MERL Specialist

MERL Specialist, USAID Education: Equity and Inclusion Project

Functional Area: MERL Unit, PPI Department

Reports to: MERL Manager, USAID Education: Equity and Inclusion Project

Location: Country Office, Kathmandu

Travel required: Yes

Grade: D1

Type: Open to all applicants, Fixed term employment until Dec 2025; based in Country Office.

ABOUT PLAN INTERNATIONAL

Plan International is a development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We strive for a just world, working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners in over 75 countries. Our programs are underpinned by a core of defined values, including transparency and accountability, team collaboration, inclusion and integration, as well as the overall ambition to empower girls and young women.

Plan International has been working in Nepal since 1978 and developed a strong reputation as a respected development and humanitarian actor helping marginalized children, their families and communities to access their rights to health, education, economic security and protection. Through the support of local partners, Plan International has worked in 42 districts in Nepal

Plan International strives for a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Our ambition from now to 2027 is to see All Girls Standing Strong Creating Global Change.

USAID Education: Equity and Inclusion is a five-year project set to implement in Karnali and Madhesh Province with the objective of contributing to reduce barriers to access and retention in grade 6-10; improve quality education for marginalized children; and ensure quality implementation of disbursement linked indicators related to equity and inclusion activities under School Education Sector Plan (SESP). The project will be implemented in approximately 1800 schools spanning 215 LGs across 18 districts of Karnali and Madhesh Province.

Plan international Nepal seeks candidates who practice feminist leadership, promote diversity, actively seek innovative solutions for problems, courageously and respectfully share their opinions and ideas, break down barriers and engender cross-department collaboration, practice active listening, maintain confidentiality, build trust and are passionate about children’s rights and equality for girls.

ROLE PURPOSE

The Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Specialist will help to ensure an effective MERL system is in place for the project. The MERL Specialist will be responsible to design and lead the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities and ensure the result-based management of the project. This will include development and implementation of MERL systems, regular collection of monitoring data and its analysis for management information purposes. The position holder will provide inputs to the project team to ensure effective application of learning, as well as to contribute to various evaluations and research initiatives. S/He will also develop capacity of field and partner organisation staff in all MERL related tasks, systems and processes.

Description
DIMENSIONS OF THE ROLE

Communications requirement:

This position holder will hold continuous communication with the Programme Leads, Advisors, Specialists, and Project Managers for support in developing the TOC, result framework, and performance measurement plan for measuring outcome indicators. The MERL Specialist will share monitoring findings with the programme team regularly and facilitate responses to address gaps and replicate best practices. The MERL Specialist will also hold communication with concerned project staff clarification regarding various issues in the project.
External communications requirement involves partner organisations, donors and national and international NGOs.

Risk management:

In accordance with Plan International’s Ethical MERL Framework and Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy, the organisation is committed to ensure that the rights of the children, adolescents and youth who are participating in monitoring and evaluation activities are respected and protected. Therefore, the position holder should be proactive that all ethical issues are ensured.

External representation:

As assigned by the supervisor/Line Manager this position holder may be responsible to represent Plan at national and international workshops, seminar and conferences related to monitoring and evaluation. S/he is also responsible for representing the organisation for providing various services to other NGOs or INGO Forums as assigned by the supervisor.

Reach/breadth of the post/ or area of responsibilities:

This position holder will work closely with the Project MERL Manager to develop the Theory of Change, result framework, and project indicators to measure success. The MERL Specialist will work closely with the project team, primarily on capacity building of Plan and partner staff and where organizational level support is needed, including CPAC, Joint Monitoring Visits, Social Audits, project review and reflection etc.

The MERL Specialist will develop methods to track outputs and assess outcomes and report about these periodically to the project team and management. This position holder will be responsible for developing and rolling out tools for data quality assurance to ensure quality reporting to donors. The MERL Specialist will conduct regular process monitoring at the project level to ensure interventions are delivered as per agreed standards and share the monitoring findings with concerned staff members in the programme.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

Contribute to project design and reporting:

• Provide inputs in program development and facilitate planning activities including the design of project theory of change and/or logical framework.
• Compile and provide required data for reporting to donors and Plan International requirements.
• Ensure all project activities meet Programme and Influence Quality Policy and Procedure Requirements.

