Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Lead

• Lead MERL Activities: Implement the MERL Strategy for SSEIP2.
• MERL Workplan: Create annual and quarterly workplans for MERL activities and ensure all activities are completed fully and on time.
• Strategic Reviews: Collaborate with programme leadership, technical leads and the IDS Impact Measurement and Evaluation Lead to periodically review the MERL Strategy, VFM framework and logframe, ensuring a robust and relevant approach.
• Data Collection: Ensure comprehensive and robust data collection against logframe indicators for quarterly and annual reports.
• Field Visits: Conduct and supervise regular field visits to monitor programme activities, support implementation, data collection and other MERL activities.
• Support Technical Leads: Assist technical leads in collecting monitoring data related to their activities and measuring the outcomes achieved by those activities.
• Training and Supervision: Train key staff in the use of data tools and supervise all MERL activities, designing key MERL opportunities linked to quarterly and annual reporting cycles.
• Management Information System: Manage the programme management information system and dashboards, ensuring data is kept up to date, captured comprehensively and routinely, and accessible for colleagues to use. Contribute ideas for its development to enhance its usefulness.
• Collaboration and Adaptive Management: Work with the programme team to ensure MEL findings inform project planning and decision-making, and contribute to the programme’s adaptive management approach, driving continuous improvement based on feedback and data.
• Annual and Quarterly Reporting: Provide timely and appropriate reporting to FCDO against logframe indicators, VFM indicators, key MERL activities, and learning emerging from the programme.
• Sector Collaboration: Collaborate with system actors on MERL and data to contribute to sector understanding and learning as well as the improvement of system data. If required, provide capacity building on MERL for system actors.
• Line Management: Line manage the MERL Officer.
• Budget Development: Develop budgets for the delivery of the MERL workplan and for specific MERL activities.
• Flexibility: Adapt to changes in the scope and needs of the wider programme.
• Additional Duties: Perform other duties as assigned by the Team Leader, Deputy Team Leader, Technical Director and the IDS Impact Measurement and Evaluation Lead.

• Advanced knowledge of data collection and monitoring and learning in the context of Sierra Leone
• Strong technical background in monitoring and evaluation of vulnerable groups, including familiarisation with feminist principles of data collection in girls’ programming and disability-sensitive data approaches (e.g., Washington Group Questions and the UNICEF Module on Child Functioning).
• Strong understanding of Sierra Leone education system data opportunities and challenges.
• Experience in planning, designing, and running a workstream independently, ideally within a development programme context.
• Sensitivity to working in a complex cultural and resource-constrained environment, whilst upholding the highest standards of business ethics and personal conduct in line with the company’s values, directives and procedures.
• Fluent use of core computer skills, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Ability to create synthesised reports, both formal written documents in Word and PowerPoint presentations with exhibits.
• Ability to create and maintain detailed work plans, down to hourly logistics as needed (e.g., training workshops, team travel to districts)
• Ability to frame strategy for overall initiative design, and follow through to execution
• Strong communication skills to communicate clearly and succinctly both in written form (e.g., email updates) and verbally (e.g., presenting in stakeholder meetings, remote phone management of field officers and updates with district education offices)
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team to coordinate across the wider programme and with other development partners
• Experience of working within or alongside Government officials at national and local levels
• Ability to prioritise and work under pressure
• Good organisational skills, project planning and management

• Any MEL certification such as SAP/ HINTEL or Sigma highly appreciated
• Higher (postgraduate) degree in a relevant area desirable
• Experience managing consultants and leading a small team of education professionals
• Experience of monitoring and evaluation roles in development programming.
• Practical experience overseeing delivery of front-line programmes (ideally but not necessarily education) in Sierra Leone or similar environments
• Some education specific experience, either as a teacher, through relevant degree studies, or through work with NGO or government run programmes

• Pillar 1: Support policy and planning reform to improve education provision for girls and young people with disabilities.
• Pillar 2: Strengthen government systems to deliver improved education for adolescent girls and young people with disabilities.
• Pillar 3 Engage with communities to help adolescent girls and young people with disabilities access and thrive in school, particularly in underserved rural areas. (Note that the award of Pillar 3 is postponed indefinitely.)

• Strengthening monitoring, supervision and support for schools by district offices.
• Strengthening leadership of inclusive learning in schools.
• Delivering School-based Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for improved learning outcomes, inclusion, and safety.
• Strengthening systems for inclusive education for children with disabilities.
• Strengthening the response to GBV and challenge harmful norms
• Increasing access to quality comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and remove barriers to retention for adolescent girls.

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

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team and personal commitments. We embrace agility, flexibility and trust.