MONITORING, EVALUATION, APPRAISAL, RESEARCH AND LEARNING (MEARL) COORDINATOR (LEBANESE NATIONALS ONLY)

DESCRIPTION: 

Job Purpose
ACTED is the lead organization in a five-partner MADAD-funded consortium (Action Against Hunger, GVC, Solidarités International, LebRelief), implementing WASH activities in Lebanon to support water governance and public water and wastewater services. This project is support by the technical expertise of CNRS, LCPS, LEWAP and NDU. IMPACT, through its PANDA Initiative, is providing coordination support, technical leadership of consortium M+E activities and a number of focused pieces of research.
IMPACT’s PANDA Initiative is seeking an experienced professional with an extensive background in monitoring and evaluation, learning, knowledge creation and management, preferably with experience in WASH/ institutional water governance to support a EU funded WASH project. This is a senior position in a small but dynamic regional team which will give you the opportunity to demonstrate management skills and technical expertise whilst coordinating consortium partners to implement monitoring activities, and develop and design research activities which directly inform the programmatic decision making and learning for a EUR 25 Million, 3-year project. The role is equal parts technical, project management and coordination which requires self-motivation, the ability to work as part of a team, and the ability to deliver complex research activities and their outputs on time, on task and on budget.
The successful candidate will necessarily need to where two hats – that of Co-chair and technical lead of the Consortium Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Research and Learning (MEARL) Working Group and oversee IMPACT’s specific research activities implemented in support of the consortium. While these are complementary roles, coordination of partners and direct implementation and management of research activities inherently require different skills.
IMPACT Initiatives is a think-and-do-tank based in Geneva, Switzerland, which specialises in data collection, management and analysis in order to support humanitarian and development action thought its Initiatives AGORA, PANDA and REACH. While AGORA and REACH work to support response coordination mechanisms at various levels, PANDA provides direct assessment, research and M+E support to partners and donors with activities that focus directly on planning, informing and understanding programme implementation. IMPACT is a sister organization of ACTED, an international NGO whose headquarter is based in Paris and which is present in thirty countries. The two organizations have a strong complementarity formalized in a global partnership, which allows IMPACT to benefit from ACTED’s operational support on its countries of intervention.
The PANDA Consortium MEARL Coordinator (MEARL-CO) position is based in Beirut, Lebanon, with travel required to other areas of the country and potentially to Amman, Jordan.The role necessitates a high level of external engagement, the ability to influence and drive processes, whilst also managing the internal running of operations and developing high-quality research outputs. The MEARL-CO is expected to oversee teams research teams, manage workplans and consortium relations, provide technical design of research activities, and review and publication of research, monitoring and evaluation outputs with direct support of the Near East regional team, and with technical backstopping from IMPACT Geneva HQ. Past experience in the aid sector, monitoring and evaluation and WASH/ water governance are essential.

OBJECTIVE: Under the functional supervision of the IMPACT Regional Research Manager based in Amman, and in close coordination with PANDA Regional Assessment Specialist, ACTED, and consortium partners, as well as the Global PANDA Coordinator in Geneva, the MEARL-CO is responsible for the management and implementation of consortium coordination, research and monitoring activities for the ACTED-led EU MADAD WASH Consortium, including their preparation, implementation and follow-up. S/he is also responsible for related logistics, partner coordination, reporting and financial management, and will be expected to provide input to the strategic development of programs.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Consortium MEARL Working Group Coordination In close coordination with the ACTED Consortium Coordinator, IMPACT Research Manager, the PANDA Regional Assessment Specialist, and other WG members, provide technical leadership/ oversight/ support for all consortium-level MEARL activities though:
a) Co-chair the MEARL working group, including coordinating with the Consortium Coordinator to convene. Facilitate monthly meetings to review the progress and performance of programme activities. Provide meeting minutes to all members, relevant Technical Task Forces, the Consortium Management Unit and the Steering Committee.
b) Review and harmonisation of agreed-up robust measurement methodologies, technical tools, their application and quality standards within the framework of the overall AME Framework developed for the Consortium;
c) Inform the development and monitor implementation by partners of Complaints Response Mechanism which meets sector standards, and aggregation of complaints received and response made into coherent consortium-level outputs

