MEL Specialist – Malawi At SoCha LLC

Company profile:

SoCha (a portmanteau of Social and Change) is an independent Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) firm that provides bespoke solutions to social challenges. We are a US-registered, veteran-owned small business and staff support offices in Nairobi, Bangkok and Mauritius. SoCha currently supports multiple foreign assistance interventions across Asia and Africa.

Background:

SoCha, LLC is preparing a response to provide Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) services to USAID/Malawi. The MEL Support Platform activity objectives are likely to include assisting the mission with strategy- and activity-level performance monitoring, evaluation, and learning, including conducting data gathering and verification, data visualization (including Geographic Information Systems), data quality assessments, impact and performance evaluations, assessments, organizational learning, and collaboration among USAID’s implementing partners and DO teams. The MEL Support Platform will also implement a capacity building agenda for the mission and Implementing Partners, developing a baseline of M&E knowledge within the mission and tailoring a curriculum to provide skills development to mission staff.

To support the associated MEL services on this activity, SoCha seeks full-time, qualified Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) specialists.

Scope of Work:

Illustrative Functions of the Position

The MEL Specialists will work with USAID/Malawi’s program and technical offices to manage the specific monitoring, evaluation and learning support activities as requested by the mission, including but not limited to:

• Revising and development of the Mission Strategic Framework MEL plan and a fuller Performance Management Plan (PMP);
• Monitoring: Ability to conduct routine monitoring of USAID funded interventions in the field across Malawi;
• Data Quality Assessment: Ability to conduct data quality assessments in accordance with USAID’s Automated Directive System (ADS) across Malawi for all technical sectors (DRG, health, economic growth, and education);
• Project and activity MEL plans: Ability to support the development of robust MEL plans for the mission and across different activities;
• Assessments and Evaluations: Ability to conduct quality evaluations in Malawi and across technical sectors, including experience using statistical packages such as SPSS, STATA, etc;
• Monitoring and Evaluation Capacity Building: Ability to provide sound Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning capacity of the Mission and its partners;
• Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) events: Ability to support the Mission’s learning agenda, including facilitation, procuring event space, and logistics support;
• Knowledge Management: Ability to manage and update the Mission’s knowledge and performance management systems, including indicator databases, and
• Data Visualization and Geographic Information Systems (GIS): Ability to create interactive, user-friendly visualizations and collect, analyze, and produce graphics using GIS data and tools.

We are actively seeking a Senior MEL Specialist with Experience in One or More of the Following Areas:

Performance Monitoring, including:

• Developing performance monitoring plans
• Designing and optimizing quantitative and qualitative indicators for international development projects

Evaluations:

• Designing or conducting performance or impact evaluations
• Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods
• Applying evaluation results to inform future programming

Collaboration, Learning, and Adapting:

• Coordinating with stakeholders
• Hosting learning events for international development partners
• Building institutional capacity and memory
• Incentivizing learning and sharing
• Facilitating learning events

In addition to the categories above, subject matter expertise in the following sectors is required:

• DRG
• Health
• Economic growth, and
• Education

Minimum qualifications and experience:

• An understanding of international development sectors (Education; Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance; Health; and Economic Growth) or cross-cutting themes (gender, OVC, youth, etc.).
• English language proficiency.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• All openings will require a bachelor’s degree or higher.
• For Senior-level, an advanced degree and 10 years’ experience with directly related projects in one or more of the areas outlined above (performance monitoring, evaluation, data management, capacity building, and/or learning).
• For mid-level, a university qualification in a related subject and between 3-7 years of directly related experience.
• For Junior level, a university qualification with demonstrated experience coordinating research or evaluation tasks, providing management consultation services in the international development industry, or organizing formal training programs.
• Prior experience working with USAID preferred (including on USAID-funded work).
• Experience with USAID’s program cycle, CLA (collaborating, learning, and adapting) approach, or knowledge management preferred.
• National citizens of Malawi with the above skills are strongly encouraged to apply.

Location: Malawi, with travel within the country.