Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Manager

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 and Mount Lebanon 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, legal and job counseling, apprenticeship and job referrals through a livelihoods center. Additional market assessments and other research is conducted under this program. The main target groups are 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, analysis and some statistical experience, preferably with expertise in cash assistance and livelihoods programming. The Senior M&E Manager will lead the design of the program’s M&E framework and tools, ensuring that the impact of the project is effectively tracked, documented and shared, and represented to outside stakeholders. They will also contribute to developing M&E frameworks and tools for ERD program development, including for other cash transfer programming.

SCOPE OF WORK:
The Senior M&E Manager will direct and supervise the M&E team of the ERD Program, and will lead the design and roll-out the program M&E framework and tools, in line with reporting requirements. They will provide technical input to interagency processes on monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning.

The main objectives of this position are:

• 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.
• Ensure that IRC contributes to the development of interagency standards and reporting on cash and livelihoods interventions and approaches.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Monitoring & Evaluation
  • Develop M&E frameworks for all ERD programs in consultation with the ERD Coordinator, the Livelihoods Manager and other Program Managers at the project onset, and revise it periodically as required and based on lessons learned.
  • Contribute to the development of interagency and cash tools, both on technically focused targeting approaches and on process and impact monitoring and learning, through a consensus approach, leading or contributing to technical meetings as necessary.
  • Develop quantitative and qualitative tools and analysis frameworks 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. These tools shall allow for the tracking of impact on beneficiaries, value for money and spillover effects;
  • Develop tracking tools and train team members and partners on high quality data collection, cleaning and analysis.
  • 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
  • Help develop tools related to the beneficiary databases and ensure that assistance to beneficiaries is tracked in a timely manner, 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
  • Liaise with interagency and outside technical stakeholders to ensure technical input is provided to the development of interagency tools and harmonized approaches to cash and livelihoods. Provide representation to interagency working groups and technical bodies, in conjunction with the ERD Coordinator.
  • Provide M&E technical support to other IRC sectors teams as necessary, particularly where program activities have an ERD component or aspect. Feed into larger regional and global IRC data management learning, and liaise with other IRC stakeholders to provide input on M&E, ICT and data collection initiatives.
• Staff Management and Development
  • Directly manage the M&E team based in Akkar and Mount Lebanon, as well as the database and data analysis staff based in Beirut, and provide guidance on strategy, M&E approaches, and capacity building to team members. Build national capacity for staff to take on increasingly senior M&E roles.
  • 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.
  • Build the technical capacity of all ERD staff members on monitoring and evaluation, and ensure specific knowledge sets around indicator development, data analysis, database knowledge, focus group delivery and developing program logic are embedded in the M&E team.
  • Direct supervision of approximately four to six staff and responsibility for a team of over eight.
  • Discuss job expectations, set objectives and provide appropriate and timely feedback regarding performance, including timely implementation of the annual staff performance management system.
  • Clearly define the training needs of direct reports and ensure they are able to access training and professional development resources appropriate to their skill gaps/needs.
  • Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions including staff development plans.
  • Provide leadership support for the successful implementation of and adherence to the IRC Global HR Operating Policies and Procedures
  • Lead with commitment, integrity and accountability to the “IRC Way” – Global Standards for Professional Conduct

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to: ERD Coordinator
• Position directly supervises: Senior M&E Officer, other M&E and ICT staff
• Indirect Reporting: M&E assistants

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

• Internal: Other M&E and ICT resources in other sectors
• External: Interagency basic assistance and livelihoods groups, other INGOs conducting livelihoods programming, partner organizations

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, Food Security, or related field managerial experience; minimum of 2-3 years is required
• Certification or specific training in Statistics and/or Data Management
• Proficiency in the use of statistical methods for socio-economic research
• At least 4-5 years of relevant working experience in the area of M&E, preferably on cash and livelihoods interventions
• 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
• Proven experience in leading a team to ensure high quality data collection and analysis
• 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
• INGO experience preferred
• 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

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.