Senior Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Specialist At EnCompass

Position Description

EnCompass LLC is seeking an experienced Senior Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL), Specialist, to lead MEL services for USAID clients in the international development space. The Senior MEL Specialist will be responsible for contributing to business development and leading technical teams consisting of EnCompass staff and consultants, and will be accountable for technical quality, effective client relations, contract compliance, and budget. We are looking for someone with expert technical and management skills, strong business development experience, deep understanding of USAID contracts in the international development MEL space, the ability to foster an atmosphere of teamwork, productivity, fairness, equity, and innovation, and support for diversity in working with team members, clients, and stakeholders.

For the foreseeable future, EnCompass is using a hybrid work model where most positions are remote with voluntary in-person attendance at the office. The exceptions to this model include scenarios such as if the client requires the role to be in-person. For US-based positions: Must be legally authorized to work in the US for any employer without sponsorship.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

Essential functions:

Technical:

• Lead design and implementation of MEL contracts for USAID and other funders
  • Oversee technical designs of MEL activities
  • Develop or review drafts of evaluation or monitoring system designs, data collection strategies/instruments, consent forms, analysis strategies, and reports
  • Ensure technical work is continuously positioned for use by the client and other key audiences
  • Provide leadership to data collection teams, including training data collectors, managing issues that arise during data collection, directly leading data collection as needed, and facilitating workshops using appreciative inquiry and adult learning good practice in line with participatory approaches to MEL
  • Provide technical guidance and quality assurance on deliverables
• Provide technical support to long term, USAID, in-country MEL contracts, guiding in-country colleagues, and overseeing home office technical teams engaged in in-country technical implementation.
• Provide technical mentorship and guidance to EnCompass MEL technical specialists in leading and managing smaller/less complex MEL contracts or task orders.
• Support integration of collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA) principles across all aspects of technical MEL work
• Develop and deepen innovative approaches to MEL and participate actively in the broader MEL community

Management

• Serve as Project Lead for larger/complex MEL contracts, with a priority on USAID mission MEL platforms
  • Serve as Point of Contact for client and manage all client and partner relations
  • Manage EnCompass staff and consultants, including delegating tasks, ensuring timely and quality production, and generating solutions for issues that arise
  • Oversee budget, ensuring profitability on all contracts under purview
  • Review monthly projections and budget updates with Project Management team and Technical Assistance/MEL Team Corporate Officer.
  • Ensure contract compliance, drawing on the EnCompass contracts team as needed.
  • Review and approve internal and external project workplans
  • Review and approve project deliverables
  • Review and approve recruitment of project staff and consultants
  • Report progress and challenges to leadership
• Supervise staff on the EnCompass MEL team
• Contribute to deepening synergies across all teams and practices at EnCompass

New Business

• Serve as Technical Lead and Lead Writer on medium to large-sized proposals, including overseeing the development of the technical approach, management approach, and budget, as well as managing partner relations during the bidding process.
• Provide mentorship and coaching to EnCompass MEL Specialists serving as Technical Leads and Lead Writers on smaller/less complex MEL proposals.
• Contribute to company business development through networking in professional circles
• Participate in new business generation discussions with potential partners and EnCompass staff
• Recruit, hire, and manage consultants for proposals and contribute to the expansion of the Global Consultant Network

Other:

• Engage fully as a member of the EnCompass staff team, including participating in staff meetings and other EnCompass events, and providing administrative support to other team members as needed
• Other duties as assigned

Position Requirements

Qualifications

Academic Qualifications

• Minimum of a High School Diploma and 12 years of experience; Associate’s degree and 10 years of experience, a Bachelor’s degree and 8 years of experience or a Master’s degree and 6 years of experience
• Degree in Social Sciences, International Development, Education, Public Health or a related field

Experience and Skills

General/Management

• Minimum of six years of direct MEL experience with demonstrated progression in taking on leadership roles
• Direct client engagement experience
• Demonstrated understanding of international development processes, actors, and cultures
• Fluency in French or Spanish is highly desirable
• Experience implementing USAID monitoring, evaluation, and learning initiatives required. Familiarity with USAID policy and guidance with respect to monitoring and evaluation required
• Direct experience engaging with USAID missions, and supporting long-term, in-country staff focused on implementation of MEL programs strongly desired
• Experience with contract and budget management and oversight, including having served as a home office technical backstop on an in-country USAID activity
• Flexibility and ability to travel internationally or domestically for varying lengths of time
• Proven track record of successful teamwork, good presentation/facilitation skills, and excellent verbal and written communication skills, including proposal writing, required
• Ability to deal sensitively in multi-cultural environments and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues
• Skilled in Microsoft Office program suite
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to interact with individuals at all levels
• Ability to work in an appreciative and strengths-based environment and coach others in using appreciative approaches
• Experience in designing and facilitating interactive meetings and workshops
• Strong planning, organization, and strategic thinking skills
• Demonstrated experience managing and supervising consultants, staff, and teams
• Ability to manage multiple contracts simultaneously and deliver quality, expected results on time

Technical:

• At least three years of business development experience serving as Technical Lead and/or Lead Writer on USAID proposals
• Demonstrated technical expertise in MEL approaches and implementation good practice
• Experience implementing USAID Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting principles desired
• Demonstrated experience developing MEL technical designs and data collection tools, managing large/complex data collection efforts, leading analysis, and preparing high-quality reports
• Strong qualitative research skills, including sample design, instrument development, data analysis (using software), and reporting on qualitative evidence.
• Strong quantitative skills with demonstrated ability to synthesize complex data streams and skilled in statistical packages (SPSS, STATA, etc.)
• Strong technical expertise within one or more social development sectors, such as education, democracy and governance, public health, gender, etc.
• Experience in applying appreciative inquiry and participatory approaches and ability to model that approach for others highly desirable
• Experience overseeing third party monitoring (TPM) activities is a plus.
• Experience in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is desired