Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Manager at DAI Global, LLC

About DAI

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world. DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work.  DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner. DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All of our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.

DAI is seeking highly qualified candidates for the full-time Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Manager position in Kyiv HOVERLA office to join USAID Governance and Local Accountability (HOVERLA) Activity’s team. Interested candidates should submit their application through the following portal.

Applications will be accepted until 18 February 2024.  Due to a high volume of applications received, we are unable to contact each applicant individually regarding the status of their application. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted in response to this job advertisement.

Project Background

DAI Global is implementing the USAID-funded Governance and Local Administration (HOVERLA) Activity, based in Kyiv, Ukraine. This project is designed to support Ukraine advance self-reliant local governance including legislative reforms, participatory strategic planning methodologies, service improvement, local economic development, civil society engagement, and capacity building of sub-national government entities.  The Activity has three objectives:

Objective 1:  Ukraine’s system of local self-governance is increasingly institutionalized and effective
Objective 2: More self-reliant subnational governance
Objective 3: Citizens play an increasingly influential role in local governance processes.

To support these initiatives, DAI seeks qualified candidates to fulfill HOVERLA’s goals.

Position Overview

The MEL Manager will supervise and ensure the proper functioning of the Activity monitoring and reporting system. This will include management of program indicators to help inform USAID, the Chief of Party, and the technical team of project status and progress toward achievement of key results as agreed in the annual work plans. The MEL Manager will supervise MEL Officers and Specialists on the MEL team. This position ensures that the Activity produces and disseminates high-quality knowledge, tools, and lessons learned through routine monitoring evaluation and implementation experience. The MEL Manager reports to the MEL Director and is based in Kyiv.

Objectives and Duties

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Lead systematic data collection and analysis of progress toward program key performance indicators, and oversee research activities.
• Consult technical teams in grants design in terms of realization of appropriate systems of grant monitoring and evaluation approach.
• Manage data collection and database to ensure compliance with USAID requirements in collecting, storing, analyzing, and reporting data.
• Contribute to the design of surveys, contracting (as necessary), and implementation of monitoring surveys and research to assess the impact of program intervention.
• Cooperate with the technical teams to ensure accurate data collection per indicators and beneficiary feedback.
• Supervise regular data analyses and develop reports for donor and/or project management.
• Train and support partners and grantees when required, on key MEL concepts, tools, and processes.
• Lead evaluations to assess activity impact in implementing grants and other activities.
• Assist in the identification, and analysis of lessons learned from project implementation with technical teams; facilitate the incorporation of those lessons into the activity cycle.
• Initiate periodic data quality assurance activities, including spot-checks.
• Guide site visits.
• Management of the MEL team.

Reporting:

• Summarize final MEL inputs to HOVERLA quarterly and annual reports.
• Ensure progress towards HOEVRLA performance indicators is reported in a timely manner.
• Oversee implementation of the project indicators through the review of reports, correspondence, site visits, etc.
• Serve as the point of contact for all official communication dealing with M&E management
• Performs other functions as requested by the MEL Director and HOVERLA Management.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social sciences.
• Prior experience with MEL systems, tools, and instruments, including visual dashboards and/or statistical software packages.
• Proficiency in data collection, analysis, synthesizing, and reporting including data quality assessments.
• Experience in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
• Strong writing and analytical abilities.
• Fluent English and Ukrainian are required.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage personnel in a supportive manner and to add to a productive and collaborative learning environment; prior management experience preferred.

Minimum Grade Criteria:

Grade 9:  Bachelor’s degree and 8 years of experience in monitoring, evaluation, data analysis, statistics or other related areas; or Master’s degree and 6 years of relevant experience.

Grade 10:  Bachelor’s degree and 9 years of experience in monitoring, evaluation, data analysis, statistics or other related areas; or Master’s degree and 7 years of relevant experience.