Establish effective project monitoring system:

• Contribute to the design of the Monitoring and Evaluation framework for the project.
• Work with the project team to develop data collection tools.
• Ensure monitoring data is collected, consolidated and analysed according to the MERL Standard and in a timely manner.
• Perform regular field visits to ensure the quality of data collected by project and partner staff and to verify the accuracy of reported data.
• Prepare, disseminate and follow up MERL report as part of Plan International’s information management system.

Implementation of M&E Systems like PMERL, MIS of Plan International Nepal:

• Ensure that project data is regularly and accurately uploaded to Plan’s information management system (PMERL) by appropriate project staff. Provide capacity building as needed.
• Capacity building to the PNGO staffs of the project team to set up and implementation of MIS system.

Facilitate accountability and stakeholder feedback mechanisms:

• Support in conducting regular review and reflection with partner organisations and communities.
• Design, plan and carry out social audit along with Knowledge Management Specialist.
• Develop and follow up plan of action based on recommendations from review/reflection and social audit events.
• Support the program team to establish complaints and feedback mechanism for assigned programmes/projects to respond to the complaints/feedbacks/concern from community and beneficiaries, including analysis of data with management actions identified.

Evaluations, research and learning generation:

• Lead project evaluations and research activities.
• Participate in the development of data collection tools and the design of evaluations and research.
• Perform quantitative analyses using appropriate software (i.e., SPSS, or STATA or any statistical application).
• Work with program teams to utilise data for quality improvements.

Develop capacity of Plan International Nepal and partner staff:

• Identify the capacity gaps and work with Project MERL Manager to build the capacity of the monitoring staff at Field and those of partners to ensure smooth implementation of MERL system.
• Support the Project MERL Manager in providing capacity building, training and mentoring in MERL to relevant staff in the country office, field offices and partner organisation.

Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Child Protection (CPP) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Essential

• Master’s degree in social sciences, social research, development studies, public health or a related field oriented to monitoring and evaluation methods with at least 4-5 years of relevant experience OR Bachelor’s degree in related field with at least 7 years of leading monitoring, evaluation, research, and accountability in national/international development organizations.
• Excellent spoken and written communication skills in English and Nepali.
• Proven experience in a technical capacity involving design and implementation of evaluations/research or leading evaluation/research teams and drafting technical reports.
• Proven experience with quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.
• Ability to implement data quality assurance mechanism for project level.
• Knowledge on digital data collection tools and procedure.
• Skill to critically analyse data and produce comprehensive reports to support programme decision-making.
• Experienced in developing TORs and coordinating with consultants for quality evaluations and assessments.
• Experience conducting interviews with young people, children and communities.
• Strong capacity and creativity in leading and facilitating participatory methodologies to meaningfully engage beneficiaries, including children, and receiving their feedback through approaches such as social audit, employing quality benchmarks.
• Experience in capacity development of staff or partners in project monitoring, evaluation or research.

Desirable

• Proven experience in managing multiple and competing tasks while maintaining quality of deliverables within deadlines.
• Experience of managing large datasets. Experience of using SQL server is an asset.
• Experience in use of statistical packages such as SPSS, R or STATA for inferential analysis.
• Experience in use of data visualization tools like Power Bi, Tableau, GIS.
• Experience in use of electronic data collection platforms like Kobo toolbox, ODK, ONA.
• Experienced in rights-based approach to development.
• Facilitating child led/focused monitoring, evaluation or research.

PLAN INTERNATIONAL’S VALUES IN PRACTICE

We are open and accountable

• Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
• Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
• Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
• Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
• Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people.

We strive for lasting impact

• Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
• Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
• Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
• Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.

We work well together

• Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
• Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
• Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
• Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.

We are inclusive and empowering

• We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential.
• We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge equality in our programs and our workplace.
• We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives.

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

This position is based in Country Office Kathmandu with frequent travel to field as necessary.

LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH CHILDREN

Medium Level: Medium interaction with children

“Say Yes ! To Keeping Children and Young people safe and Protected”

Application Deadline: Wednesday 25th Dec, 2024

Source: Kantipur Dainik, 12 December, 2024