POSITION SUMMARY:

The Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Officer will be responsible for coordinating the monitoring, evaluation and learning activities, including implementing the MEL framework, ensuring the proper data-entry of the performance indicators using MEL tools and MIS, and implementing data quality assurance processes to ensure the timeliness and validity of data entry and analysis and its effective use for decision making and project learning. The MEL Officer will oversee and coordinate the MEL initiatives of country offices under the Safe Migration in Central Asia Project by strengthening the capacity of project staff and subrecipients and providing technical support to their use of M&E strategies, plans, processes, and tools.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

The MEL Officer will oversee the project’s MEL activities and data reporting requirements in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Turkmenistan. Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:

· Oversee all aspects of the performance measurement for the project, including day-to-day tracking, reporting on activities, and data quality assurance

· Under the supervision of the Chief of Party, revise the project MEL plan and adjust key performance indicators as necessary

· Provide oversight of the operationalization of the project’s management information system (MIS); liaise with MIS contractor on MIS improvements

· Ensure all staff and partners have a full understanding of the use of data collection tools and procedures, oversee the project database (MIS) and prepare MEL data reporting for USAID

· Collaborate with Country Coordinators, other staff and project partners on data collection, analysis, and ensure data is collected in a timely manner

· Participate in project monitoring through site visits to partner offices, review of project proposals and reports, and analysis of performance monitoring and other data

· Provide supportive supervision and training on data collection, reporting, and use to the project partners

· Perform data quality controls and verification procedures under the guidance of the HO MEL Specialists

· Ensure collection of data related to gender and social inclusion

· Foster a learning culture throughout the team to ensure that M&E data are used to improve performance

· Write quarterly MEL reports for review by the COP and support the reporting of project performance to the donor

· Contribute to strategic discussions on the project learnings and adaptations

· Work with the COP and Country Coordinators to ensure data and learnings are prepared for dissemination

· Collaborate with USAID and external evaluators to design and carry out Data Quality Assessments and evaluations

· The MEL Officer will work in close cooperation and coordinate project’s MEL with other Winrock CTIP projects, including KATCH and Asia CTIP

· Support research studies, and quantitative and qualitative assessments

· Organize annual CLA workshops for project staff to reflect project performance and discuss improvements

· Deliver monitoring sessions within sub-awardees orientation and organize reqular trainings for NGO partners on MERL;· Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: Advanced degree in economics, business, international relations, social science, political science, or related field. Degree in statistics and or related specialized training preferred.

Work Experience:

· A minimum of seven (4) years’ experience in MEL, preferably in counter-trafficking, migration, or other relevant fields

· Demonstrated experience in data collection, analysis, presentation and reporting

· Database management experience

· Strong skills in building capacities of local organizations in Monitoring and Evaluation

· Experience with quantitative and qualitative research methodologies desired

· Knowledge of USAID or other donor reporting requirements, including implementing Monitoring and Evaluation Plans

Skills:

· Proficient in written and spoken English, Russian and at least one Central Asia language.

· Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite

· Proficiency in statistical applications (SPSS, SAS or STATA) and database management preferred