Senior Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Advisor At Interpeace

Background

Interpeace is an international peacebuilding organization that supports locally led peacebuilding initiatives around the world. Interpeace tailors its approach to each society and ensures that the work is driven by national actors. Together with civil society and government partners, Interpeace develops programmes that help to establish processes of change that connect communities, civil society, government and the international community.

Interpeace has been active in Ethiopia as of 2019. In 2020 Interpeace and the Ministry of Peace (MoP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to have partnership in a range of areas but particularly on the implementation of the Ethiopian Police Doctrine and the Ethiopian Peace and Resilience Index. Interpeace is a registered organization in Ethiopia as of early 2021.

For more information about Interpeace, please visit www.interpeace.org

Position within the Organisation

The Senior Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Advisor (SMERA) is a member of the Programme Management Unit which manages and implements Interpeace’s active and ongoing programmes in Ethiopia. The SMERA reports to the country representative based in Addis Ababa, works in close collaboration with the programme team, and liaises with the Senior Regional Representative and Global MEL manager based in Nairobi to ensure that MEL activities follow global best practices and are adapted and suitable to the country context.

Purpose and General Overview

The SMERA will provide technical leadership and oversight on Ethiopia’s Research and MEL strategies and activities. This will include conducting workshops, research and analysis; producing reports and visual representations; provision of technical advice; presenting and sharing learning; and representation of Interpeace.

In particular, the SMERA will play a critical advisory role in the design, implementation, analysis and production of the Ethiopian Peace Index. This will include coordination of the methodological design and sampling methods, coordinating the development of a questionnaire, providing training to data collectors, leading data analysis in coordination with partners, and working with partners on the drafting of the report, including leading recommendations. An important component of this work will include strengthening the capacity of partners and ensuring skill transfer so that partners can produce the Ethiopian Peace Index independently and slowly diminishing Interpeace’s involvement. In addition, the SMERA will also be responsible for the programme’s monitoring, evaluation, and learning strategies and activities. This will include leading Interpeace’s outcome harvesting approach; coordinate data collection for the base- and end-line surveys and randomised control trials; train Interpeace and partner staff on data collection tools; and manage day-to-day review and feedback of collected data. S/he will also ensure that learning from these surveys is translated into effective advocacy, including the production of policy papers and learning events.

Responsibilities

Research

• Coordinates the methodological design and sampling of the Ethiopian Peace Index, in close coordination with an Expert Advisory Group of prominent Ethiopian thinkers and decisionmakers, CSO partners and with the Ministry of Peace. The Ethiopian Peace Index will be a mixed-methods research with at its core a 10,000+ survey;
• Provides training, guidance and oversight of the data collection process;
• Coordinates and provides oversight over the data-analysis process;
• Coordinates the interpretation of the data analysis with the Advisory Group, CSO partner and Ministry of Peace, including the formulation of actionable recommendation for the Ministry of Peace and other relevant government departments;
• Provide training and mentoring to transfer skills and expertise to CSO partners and research leads within the Ministry of Peace and assists the transfer of this activity to CSO partner and Ministry of Peace.

Planning of Monitoring and Evaluation activities

• Develops a solid understanding of the programme’s overall strategy;
• Develops and implements the programme monitoring and evaluation plan;
• Provides support for basic studies and research within the programme; and implements baseline studies, rapid assessments and surveys;
• Collects lessons learned, success stories, positive impacts, achievements, and case studies to be shared internally and externally;
• Guides internal reflections on programme progress, review programme strategy and refine programme implementation;
• Participates actively in Programme Planning, ensuring that Interpeace’s change framework and Gender Practice Note is clearly reflected in our programme implementation;
• Organizes and facilitates training workshops on the monitoring and evaluation systems, data collection, outcome harvesting and participates in meetings with authorities, donors, partners and project beneficiaries to share lessons learned, advocate policy recommendations, etc.
• Translate lessons-learned, both positive and negative and intended and unintended, into communication outputs for donors, partners, communities of practice, and the general public.
• Shares lessons learned with the wider organization to increase knowledge transfer and effectiveness across the organization.

Design, develop, implement and review MEL tools

• For collecting M&E data, the M&E Specialist will develop the standardized data collection tools for, among other purposes:
  • Establishing the project’s monitoring-evaluation system, aligned with Interpeace’s overall approach to monitoring and evaluation to systematize the monitoring of progress towards expected results.
  • Develop simplified monitoring tools that will allow for the collection of information related to project indicators.
  • Organize training workshops on the monitoring-evaluation system to be set up with the actors concerned (especially the implementing partners).
  • Ensure all stages of the implementation of the monitoring-evaluation system: Collection of basic (and final) data through quantitative surveys, conducting qualitative surveys of project participants, computerization of data collection and analysis forms, production of reports.
  • Ensure the integration of the gender dimension and the perspectives of the different segments of the population in the development of different indicators.
  • Organize baseline evaluations and compare results with mid-term or final evaluations. The M&E Specialist will monitor the quality of these evaluations from design to reporting by ensuring that all tools have been made available and are useful.
  • Guiding the documentation of success stories to feed into reporting and organizational memory in collaboration with Rwanda Programme team and consultants; and supports the documentation of success stories to feed into reporting and organizational memory.

Reporting

• Collects, compiles and consolidate reports from field assistants, trainers and consultants, and programme team.
• Produces regular monitoring reports focusing on monthly, quarterly and annual results and a comprehensive progress report on indicators and analysis allowing annual adjustment of activities based on performance achieved, the reporting formats, standards and procedures established in collaboration with the Programme Manager.
• Documents lessons learned and good practices during the implementation of programme activities.

Other activities

• Support the country representative and other team members in fundraising activities, this includes development of project proposals and meetings with donors.
• Represents Interpeace in meetings and relevant forums.
• Supervises MEL assistants.
• Perform other duties required for the effective running of the programme.

Qualifications

Candidates with relevant qualifications, experience, a tertiary degree, and fluent in English and Amharic are invited to apply. Additional local language knowledge is an asset.

Relevant experience and qualifications may include:

Education

• Tertiary degree in quantitative and qualitative research and statistics, peacebuilding or related fields. A PhD in peacebuilding, sociology, statistics or related fields and proven experience in the use of mixed research methods will be a significant asset.

Experience

• At least 7 years in the field of research, both quantitative and qualitative.
• Previous experience in quantitative analysis and familiarity with statistical software.
• Experience with an international Non-Governmental Organisation would be an asset.
• Previous evaluation experience preferred.

Competencies

• Ability to conduct interviews and interact with a wide range of people effectively and according to high ethical standards
• Knowledge of peacebuilding, governance, gender and / or conflict transformation
• Advanced knowledge of the Ethiopian context and
• Confident public speaker and presenter.
• Fluent spoken and written English and Amharic. Another local language is a strong asset.
• Good command of Microsoft Excel, Word and Outlook – Required
• Excellent analytical and practical problem-solving skills
• Ability to organize work efficiently and deliver assignments in a timely manner often under time constraints
• Ability to work effectively as a team member and with minimal supervision.

Interpeace Competencies

• Collaboration and Weaving
• Communication
• Drive for results
• Adaptability and Continuous Learning
• Respect for Diversity