan for the ME region in alignment with the SPARK 2030 Strategy
○ Develop appropriate global, regional and country level indicators and improve the data collection systems to measure the results and impact, aligned with the 2030 strategy, including green, agricultural, digitalization, social inclusion and gender related indicators. As well as indicators measuring broader systemic change, such as localization. This will require close cooperation with SPARK’s expert teams and RPD
○ Makes sure reports on the regional and country specific indicators vs results to HQ on quarterly basis are delivered timely and up to required standards
○ Oversees the Regional M&E Reporting team on the development of appropriate indicators and improve the data collection systems to measure program results and impact
○ Develops templates/training for the RPD and acquisition team to standardise and use for designing MEL systems in the design of the programmes
Programme level
○ Manages the Regional M&E Reporting team to oversee the annual M&E activity plan for programmes as well as donor and internal reporting in coordination with the Project Leads
○ Ensure that lessons learned and good practices from the programmes are effectively used to feed back into organisational learning and programme development
○ Participates in donor kick-off meetings and regular meetings (if any) for M&E plans, data sharing and management
○ Supports Project leads in the development of donor reports
Data Collection and Quality Control
○ Manages the Regional M&E Reporting team on the use of the regional and country level database documentation and dissemination
○ Develops and updates the data collection tools and templates (such as survey and evaluation questionnaires, MoVs, etc.) together with the Regional M&E-Reporting Team.
○ Manages internal and/or external evaluations as well as surveys and assessments according to the needs in collaboration with the Regional M&E Reporting Mng/Coord/Lead and where relevant RPD
○ Supervises the timely accurate and reliable data collection and storage. And manages and guides staff to ensure that data management
○ Provides the tools and guidance to the ME teams and project leads to measure impact and ensure operational efficiency as a part of SPARK’s Learning Agenda (regional and country levels)
○ Tracks the programme progress reports according to the M&E plans and supports the team to improve the quality of the internal and donor reporting.
Localization and partner support
● Develops a plan for the ME region on how to further localise data management, monitoring and reporting to local partners, including impact measurement
● Develop tools to effectively measure capacity gaps of partners related to data management, monitoring and reporting, including impact measurement
● Manage the regional monitoring and reporting team to effectively train and increase capacity of local partners
Team Management & Capacity Building
● Identifies internal capacity gaps in the region related to monitoring, evaluation and learning and increases capacity of M&E and program teams
● Provides coaching to program teams on how to effectively and efficiently monitor, evaluate and steer their programs, including measurement of quality and sustainability of jobs and business growth
● Manages the team to provide technical support to local implementing partners for data collection and reporting on their progress and achievements in collaboration with the Regional M&E Reporting Mng//Lead.
Contribution to Strategy and Program Development
● Acts as a sparring partner to the Middle East Regional Program Director and to the Central Monitoring, Evaluation and Quality team, in topics related to the realisation of SPARK’s 2030 Strategy objectives.
● Provides inputs to the SPARK Theory of Change and Global Indicators, maintenances and coordinates their internalisation within the Middle East region
● Provides inputs to the maintenance of the SPARK Learning Agenda and drive learning within the region
● Supports the RPD and acquisition team with relevant parts of new programmes (from concept note to submission, including writing and designing M&E plans). This includes the development of tools and ME templates to standardise and feed into new programme development as well as training as required
● Facilitates a culture-shift within the Middle East team, towards enabling a focus on impact in program management and operations;
● communicates lessons learned and encourages the region to use data for better implementation
Requirements and Competencies
● Minimum of 10 years of experience in the monitoring and evaluation of large / multi country programmes. Experience with private sector, ESG reporting, impact investment ME will be considered an asset
● Proven track record in the topics of impact management and organisational learning;
● A relevant master’s degree;
● Experience working in an international (development) organisation. Non-profit sector experience, private sector and experience working with states in conflict is considered an asset;
● Experience with impact monitoring of entrepreneurship support. Affiliation or experience with green, digital and agri entrepreneurship development are considered a strong asset
● Proven track record in building and training teams;
● Enjoys and has experience in working with a multicultural team in complex settings;
● Fluency in spoken and written English;
● Fluency in spoken and written Arabic desirable;
● Availability to travel internationally regularly;
● Reliable, flexible, and problem-solving person.
SPARK Offers
● Salary range 2600-2900 Euros Net B3
● A challenging and exciting position in an international environment;
● Competitive remuneration, range depending on skills and experience;
● A contract for 1 year initially, with the possibility of extension.
How to apply?
For more information, please visit the SPARK website: https://spark.ngo. If interested, please apply with your motivation letter and your CV (both in English) on https://vacancy.spark-online.org/Tab1/LoadProfileFromVacancy/489 until 31 January 2023. Please, with application send to us two references (phone number and email) which we can contact in the selection process.
All applications will be assessed on a rolling basis; interviews can, therefore, take place before the application deadline. However, due to the large volume of applications we receive, we cannot respond to every applicant. There may be a delay between the deadline and the moment we contact selected applicants.
If you have not received a reply, we regret to inform you that we have not been short listed
At SPARK, we embrace diversity in thoughts, opinions, and backgrounds. We’re open-minded and committed to creating a work environment of mutual respect. That’s why your gender, age, religious beliefs, race, sexual orientation, skin colour, or any other difference in your background doesn’t influence our hiring decision.
About SPARK
SPARK develops higher education and entrepreneurship, so that young ambitious people are empowered to lead their conflict-affected society into prosperity. SPARK is a dynamic and growing not-for-profit development organisation with 100+ staff members, which supports young entrepreneurs to start or grow their own businesses. SPARK provides displaced youth and women with access to higher education in fragile areas. SPARK specifically focuses its intervention on localisation through building the capacities of local partners and stakeholders, green entrepreneurship, digitalisation, and women entrepreneurship*.*
How to apply
For more information, please visit the SPARK website: https://spark.ngo. If interested, please apply with your motivation letter and your CV (both in English) on https://vacancy.spark-online.org/Tab1/LoadProfileFromVacancy/489 until 31 January 2023. Please, with application send to us two references (phone number and email) which we can contact in the selection process.