Monitoring and Evaluation Manager

Background/IRC Summary: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and is at work in over 40 countries.

In response to the influx of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, the IRC provides income and livelihoods support to vulnerable Syrian refugees and host communities, through its Economic Recovery and Development Program. The objective of the program is to assist vulnerable households in the most affected areas of the Akkar District in meeting their essential needs and increasing their self-reliance; this is expected to ultimately lessen the use of negative coping strategies for survival.

Interventions include unconditional cash assistance, financial management training, cash for work, vocational training, and job referrals through a livelihoods center. The main target groups are newly-arrived Syrian refugees, as well as acutely vulnerable registered and unregistered Syrian refugees and Lebanese households.

The ERD program will develop synergies with the other programs implemented by the IRC in Lebanon, namely the Women Protection and Empowerment Program, the Child Protection Program and the Protection Monitoring Program.

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience in monitoring and evaluation, preferably with expertise in cash assistance programming, and experience with multi-stakeholder arrangements. The M&E Manager will lead the design of a cash consortium’s M&E framework and tools, ensuring that the impact of the project is effectively tracked, documented and shared.

SCOPE OF WORK:
The M&E Manager will direct and supervise the M&E team for a cash consortium program, and will lead the design and roll-out the program M&E framework and tools, in line with reporting requirements. S/he will help liaise with an NGO consortium and interagency actors to ensure technical input is provided into tool development and coordination efforts. The main objective of this position is: Ensure that data on program beneficiaries, processes, progress and performance are effectively collected, entered, analyzed and documented, in a way to inform timely decision making and the adoption of sound corrective measures, and to ensure coordination of all processes across an NGO consortium and interagency process.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Help develop the program M&E framework in consultation with the consortium technical and steering committees with other M&E staff and the ERD Coordinator and the Cash Program Manager and revise it periodically as required and based on lessons learned.
• Participate in consortium technical committee meetings and other interagency meetings as appropriate, ensuring coordination and communication on tools, processes and troubleshooting.
• Provide direct technical support and oversight to a consortium process evaluation, and other research on cash and livelihoods.
• Help develop baseline and end-line assessment tools for each of the program interventions, including data collection instruments (e.g. survey questionnaires, focus group discussions, key informant interviews), analysis plans and data entry spreadsheet. Tools shall allow to track impact on beneficiaries, value for money and spillover effects.
• Supervise data collection at the field level, by making sure that data collection teams are organized and resourced as needed, and that they deliver as per action plans and according to high quality standards.
• Analyze assessment data, based on the analysis plan and produce statistics and charts and ensure the results feed meaningfully into program design and implementation plans.
• Assist in the development and monitoring of databases and ensure that assistance to beneficiaries is timely tracked and information is shared with other organizations operating in the same geographical areas, in order to develop synergies, avoid duplication and maximize outreach and coverage of affected populations’ needs.

Professional Standards
The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor of Arts or Science in Economics, Agriculture, Statistics, Computer Science or related field
• Certification or specific training in Statistics and/or Data Management highly preferred
• Proficiency in the use of statistical methods for socio-economic research
• At least 3 years of relevant working experience in the area of M&E
• Demonstrated experience in developing assessment tools (e.g. questionnaires, focus group discussions)
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge in developing and managing databases
• Demonstrated experience and capacity in conducting field-level data collection and data entry
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge in data analysis
• Previous experience in drafting reports
• Strong ability to work independently, organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills, creativity and flexibility, ability to coordinate and build consensus.
• Personal qualities: works well in and promotes teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure well.
• Fluency in English required, written and oral; knowledge of Arabic preferred

PREFERRED:

• Masters degree of Arts or Science in Economics, Agriculture, Food Security, or related field
• Certification or specific training in Statistics, Information Management and/or Data Management
• INGO experience
• Experience in programming Access Databases, HTML, and/or SQL
• Experience in writing and maintaining database design and documentation and operating manuals and SOPs
• Ability to design a database structure and write interfaces

Working Environment: The position is based in Beirut, Lebanon, which has a high quality of life including medical care, movement and amenities. Housing shared with one other staff member is provided in an area near the IRC office. The position is expected to travel to the northern province of Akkar frequently.