Senior Research and MEAL Manager

Work Arrangement:

Job Description

‘PlayMatters’ is a consortium project, led by the IRC and includes Plan International, War Child Holland, Behavioral Insights Team, and Innovations for Poverty Action in partnership with the LEGO Foundation.

The PlayMatters project seeks to improve holistic learning and wellbeing outcomes for 200,000 refugee and host community learners aged 3-12 in Ethiopia. PlayMatters promotes an active teaching method that capitalizes on a child’s natural desire to engage in learning through play (LtP), focusing on building skills so that teachers and communities to intentionally plan to deliver contextually and age-appropriate guided play experiences to achieve specific learning objectives.

PlayMatters focuses on building skills for preprimary and primary teachers by delivering quality teachers training on LtP methods and practices, capacitating school principals and head teachers to lead school based continues professional development activities through coaching and mentoring, including peer learning mechanisms. Furthermore, the project works closely with school management to create a positive learning environment by engaging community members to create a linkage between school and community through relevant awareness- raising mobilization initiatives. In addition, PlayMatters seeks to create a safe and inclusive learning environment that enhances children’s creativity and wellbeing. PlayMatters generates scientific evidence that can transform our understanding of play and learning for refugees and host community children in Ethiopia.

Job Overview: -------------

The Senior RMEAL Manager under the direct supervision of the Project Coordinator will be responsible for ensuring the project meets its learning, research, monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) commitments for the PlayMatters project. The incumbent will strengthen RMEAL capacity and maintain effective close working partnerships with individual consultants, relevant staff, departments, and implementing partners in IRC Ethiopia and the PlayMatters consortium to ensure high quality and coordinated implementation of the PlayMatters RMEAL functions.

The Senior RMEAL Manager will report to the PlayMatters Project Coordinator and have a dotted line technical supervision from Ethiopia country Senior MEAL Coordinator. The position holder will work closely with the Regional Senior M&E and Research Coordinator to align all RMEAL activities with the other countries and the general approach.

Major Responsibilities: -----------------------

Research

- Conduct or supervise country and community-level participatory consultation with stakeholders and participants at all stages of research planning, preparation, implementation, and dissemination. - Supervision and coordination of the tasks of the local research team including facilitating the selecting and hiring of local researchers and regular supervision meetings and performance appraisals - Scheduling and coordination of data collection including managing logistics such as transport, work schedules, resources required. - Monitoring of quality of data collection, adherence to participatory and ethical practices, and intervention fidelity - Overseeing data entry, data set cleaning and quality research report - Supporting or leading write-up and submission of policy briefs, academic manuscripts, conference presentations, or other publications related to designated research projects. - Communicating key information from the research in a simple, clear, effective way to stakeholders that are non-researchers including community members and participants.

MEAL

- Co-design, maintain and lead all aspects of the roll-out of project-specific RMEAL systems and guidance for tracking project achievements and outcomes. - Lead and coordinate capacity development for staff and partners to plan, use and align with project-specific RMEAL plans, processes, priorities, and requirements. - Ensures quality data is captured and reflected in CommCare - Coordinate the development, management, and utilization of strong data systems to inform project management improvements, learning and reporting. - Lead and ensure timely and accurate consolidation/analysis of project-related data, information, and reports. - Design and lead regular consultations, knowledge exchange, accountability and feedback with staff, partners, and other relevant partners. - Coordinate effective documentation, sharing and regular communication of lessons learned and evidence of good practices on PlayMatters. - Lead and coordinate the implementation of project-specific assessments, performance measurements, research evaluations and impact studies, - Represent, contribute, and participate as required to inter-departmental and cross-sector activities in-country, across the consortium, and externally. - Lead Project learning activities for IRC - Support data gathering, sharing and use amongst staff and partners of gender-sensitive monitoring data including client feedback to ensure interventions are responsive to the needs of clients - Participate in country-level work-planning, budgeting, and reporting on PlayMatters research projects - Support consortium partners in Ethiopia in capacity building, data quality and adherence to MEL SOPs

Qualifications

Educational Requirements:

- · 4 years of progressive, relevant work experience with first degree in Monitoring and Evaluation, Statistics, Computer Science, Social Sciences, or related field from an accredited university.

- · 3 years of progressive, relevant work experience with master’s Degree in Monitoring and Evaluation, Statistics, Computer Science, Social Sciences, or related field from an accredited university.

Preferred experience & skills: ----------------------------------

- Demonstrated understanding of direct monitoring and evaluation experience, specifically in the humanitarian and development context. Experience in education projects is an advantage. - Proven experience in mobile monitoring using Kobo Collect, CommCare or other applications. - Demonstrated experience developing tools and systems for program tracking and documentation. - Demonstrated experience in staff supervision, and capacity building. - Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation methodologies, including log frame, theories of change, and assessment/evaluations. - Demonstrated experience of implementing beneficiary complaint and feedback mechanisms is desired. - High proficiency in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel and being able to visualize data in (i.e.) Power BI. - Effective, high-quality communication and writing in English, and interpersonal skills are essential. - Ability to work under pressure, long work hours if necessary, and high workload. - Able to independently organize work and prioritize tasks. - Self-motivated, honest, highly responsible, and punctual. - Being willing to travel to the three field locations regularly (appr. 40%) and to the regional workshop annually.

Language Skills: ----------------

- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Amharic as well as, an overall ability to be clear and concise in all communications.

Reporting ---------

Reports to – PM Project coordinator

Technical supervision - PM Research and MEAL Officers -----------------------------------------------------

Works closely with- PM Project Manager and Outcome leads.

Working Environment: --------------------

- Travel: Expected travel 30% of the time - Office: This position will be based in the Addis Ababa office.

IRC is an equal employment opportunity employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.