Crown Agents USA Job Vacancy: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Advisor

Crown Agents USA is seeking a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) advisor for a USAID-funded public financial management program located in Zambia. The MEL advisor will support oversight of the monitoring and evaluation system for reporting progress against expected results and maintain reporting procedures and guidelines in compliance with USAID systems and regulations.

Position Description

The MEL advisor will help the project team to refine the monitoring and evaluation plan and system consistent with the project results framework, coordinate the collection and validation of data, monitor completeness of data sets, and monitor project performance against targets. S/he will contribute to efforts for building the capacity of government partners and other stakeholders on activities related to MEL, which may include data collection, utilization, and dissemination.

Specific Responsibilities

• Help to refine and implement the project’s MEL system, including developing and refining indicators; setting targets; monitoring project progress; ensuring timely data collection; writing quarterly and annual reports; and working with the home office and field teams to track the budget in relation to all project results and outcomes;
• Provide inputs to the technical team by assisting in developing program goals and objectives; MEL systems, tools, and strategies, including database(s); and providing monitoring data to inform the decisions on project performance and future direction to the project;
• Collaborate with and support host government counterparts to develop their own MEL frameworks, systems, and tools;
• Regularly produce high-quality reports on the results of the project against the project goals and objectives to the Chief of Party, USAID, home office management team, and others as needed;
• Collaborate with the technical and management teams to identify essential project activities, processes, and outcomes to document, and design a system for capturing lessons learned and best practices; and
• Perform other duties as assigned.

About you

Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced degree in a relevant discipline (statistics, evaluation science, public policy, social sciences, political science, or other related degree);
• At least 7 years of demonstrated experience designing, and implementing monitoring and evaluation activities in developing countries;
• Excellent command of monitoring and evaluation methodologies;
• Previous experience implementing and managing a rigorous M&E system including developing and refining performance monitoring plans is required; experience managing
• Management Information Systems (MIS) is strongly preferred;
• Knowledge of data collection protocols to ensure accurate data collection and verification; ability to identify data trends and communicate this information for strategic decision-making in program implementation;
• Excellent organizational, verbal and written communication skills to manage project communications and disseminate project information are required;
• Excellent skills in MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint; proficiency in MS Access preferred;
• Experience with USAID programs/projects strongly preferred; and
• English language fluency required.