International Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist, Project Safidy 213 views1 applications

Position Overview:

Based in the coastal town of Fort Dauphin in the southeast of Madagascar, this post will provide specialist MEL knowledge to an ongoing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) project. The successful candidate will work within a combined Malagasy and international team to drive a MEL strategy for Project Safidy, an initiative that aims to establish a nationwide SRHR advocacy network and SRHR knowledge channels through school and out-of-school education. Predominantly office-based in Fort-Dauphin, the MEL Specialist will travel occasionally to sites to oversee evaluations and engage with partners. This exciting post would suit an early-career specialist seeking essential in-country MEL experience in supporting high-impact SRHR programming.

Timeframe: 12-month; extendable

Probationary period: 3 months

Contract: Full-time; 1,000,000 Malagasy Ariary (MGA) per month rising to 1,200,000 MGA following probation

Reporting to: Head of Project Development (Community Health)

Project background:

Project Safidy, Phase 4 will build on previous SEED Madagascar (SEED) projects that aimed to increase knowledge and safe sexual practices amongst young people in Fort Dauphin. Over the past two years, Project Safidy has established school-based SRHR information channels through the piloting of SRHR curricula, based on the successes of past pilots, in schools locally and nationally. In partnership with Madagascar’s Ministry of Education, Project Safidy has channeled findings from these initiatives to integrate SRHR topics into the national high school curriculum, which was launched with first-year classes in 89 schools. These activities have been supported through the creation of an online network platform, which allows schools, community-based associations and non-government organisations across Madagascar to share SRHR resources. During Phase 4 of Project Safidy, SEED will strengthen partnerships with the Ministry and other organisations in developing and implementing all levels of this integrated SRHR curriculum. This school-based SRHR education will be supported through capacity-building and SRHR training with partner organisations and communities, ultimately promoting a comprehensive environment for young people to understand and exercise their SRHR.

Primary Responsibilities:

Coordination of data collection and analysis for evaluating the integrated SRHR curriculum. Development of MEL methodologies for assessing community-focused SRHR education with influential adults. Creation of materials presenting learnings and informing future project development. Capacity-building for SEED, the Community Health team and local partners to ensure high-quality data collection that aligns with international best practice.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Informed by and aligned with past project strategy, contribute to and oversee the implementation of an MEL strategy to support Project Safidy’s ongoing and emerging initiatives;
• Coordinate at least two rounds of teacher and student surveys, ensuring that they are consistent with past surveys while adapting to ongoing developments, to evaluate the national SRHR curriculum;
• Conduct quantitative analysis of teacher and student surveys, highlighting immediate opportunities for project improvements and assessing the long-term impact of the curriculum;
• Develop MEL methodologies for assessing a pilot SRHR education initiative which aims to promote SRHR awareness and support among influential adults in four sites across Madagascar;
• Collaborate with the IT, Website & Media Senior Support Officer to develop MEL methodologies for assessing the impact of the SRHR online platform;
• Ensure that the MEL strategy enables reporting across indicators for a variety of stakeholders, including donors, community groups and government ministries;
• Manage, and design when needed, data storage systems for project findings;
• Contribute to routine donor reports with MEL findings and create MEL-specific reports for each of Project Safidy initiatives (integrated SRHR curriculum, community-focused SRHR education and online SRHR platform) that will be disseminated to donors and published on the online platform;
• Collaborate with the Head of Project Development, Head of Community Health and SRHR Education Specialist to identify opportunities for new SRHR initiatives based on project learnings;
• Monitor data quality and provide technical guidance for improved MEL structures and procedures with consideration to geographical and budgetary limitations;
• Lead the implementation of MEL tools, like the Open Data Kit (ODK) when appropriate;
• Provide capacity-building for SEED staff and local partners in using MEL tools and following MEL best practices, ensuring quality of project data while promoting a sustainable MEL approach for the broader organisation;
• Monitor planned and actual outputs in accordance to project targets;
• Contribute project learning to ensure SEED is positively represented in external meetings and affairs, including with government ministries at regional and national levels, to maintain strong working partnerships;
• Complete any other tasks that the Head of Project Development, Community Health deems necessary within the broad outline of the role.

Person specification:

• Master’s degree in Community Health, International Development, Research Methods or related field;
• Demonstrable proficiency and experience in using R and/or STATA;
• Demonstrable proficiency in multivariate statistical analysis;
• Experience of working/volunteering internationally in a research or MEL capacity; SRHR capacity desirable;
• Experience in the design and implementation of MEL frameworks for international development and/or community health sectors, including for quantitative and qualitative data;
• Experience using data collection platforms such as ODK is desirable;
• Clear demonstrable understanding of research ethics;
• Demonstrable experience of information analysis and report writing, and ability to align these to KPIs; experience writing for donors is desirable;
• Experience in participatory approaches to MEL is desirable;
• Have the ability and desire to work with teams from different economic and cultural backgrounds and across multiple language barriers;
• Experience of working with translators;
• Have excellent communication skills, including a sound ability to adapt material for different audiences;
• Experience of contributing to reports for external donors and stakeholders;
• Be able to work both independently and as part of a multicultural and multilingual team, building capacity when possible;
• Have passion and motivation for working with staff and volunteers;
• Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to SEED’s ethos and approach and be a good ambassador for SEED at all times;
• Demonstrate proven ability to recognise and appropriately deal with challenging situations;
• Demonstrate an awareness of and comfort with increased social and professional responsibility, working at all times with cultural sensitivity and respect;
• Demonstrate the ability, social skills and confidence to give clear guidance and support to other members of the team in respect of the philosophy and procedures of SEED in order to protect both their safety and the reputation of the NGO;
• Be able to work and advocate for all of SEED’s policies and procedures, safeguarding those that SEED works with and reporting any concerns appropriately;
• Be punctual and be able to work to tight deadlines in an organised manner and to a high standard;
• Have a flexible and patient attitude;
• Ability to adapt to MEL strategy to accommodate project learning and shifting partner requirements
• Have excellent problem-solving skills;
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn French and/or Malagasy is desirable;

Allowance and practicalities

The post contributes to the living expenses of the post holder. This consists of:

• 1,000,000 MGA/month (rising to 1,200,000 MGA after probation) for the cost of living;
• £1,000 towards the cost of flights;
• Visa & insurance covered by the project;

The successful candidate will be need to bring their own laptop computer (non-tablet).