d) Create and maintain up-to-date, comprehensive and accurate databases of progress against project indicator targets, linking to available sources of information;
e) Ensure data management and data security practices under the project scope adhere to the guidelines set by the EU General Data Protection Regulation as well as maintain general good practices;
2. Management of all Research Cycles
2.1 Assessment Preparation and Planning:
a. Ensuring that research are planned in line with relevant project and program objectives and within IMPACT research cycle and other relevant guidelines;
b. Ensure that required secondary data analysis has been conducted in preparation for activities;
c. For all activity, ensure TORs are developed and reviewed by key consortium stakeholders (ACTED CC, MEARL WG, etc…) before they are sent to Geneva for validation and ensure that TORs are validated by HQ before any data collection begins;
d. Ensure that ToRs are understood and used by consortium staff and stakeholders, and updated as required; Compose and construct, in close coordination with GIS and data management team, qualitative and quantitative data collection tools; ensure engagement with GIS teams on GIS requirements of research cycle/assessment;
e. Keep track of progress and delays of all assigned activity throughout the research cycle. Ensure that delays or identified challenges for specific projects are discussed to identify solutions, reported in writing and orally in a timely manner to relevant colleagues and partners, with major issues to be channeled up to the Consortium Coordinator;
f. Ensure relevant stakeholders and partners are engaged and buy-in activity design and planning.
2.2 Data collection and management
a. For research activities to be implemented by PANDA or under our direct leadership, ensure that required enumerators are identified and trained for primary data collection;
b. Monitor data collection, ensuring its correct implementation in line with agreed TORs;
c. Ensure that the Research Manager and relevant partners are alerted to any issues that prevents full implementation of the methodology in line with the agreed TORs; ensure that all changes to the methodology are documented throughout implementation and validated by IMPACT HQ and key partners;
d. Ensure logistics, financial, administration, security and HR processes directly related to PANDA activities have been appropriately implemented and with the relevant ACTED departments.
e. Ensure regular situation updates on data collection have been produced and circulated to relevant IMPACT, ACTED and external counterparts. Provide support and follow up on identified challenges during the data collection process; coordinated
f. Ensure that all collected data is stored in line with IMPACT’s Data Management Guidelines, and with the ToRs (data management plan Annex);
g. Ensure that data is revised and cleaned, and that all revisions are recorded;
h. Oversee analysis on collected data as per ToRs;
i. Ensure that meaningful techniques are used to analyze the data collected;
j. Ensure that data and its analysis are validated by IMPACT HQ before product drafting stage or sharing with external parties and do not contain personal information
2.3 Product drafting
a. Maintain regular communication with IMPACT HQ on progress and deadlines for written products;
b. Ensure the drafting of timely and accurate activity outputs (i.e. reports, factsheets, etc.), 

which comply with IMPACT’s guidelines and quality standards;
c. Review all products before they are sent to IMPACT HQ for validation;
d. Ensure that all written products are validated by IMPACT HQ, ACTED, Consortium Coordination and MEARL WG before external release.

2.4 Product dissemination and evaluation
a. Under the oversight of the Research Manager and in coordination with the ACTED Consortium Coordinator, engage in the dissemination of research products, including through articles, IMPACT social media contents, targeted e-mails, presentations, meetings, etc, in line with IMPACT Dissemination and External Communication Guidelines and Research ToRs;
b. Under supervision of IMPACT HQ, ensure that research products are uploaded in relevant data portals, as specified in Research ToRs;
c. Ensure that lessons learned are gathered and documented at the end of each research cycle;
d. Support the Country Coordinator to conduct monitoring and evaluation as specified in the research ToRs and in line with IMPACT Guidelines.
e. Collaborate with Consortium Coordination, ACTED, Consortium Partners and IMPACT Project Team to ensure accurate and timely donor reporting
3. Management of IMPACT Assessment Team
a. For research cycles implemented by PANDA, conduct regular meetings with all Assessment Team members to assess progress in all research cycles and to review work plan;
b. In coordination with Research Manager conduct induction for new staff members, including training in basic technical competencies for assessment design, implementation and analysis;
c. Support to the Regional Coordinator, Research Manager and Assessment Specialist in the development and implementation of capacity training plans for REACH assessment and field team member;
d. Be available to provide regular support and technical backstopping;
e. When relevant, support/ lead staff appraisal and recruitment process in collaboration with Country Coordinator and Research Manager
4. Strategy Development and Implementation. In support to the Regional Coordinator, the MEARL-CO will actively contribute to the development of the IMPACT strategy in Lebanon. In particular s/he will support in identifying and concretising:
a. Humanitarian and development priorities in Lebanon, and IMPACT’s relevance to them;
b. Strategic partnerships with key humanitarian and development stakeholders and decision makers
c. Key programmes/ events / milestones that should be informed;
d. Advocacy and communication strategies to strengthen the impact of our work;
e. Support in the preparation and follow up of country level internal strategic workshops and plans;
f. Engagement with IMPACT HQ in global level strategic priorities.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
• % of milestones completed on time as per original work plan
• MEARL activities completed on time without the need for an NCE
• MEARL activities completed within budget flexibility (not requiring a budget amendment for project
Terms of Reference – PANDA Deputy Assessment Manager February 2020
lines)
• % of contractual and non-contractual project performance indicators measured and reported on in a robust harmonised and timely manner
REQUIREMENTS
• Must be a Lebanese national
• Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master’s degree in relevant discipline;
• At least 5 years of relevant working experience in humanitarian or development settings such as research, evaluation, assessments and programmes, with 2 or more years in a management position
• A demonstrated understanding of WASH and/ or water governance
• Field experience related to monitoring and evaluation activities, humanitarian or development interventions, or other similar relevant sector are required;
• Excellent analytical skills;
• Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting;
• Demonstrated capacity to manage a large, diverse team
• Experience with stakeholder engagement
• Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
• Familiarity with the humanitarian aid system, and understanding of donor and governmental requirements
• Past experience in the Middle-East and North Africa region is desirable;
• Fluency in English and Arabic required
• Advanced skills in GIS or SPSS and/or R, STATA or other mapping and statistical analysis software an advantage;
• Ability to multitask with tight deadlines, on numerous research cycles;
• Ability to work independently and coordinate remotely critical