Mercy Corps has been present in Ethiopia since 2004 working to drive bold and transformative ideas, working closely with government, the private sector and civil society actors to build a more resilient country, ensuring that programs are responsive to and influenced by participants and stakeholders. Our vision is to enhance the resilience of climate and conflict-affected communities through market systems development for improved livelihoods, access to food, and safe and clean water to thrive in the face of crises. Our strategy focuses on the four outcome areas of: 1) Economically marginalized populations have improved and diversified livelihoods, income, and assets; 2) Pastoralists, farmers, and households have access to sustainably produced, safe, nutritious food; 3) Social cohesion and inclusive governance processes are built in crisis-affected communities; and 4) People have equitable, sustained access to clean water and sanitation for domestic and productive use. Currently we operate in the regional states of Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Sidama, Southern Ethiopia, Tigray and Addis Ababa city administration working with a diverse base of donors that includes United States Agency for International Development (USAID), European Union, GAC, Hilton Foundation, United Nations (UN), JOA, Sweden, EKN, and other foundations.

LIWAY Program:

Mercy Corps is one of four partners in a nine-year program entitled Livelihoods Improvement for Women and Youth (LIWAY) led by SNV Netherlands Development Organization and funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands. The programme is implemented by a consortium of partners composed of SNV Netherlands Development Organization, Mercy Corps, TechnoServe, and Save the Children International. LIWAY utilizes a making Markets work for the Poor (M4P) approach to contribute to sustainable poverty reduction and social stability in Addis Ababa by increasing incomes through improved wages and self-employment opportunities, primarily for poor women and youth. The objective is to increase the incomes of 257,000 poor people in Addis Ababa, of which at least 128,500 (50%) are women (young and adult) and 192,750 (75%) are youth (female and male).

General Position Summary

The Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) Advisor will lead and coordinate MERL activities for the LIWAY program in coordination with the Team Lead and MSD Advisors and Specialists. They will provide technical leadership in MERL, developing result and systemic change measurement and management systems, approaches, and tools following DCED standards. The advisor will oversee the creation of IMTs, results chains, and indicators for the program and each intervention, as well as conducting baseline surveys and end-line evaluations.

As part of the broader Mercy Corps Ethiopia Program Performance and Quality Team and MEL Technical Working Group, the MERL Advisor will contribute to other Mercy Corps programs and development efforts as needed. They will be responsible for leading and coordinating MERL functions, particularly in monitoring and evaluation, knowledge management, and research related to the LIWAY program. The advisor will work with the Team Lead and technical staff to develop and implement strategies, capturing, sharing, and extending knowledge within the program and among implementing partners and stakeholders at various levels.

The MERL Advisor will document best practices and communicate progress and achievements of interventions through strategic communication channels. They will actively participate in defining the LIWAY program’s research and learning agendas, leading the design and conduct of research studies and assessments. Additionally, the advisor will consult and collaborate with the MEL/MRM team of Consortium Agencies and the lead agency of the LIWAY Program to ensure comprehensive and effective MERL activities.

Essential Job Responsibilities

The MERL Advisor is responsible for managing and implementing the Monitoring, Results, and Measurement (MRM) system primarily for Labor System across selected intervention areas of the LIWAY program and other Mercy Corps programs as needed.

Overall Management of MERL Activities

• Lead and coordinate the development and implementation of the results measurement and management system.
• Coordinate and support the design, review, and updating of results chains for the program and each intervention.
• Coordinate and support the development of indicators for each results chain, intervention, and the overall program.
• Facilitate baseline, mid-line, and end-line surveys.
• Establish and strengthen data management systems using digital technologies for data collection, analysis, visualization, and reporting, including tools like CommCare, PowerBI, STATA/SPSS, Microsoft Azure, and TolaData.
• Lead documentation efforts, including conducting project case studies, success stories, generating and documenting knowledge, lessons learned, and best practices, and disseminating key results and learning information to relevant stakeholders throughout the intervention and program cycles.
• Facilitate periodic program reviews and learning forums, ensuring proper documentation of findings and learnings.
• Organize all program information, including knowledge generation, storage/retrieval, documentation, dissemination, and photographs.
• Provide training on concepts of M&E, Learning and Knowledge Management (LKM), various M&E tools, database management/data quality, data analysis, and accountability mechanisms to multiple implementing partners at different times.
• Ensure that MERL provides ongoing evidence and inputs for improving interventions.
• Ensure the preparation of program reports for donor and government partners.
• Ensure adherence to Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards.
• Lead and coordinate Community Accountability and Reporting Minimum Standards and Safeguarding Requirements.
• Perform other functions as assigned by LIWAY management.

Team Management:

• Build effective relationships with program teams across consortium partners.
• Assist team members with resources and information to improve performance.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback.
• Foster a work environment of mutual respect and collaboration.

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Organizational Learning 

As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
  to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of our field projects.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Supervisory Responsibility

Accountability

Reports Directly to: LIWAY Team Lead.

Works Directly with: All LIWAY Technical Team members and MC Ethiopia PaQ Team.

Requirements

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree (BA) or Master’s Degree (MA/MSc preferred) in social sciences, statistics, economics, marketing, monitoring and evaluation, or a related field is required.
• At least 5 years of direct experience in results measurement and management, with knowledge and experience in the application of DCED results measurement and audit being a plus.
• Experience in research, data analysis, and data management.
• Experience working in NGOs, public and private sector development.
• Experience in urban programs, labor market systems, and youth and women’s economic empowerment.
• Experience in Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) and Market System Development approaches, as well as private sector engagement, is an added value.
• Relevant M&E experience, including:
  • Demonstrated work experience in implementing practical monitoring and evaluation, knowledge management, or database management.
  • Demonstrated experience in monitoring routine data collection, data analysis, and reporting against indicators at all levels.
  • Demonstrated experience in quantitative and qualitative survey implementation and support.
  • Demonstrated experience in indicator selection and reporting.
• Experience working in economic and social research.
• Demonstrated experience and ability to professionally and appropriately represent the organization and negotiate with a diverse range of government officials, local organizations, donors, and other groups to achieve outcomes in the best interest of program implementation.
• Proven skills and knowledge in results measurement and management systems, tools, and approaches, including problem analysis, objectives and indicators setting, and risk management.
• A very good understanding of market system diagnosis and development.
• Strong analytical and operational knowledge of monitoring and evaluation related to market systems.
• Strong ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, work independently and as part of a team, and work effectively with co-workers, partner agencies, and the private sector.
• Computer proficiency in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and other data management tools such as mobile data collection, analysis, visualization, and reporting platforms like CommCare, STATA/SPSS, MS PowerBI, Azure, and TolaData.
• Fluency in English and Amharic.

Success Factors

A successful candidate will have a demonstrated ability to lead and communicate effectively with team members of varied work styles and cultures, follow procedures, and meet deadlines with flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving. S/he will have a proven ability to learn quickly, multi-task, prioritize, take initiative, and be accountable for results, understand the larger picture while remaining focused on the details, problem solving, work within a complex and sensitive setting and to follow laws and security protocols. The most successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.