MEL Specialist

Job Description

Overview

AIR’s International Development Division (IDD) is seeking a highly motivated Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Specialist to support AIR’s performance monitoring, evaluation, research, learning, and knowledge management needs of our growing portfolio to ensure quality and effectiveness of program implementation. The candidate is expected to collaborate with the Senior MEL Manager, IDD team members, field staff and other stakeholders in the design and implementation of MEL plans, develop resources and provide technical guidance and training on methodologies and data collection tools, strengthen HQ and field staff capacity, establish monitoring systems, and ultimately contribute to strengthening IMPAQ’s MEL community of practice, advance knowledge management and organizational learning. International travel is expected for this position.

This position can be remote or located out of any of AIR’s offices in: Arlington, VA; Rockville, MD; Austin, TX; Chicago, IL; Chapel Hill, NC or Waltham, MA.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities for the position include:

• The MEL Specialist is expected to provide program support to the mobilization of awarded MEL contracts, and provide backstopping support in the management of existing MEL contracts and deliverables. S/he is expected to support the development of MEL resources, such as performance monitoring plans, learning agendas and action plans, evaluation designs, sampling plans, survey instruments and protocols, work plans, and conduct literature reviews and other research activities. S/he will manage contract tasks, including data collection, development of data entry templates and final data sets, data entry and coding, data cleaning and other data quality measures, and statistical analyses (using STATA).

• S/he is expected to collaborate with the Senior MEL Manager, IDD team members, field staff and other stakeholders in the design and implementation of MEL plans, develop resources and provide technical guidance and training on methodologies and data collection tools, strengthen HQ and field staff capacity, establish monitoring systems, and ultimately contribute to strengthening IMPAQ’s MEL community of practice, advance knowledge management and organizational learning. International travel is expected for this position.

• S/he will support the development and review of sections of monitoring and evaluation reports, learning products, presentations, and other contractual deliverables.

  Additionally, s/he will serve as a core team member of the MEL/CLA business development team supporting the identification and pursuit of new business opportunities by cultivating existing relationships and developing new ones.

• S/he will participate in brainstorming and project design meetings and exercises, collaborate with the International Recruiter to identify, recruit, and select key and non-key staff, and contribute to proposal writing.

• Ideal candidates for the MEL Specialist will have demonstrated leadership capacity and ability to perform MEL management, business development activities, and technical tasks, with specific experience on USAID-funded contracts and/or grants.

Qualifications

Education, Knowledge, and Experience:

• A Master’s degree in international development/affairs, economics, or similar field.
• Minimum 5 years’ professional experience performance measurement, evaluation and research, learning, and knowledge sharing: including indicator selection, target setting, reporting, database management, DQA, MEL capacity building, facilitating learning events, report writing, CLA, and developing MEL and performance monitoring plans for international development clients with specific experience with USAID;
• Past success in supporting the design, implementation, and efficiently operating project MEL systems from project initiation to closeout stages at the field-level;
• Experience collecting and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data using complexity aware and participation research methods
• Experience building and maintaining working relations with stakeholders, and demonstrated ability to efficiently and effectively interface (and represent AIR) with donor agency counterparts, government officials, partner organizations, local institutions, and other stakeholders;
• Proven experience in business development supporting capture and recruitment efforts for international donors, particularly with USAID
• Strong track record of progressively more responsible duties and responsibilities, including project management on USAID-funded programs/activities;
• Strong interest in evaluations, performance monitoring, data collection, donor assistance impact, and related issues;
• Ability to handle multiple priorities in a fast-paced, small-team environment;
• Ability to work well independently with limited supervision;
• Ability to travel overseas on short-term assignments;

Skills:

• Flexible, team-oriented attitude and strong organizational skills;
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in cross-cultural settings;
• Proficiency in Spanish or French, is a plus

Candidates selected for an interview, will be asked to provide a writing sample.

Disclosures:

AIR requires all new hires to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or receive a legally required exemption from AIR, as a condition of employment. AIR will ask candidates to verify their vaccination status only after a conditional offer of employment is made. Applicants should not provide information about their vaccination status or need for exemption prior to receiving a conditional offer of employment from AIR.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B sponsorship) is not available for this position. Depending on project work, qualified candidates may need to meet certain residency requirements.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.

AIR adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

About the Organization

About AIR:

Established in 1946, with headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, AIR is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to solve some of the most urgent challenges in the U.S. and around the world. We advance evidence in the areas of education, health, the workforce, human services, and international development to create a better, more equitable world.

AIR’s International Development Division (IDD) strives to improve the quality of life in developing countries by using rigorous research and evaluation to enhance education and social development. We work across a wide range of topics including workforce development, agriculture/food/nutrition, early childhood development, education, refugees and migration, social protection, water/sanitation/infrastructure, and women's empowerment in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, Central and Latin America as well as the Middle East. The IDD generates policy-relevant evidence through rigorous monitoring, evaluations, and research; helps improve program design through continuous learning and adaptation; and works with local organizations and governments to build sustainable solutions based on evidence