Monitoring AND Evaluation Lead Nepal At CARE USA

CARE seeks a Monitoring and Evaluation Lead for the anticipated USAID-funded Round 04 -Nepal Early Recovery, Risk Reduction, and Resilience (ER4) Activity. This Activity aims to reduce disaster risk and increase the disaster management capacity of the Government of Nepal (GoN) as well as highly vulnerable disaster-prone communities in Nepal to mitigate, withstand, respond to, and recover from disasters.

The M&E Lead is responsible for developing and implementing an M&E system and plan, including a database to store and aggregate collected data. The M&E Lead will provide technical expertise and leadership to generate and analyze quality evidence and data through monitoring, assessments, and evaluations. Working collaboratively with program teams to develop and implement a robust M&E framework that captures accurate and relevant data, promotes learning, and ensures accountability to both beneficiaries and donors.

This activity is expected to be a three-year program with an initial budget of $9 million, with a potential two-year extension in a second phase, bringing the total budget to $12 million.

This is a Key Personnel position, subject to USAID approval. It is also subject to project award and funding. This position will be based in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Responsibilities:

• Develop the overall framework for project M&E systems, including requirements, recording, reporting, baseline/endline, and evaluation surveys. Lead the development and monitoring of the project Performance Management Plan (PMP) to systematically document outcomes, providing insight to project technical leads and the leadership team.
• Ensure alignment of M&E activities with program goals, contributing to annual work plan development to identify project targets and incorporate M&E and Learning activities.
• Conduct safeguarding risk assessments for the program and partners, and incorporate safeguarding activities into the project plan to mitigate identified risks. Establish feedback and accountability mechanisms at both program and partner levels, addressing safeguarding issues promptly with support from Country Office safeguarding focal points.
• Monitor project activities, tracking these against the results framework. Conduct regular field visits for data collection, validation, and data quality monitoring, ensuring timely compilation and reporting of data. Capture lessons learned, documenting and championing the scaling up of best practices.
• Lead the crafting and execution of annual program plans, setting performance benchmarks, and overseeing the project’s monitoring mechanisms.
• Provide overarching guidance and supervision for the M&E function, ensuring it supports the project in achieving its objectives. Ensure that M&E activities have sufficient budget allocation, managing the M&E budget responsibly and on time.
• Hold regular staff meetings with safeguarding as a standing agenda item to discuss safeguarding issues and monitor implementation within the team. Promote positive behaviors in line with CARE’s Code of Conduct, maintaining high safeguarding standards across all project levels.
• Lead and supervise the M&E team, providing coaching, performance assessments, and capacity building to enhance their skills and professional development.
• Oversee the deployment and execution of M&E strategies, protocols, and in-country activities, including organizing training for M&E and relevant project staff.
• Provide technical leadership, capacity building, and support to project and partner staff in planning and implementing M&E systems and activities, data-informed decision-making, and results reporting.
• Establish and implement M&E systems and processes to capture disaggregated data, ensuring sensitivity to gender and social inclusion.
• Support the Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) in coordinating mid-term and final project evaluations, ensuring safeguarding principles are integrated throughout.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in statistics or economics; or a degree in a relevant field with substantial course work in quantitative methods.
• 5+ years of professional experience in designing and implementing M&E systems in the context of humanitarian response or DRR programs is required.
• Extensive experience in designing and implementing monitoring and evaluation systems as they are practiced in the context of humanitarian response, longer-term early recovery and DRR programs of similar size and complexity.
• Demonstrated experience in building or strengthening monitoring systems, quantitative and qualitative analysis, survey and sample design, and effectively promoting evidence-based program management with a strong understanding of the risk profile across systematically marginalized and vulnerable groups.
• Strong experience and knowledge of USAID M&E guidelines, systems, and reporting requirements.
• Strong technical skills including ability to process, analyze, interpret, and synthesize data with proficiency in use of statistical software packages (Stata, R, SPSS)
• Strong data visualization and report writing skills, and ability to translate technical information for non-technical audiences.
• Experience recruiting, developing, and managing staff and teams.
• Demonstrated skills building and maintaining relationships with project stakeholders, local partners, and local organizations.
• Fluency in English required (spoken and written).
• Strong oral and written communication skills; excellent demonstrated inter-cultural, interpersonal, and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to PSHEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Harassment, and Abuse).
• Demonstrated commitment to principles of Diversity, Equity, Belonging, and Inclusion (DEBI).
• Ability to travel within Nepal as required.