Senior Manager, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

Overview

Background

Creative Associates International is a dynamic, fast-growing global development firm that specializes in education, economic growth, democratic institutions and stabilization. Based in Washington, D.C., Creative has a field presence in more than 15 countries with a strong client portfolio that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department, among others. Since its founding in 1977, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike.

Position Summary

This position will provide high-level Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) support for large multi-year international development efforts covering Creative’s practice areas under Communities in Transition, Education, and Economic Growth. The position will contribute to strengthening organizational and staff capacity in designing and implementing effective and robust MEL plans for active proposals and ongoing projects. This position will also support project efforts to design sound data collection techniques, sampling methodologies, and Collaborating, Learning and Adapting (CLA) activities to measure program outcomes, test theories of change, and ensure functioning feedback loops for adaptive management.

Reporting & Supervision

The Senior Manager will report to the Senior Director Monitoring Evaluation and Learning.

Responsibilities

Expected Outcomes:

The Senior Manager, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) is expected to collaborate with the Monitoring Evaluation and Learning team in:

• Contributing to Creative M&E approach and strategy;
• Providing professional support and guidance to ensure robust and sound M&E approaches in all proposals assigned, and as a critical element of project design and implementation to enhance and build a virtuous business and impact cycle (30% of the time);
• Providing MEL systems and evaluation design support to ongoing Creative projects, for the benefit of Creative, its Clients, and the advancement of the general fields of application (35% of the time).

Primary Responsibilities:

• Lead strategic thinking in the areas of complexity aware monitoring, conflict-sensitive M&E, and CLA throughout the company;
• Project support (35% of the time):
• Support the full institutionalization of Creative’s global indicators and the Monitoring and Evaluation Database for Adaptive Learning (MEDAL), by assisting projects and country offices in adopting and fully utilizing MEDAL to streamline M&E data and enhance CLA across the company;
• Assist country offices to conduct research to support project-level learning agendas, including theory of change validation activities that meet stakeholders and donor standards;
• Support projects in operationalizing Performance Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Plans, to include clearly defined indicators, operational protocols for collecting data and a system for the consistent and accurate collection, collation, analysis and use of data to meet Data Quality Assessment (DQA) criteria;
• Provide specific mentoring guidance during project startup, initial implementation, baseline, mid-term, final evaluations and close-out periods of the project cycle, as well as annual assessment to report on outcome level indicators;
• Conduct internal data quality audits of project M&E systems;
• Support staff in timely and meaningful analysis of any data being collected and the writing of high-quality M&E, research, and assessment reports to be shared with the client and stakeholders. Help support strategic dissemination of findings, conclusions and recommendations;
• Develop baseline, mid-term and end line evaluations’ SOWs and ensure the studies are conducted in accordance with Creative M&E Guidance and industry standards; assist with the development of the plan of data analysis;
• Proposal / New Business development (30% of the time):
• Regularly participate in proposals development/new business exercises by facilitating and developing Theories of Change, developing MEL plans, learning agenda, PIRSs, PMPs, etc.
• Build field staff capacity in MEL techniques and methodologies and support the design of the Creative MEL Champions curriculum;
• Support the selection and recruitment of project-level and field-based M&E Managers and consultants for proposals and ongoing projects;
• Represent Creative in external M&E-related working groups, task forces, conferences, and panels. Identify and participate in M&E professional organizations;
• Collaborate with the Knowledge Management team to integrate learning into M&E while collecting lessons learned to inform future program design and implementation as well as contribute to the dissemination and use of lessons learned within the international partner organizations community;
• Collaborate with the Gender Advisor to integrate gender into M&E by identifying key indicators and ensuring lessons learned are collected to inform future program design and implementation;
• Collaborate with the Senior Director MEL to maintain and sustain the M&E Community of Practice; and
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Senior Director MEL.**Qualifications**

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Master’s degree in international development, education, statistics, social sciences, or other related field required;
• Minimum of nine years’ experience of Monitoring and Evaluation international development program, including at least five years implementing M&E systems for USG-funded projects required;
• Strong quantitative skills and demonstrated capacity and experience in data analysis, data collection; statistical analysis; and reporting; including experience with computer-based statistical packages and databases (Epi Info, ACCESS, SPSS, etc.) required;
• Experience designing and implementing M&E training / capacity building programs for international organizations required;
• Experience with complexity-aware monitoring methodologies, CLA required;
• Experience working with international donors, as well as counterparts and beneficiaries (e.g., international and local NGOs and government representatives); Knowledge of M&E approach of other, non-US donor or Agencies);
• Experience conducting field research required; including using qualitative and quantitative techniques;
• Experience with USAID’s rules and regulations required, including recent MEL guidance, strongly preferred;
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail;
• Ability to establish priorities and meet deadlines and to initiate and implement activities with minimal oversight and supervision, required;
• Strong interpersonal, communication, problem-solving, and team-work skills, required;
• The ability and willingness to travel internationally (up to 20% of the time) is required; and
• Proficiency in French required.

Only finalists will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

Creative Associates International Inc. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer (gender/race/disability/veteran) and provides equal opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law.

Please view Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP here.

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