Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Officer (MEL Officer) - LIFT

Job Description:

Purpose: Reporting to the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Lead, as a core member of the MEL team, and working in close collaboration with the teams in the field, the MEL Officer is responsible for:

• Ensuring implementation of a functional MEL system, including coordination with grantees and staff on MEL activities
• Ensuring stakeholders have the requisite capacity and support to implement the MEL activities
• Ensuring stakeholders have access to accurate real-time data to improve children’s learning and;
• Ensuring that data and lessons are generated to demonstrate the ongoing effectiveness and impact of LIFT’s interventions.

Specific roles and responsibilities:

Design and implementation of the MEL system

• Assist the MEL Lead on the design and formulation of the M&E system including supporting strengthening the system’s use of accurate data to improve management routines and ensuring that lessons are generated to demonstrate the effectiveness and impact of LIFT’s interventions.
• Coordinate and implement all assigned project Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) activities as outlined in the LIFT workplan and aligned with programme quality principles, standards, and donor requirements.
• Work closely with partners to establish their internal MEL systems, MEL strategy, logframe and data quality management in alignment with the LIFT MEL strategy.
• Collaborate with the MEL Lead to review and update of the LIFT M&E Framework on an annual basis.

Monitoring, data management, and quality assurance

• Lead routine data collection and reporting based on the project’s logframe indicators and activities.
• Coordinate with the MEL Lead in the preparation of data records and data collection methods.
• Develop, test and roll out all relevant monitoring and evaluation data collection tools
• Coordinate programme data collection activities including both quantitative and qualitative data
• Review, clean, and analyse monthly data from field staff and stakeholders as well as solving any issues with data collection, submission and quality
• Respond to data requests from the centre and districts
• Coordinate contextual data collection, including interviews with key stakeholders, as needed
• Conduct quarterly data spot checks and follow up with field-based staff on issues related to data quality and collection
• Support districts, communities and field teams to implement LIFT’s Managing for Results (M4R) to ensure the 5Ds (Data, Dashboard, Discussion, Decision, Delivery) are effectively and efficiently implemented including:
  • Submission, analysis and verification of submitted data
  • Checking internal and external dashboards based on submitted data
  • Supporting districts to access and analyse the M4R dashboards, tracking the extent to which the 5Ds is happening, intervening as appropriate where they are not,
  • Identifying bright spots in the data for follow-up by districts and DECs.

Coordination with grantees on key MEL priorities

• Support grantees to apply the M&E system in their management system and provide training on administration of data-base and on administration of self-administered tools.
• In coordination with other programme staff and the MEL Lead, develop tools for reporting and tracking grant compliance, milestones, and deliverables.
• Maintain the database updated and coordinate aggregate of data into the data-base management system.
• Conduct regular monitoring of grant implementation to track milestones, compliance, timelines and deliverables, including through the analysis of periodic reports and provision of feedback to grantees.
• Ensure grantees regularly submit their performance reports on time, identify any significant deviations or delays to planned grant implementation, as well as recommend appropriate courses of action.
• Organise quarterly planning and review meetings with Monitoring and Coordination Secondees to review the data of the previous quarter and develop work plans for the next quarter.
• Undertake occasional ‘spot check’ visits to grantees’ premises.

Capacity building

• Support the training of programme staff, grantees and stakeholders on programme monitoring and evaluation procedures, data collection tools, data management practices, and other relevant M&E activities at the national and regional levels.
• Conduct regular supervision and mentorship visits to field staff and grantees to identify areas where they need support.
• Organize peer learning meetings with all grantees to share challenges, best practices, and re-strategize if necessary.

Learning and adaptive management

• Devise learning and knowledge management strategies and approaches, based on the data and information collected from the M&E system, highlighting trends and other facts that can be used to aid decision-making and/or future strategic planning and programming approaches.
• Co-ordinate with the technical team and MEL Lead to provide programme data in easily accessible formats for broad audiences.
• Support the MEL Lead in coordinating and implementing LIFT’s research activities and evaluations including:
  • Overseeing external data collection for impact assessments in the field
  • Supporting learning measurement activities at baseline, midline or endline
  • Coordinating content development for communications and learning products, including stories of change.

Reporting and documentation

• Contribute to client reporting and results sharing around LIFT’s outcomes, outputs and indicators through weekly, monthly, quarterly or annual reports.
• Support the generation of programme evidence and learning to inform LIFT and our client and government about whether its strategies are working and help the programme and implementation team to continuously improve and do things better
• Actively work towards improved gender equality and social inclusion within stated area of responsibility and promoting a wider culture of safeguarding and inclusion. 
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of MEL activities and deliverables.

Candidate Specification:

Qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge

Experience and proven technical knowledge and expertise in:

• Implementing M&E strategies, frameworks systems and tools.
• Collecting, analysing and reporting quantitative and qualitative monitoring data
• Building capacity of staff, local organisations, government and other stakeholders in M&E processes
• A degree in in Statistics, Economics, Development Studies, Information System, M&E, or any other relevant fields.

The essential skills are:

• Proficiency in statistical tools/software (e.g., MS Excel, SPSS, STATA, R) and data visualization platforms (e.g., Power BI).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English, including report writing and data presentation.
• Familiarity with management information systems and dashboards
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple tasks effectively.
• Ability to conduct workshops and delivering presentations.
• Ability to establish priorities, plan and execute personal and project work plans.
• Excellent organizational skills, including reporting and record-keeping, with an eye for detail.
• Excellent at thinking strategically and creatively. Able to solve problems, meet/exceed goals and generally “get the job done.”
• Self-motivated and able to work with minimal supervision.
• Experience working with local and international technical advisers.

The desirable work experience requirements are:

• Previous experience of working on FCDO education projects
• Knowledge of skills training and additional service support to assist national, sub-national governments and local organisations to strengthen their MEL systems and approaches.

Project Description:

Learning and Inclusion for Transformation (LIFT) programme, is a 6-year programme (Nov 2024 - Jun 2030) funded by FCDO to improve foundational learning outcomes, promote inclusive education as well as to reduce the number of Out of School Children (OOSC) through promoting return to school or alternative learning pathways particularly for highly marginalised adolescents (12-18 years) and children with disabilities.

The programme is made up of 4 main components, with Cambridge Education focusing on the implementation of the following components:  

• Foundational learning component- this focuses on improving foundational learning outcomes (English and Mathematics) through implementation of effective school-based Continuous Professional Development (CPD), strengthening capacities of districts to support inclusive foundational learning in schools and providing supportive transition to English as the medium of instruction. 
• Out of School Children (OOSC) component- this focuses on ensuring that 28,000 highly marginalised OOSC either return to school or access other learning opportunities. 

The programme will also provide Technical Assistance and advocacy to promote change across the system and enhance scale up and sustainability of the programme initiatives. 

The overall aim of the MEL Officer role is to support the effective implementation of the Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation Strategy in all the programme districts in Rwanda. This is a full-time position based in Kigali with some travel to the field to oversee the implementation of monitoring and data collection activities.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We put equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they have the opportunity to contribute.

Agile working

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