Learning and Evaluation Systems Coordinator At Mennonite Central Committee

JOB SYNOPSIS: Reporting to the co-director of the Planning, Learning, and Disaster Response (PLDR) Department, the Learning and Evaluation Systems Coordinator will:

1. Develop and coordinate use of common planning, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting (PMER) tools and processes throughout all MCC program, with an emphasis on learning.
2. Develop and conduct PMER training and capacity building activities for all international and domestic program staff and service workers.
3. Carry out and support evaluative research into the impact of MCC’s program.
4. Develop and coordinate internal and external networks for knowledge sharing of MCC program practice.

Qualifications

All MCC workers are expected to exhibit a commitment to: a personal Christian faith and discipleship; active participation in a Christian church or Christian community; and nonviolent peacemaking. MCC is an equal opportunity employer, committed to employment equity. MCC values diversity and invites all qualified candidates to apply.

Essential:

• At least three years of experience in implementing or supporting humanitarian assistance, sustainable community development, or peacebuilding projects.
• Practical and theoretical knowledge of outcomes-based planning, monitoring, and evaluation for humanitarian relief, development, and peacebuilding work.
• Close familiarity with participatory methods for conducting situation assessments, planning, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Extensive experience in planning and facilitating workshops and other learning events, including in intercultural settings.
• Dynamic presenter who can convey information in an engaging fashion and stimulate participatory learning.
• Strong research and writing skills.
• Experience with using and managing program data and monitoring/evaluation software.
• Experience developing online modules for learning management systems.
• Ability to keep multiple projects moving ahead simultaneously.
• Bachelor’s degree.

Employment eligibility: Legally eligible to work in the U.S. or Canada. MCC offers of employment are subject to a successful criminal background check(s).

Preferred:

• Competency in more than one language desirable (Spanish or French preferable).
• Master’s degree in a relevant field.

Anti-oppression commitment: MCC expects all staff to actively participate in an organization culture that focuses on dismantling any barriers based on race, economic inequality or gender-based oppression. This includes an expectation to assess and address any barriers within themselves, within their team(s), and within MCC.

Safeguarding commitment: All MCC Staff are expected to work collaboratively to create and maintain an organizational culture that prevents and responds to situations of abuse of power (sexual harassment, child abuse, racism, exploitation, and fraud among other situations). As a PLDR Coordinator, the Learning and Evaluation Systems Coordinator will provide support to MCC programs to assess, manage, and monitor risks related to safeguarding, fraud, and other abuses of power in project design, implantation, and monitoring.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

30% Management/oversight of development of MCC’s PMER system and program data/M&E software
30% Education/training
30% Conducting and supporting evaluative research
10% Networking/relationship-building

Specific Tasks and Duties:

1. In collaboration with the Learning and Evaluation (Operating Principles) coordinator, develop and conduct PMER training and capacity building activities for all international and domestic program staff and service workers.
• Coordinate and facilitate program skills training as part of orientation for new MCC staff.
• Oversee and conduct trainings for using the MCC PMER system, including facilitating workshops at regional MCC gatherings.
• Maintain contact with external consultants who can be called on to help with training, evaluation and learning activities.
• Oversee and sponsor cross-agency learning.
• Organize capacity building or learning workshops and conferences that connect MCC programs, including virtual sessions with the global PME Network.
• Consult via email, phone, or Teams with Reps and others who have questions about MCC’s reporting system and about using MCC’s program and M&E software (Insight).
• Develop and share resources and best practices for planning, monitoring, and evaluation.

2. In coordination with the Learning and Evaluation (Operating Principles) coordinator, oversee development and use of PMER tools, processes and resources
• Identify gaps in PLDR resources for supporting PMER efforts; consult with PLDR directors about who should develop those resources.
• Work with MCC’s PMER handbook, tools, and templates, managing periodic revisions as needed. Develop additional planning tools or templates as needed for MCC programs.
• Analyze planning, reporting and learning needs and determine priorities for improvements to MCC’s PME system.
• Coordinate PME working group and other stakeholders to improve MCC’s PME system.

3. Track MCC program reviews:
• Keep a master schedule of scheduled reviews.
• Review Terms of Reference for program reviews and prepare an annual board report summarizing lessons learned/issues needing further work across MCC program.

4. Manage development and use of MCC’s program and M&E software (Insight) and serve as the project manager developing and managing that software.
• Oversee any consultants or MCC staff tasked with maintaining or developing MCC’s program and M&E software.
• Analyze planning, reporting and learning needs and determine priorities for improvements to MCC PME system and program data/M&E software.
• Manage upgrades (including testing) of MCC’s program data and M&E software; ensure deadlines; assist users transition to new versions of MCC’s program data and M&E software.
• Ensure training for users of MCC’s program data and M&E software.
• Liaise with Communications, Donor Relations, Financial Services, Human Resources, and IT on various matters connected to MCC’s program data and M&E software.
• Coordinate any working groups tasked with improving MCC’s program data and M&E software.

5. Coordinating online learning and collaboration related to PMER. Participation in MCC’s standing committee on orientation and professional development.

6. Give leadership to efforts to measure and track agency-wide impact
• Support the PLDR Research Associate in the compilation of the annual MCC outputs and outcomes report.
• Monitor NGO trends in agency-level outcomes reporting, making recommendations to PLDR Directors about how MCC’s agency-level reporting might be strengthened.

7. Give leadership to r the PLDR research agenda.
• Carry out and support evaluative research into the impact of MCC’s program, making recommendations for improvement.

Other duties as assigned on a temporary basis.

Supervision: This position does not directly supervise any other positions.

Travel expectations: Travel between 30-50 days/year, consisting of 2-4 global trips of one-to-three weeks each plus occasional trips in Canada and the United States of one week or less.