MERL Director LOCATION:

Pakistan DEPARTMENT: Human Rights, Education, and Empowerment

POSITION SUMMARY:

Winrock International is recruiting applicants for the position of a Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MELR) Director for the anticipated U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Pakistan Foundational Learning Opportunity. The purpose of the Foundational Learning Activity is to enhance student learning outcomes in reading and math and to prevent school dropout by enabling teachers, head teachers, and local education administrators to improve the quality of education. The project will aim to improve student learning outcomes through enhanced institutional capacity, governance, community engagement and improved quality of services. The position is contingent upon receipt of donor funding.

In coordination with the Chief of Party, the MERL Director will design the project’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) plan. They will be responsible for the development and day-to-day supervision of a MERL system to track project performance framework, indicators, and targets to measure progress toward project objectives and expected results. The MERL Specialist will ensure quality routine data collection, data entry, data analysis, and timely reporting, under the project Performance Measurement Plan. They will oversee routine data quality assurance exercises and participate as needed in MERL with the focus on improving monitoring systems, data quality, and data-informed decision making at project sites. Coordinating closely with project staff, partners, and other key stakeholders, the MERL Specialist will oversee the analysis, interpretation, and tracking of all program data, as well as document and disseminates lessons learned, best practices, and other project deliverables.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Provide technical leadership in the development, updating and operationalization of the project’s MERL plan and MERL system Lead day-to-day implementation of all MERL related activities under the project MERL Plan Provide support for the recruitment of consultants and field staff for MERL related activities Contribute to the development of quantitative and qualitative tools and implementation of robust context-appropriate systems for data collection, quality assurance, analysis, and reporting on activity outputs/outcomes and program quality Conduct data collection, entry, verification, analysis, and reporting on actual achievements against set targets, highlighting emerging patterns and offering clear reports on findings and conclusions Oversee the development and operationalization of the project’s management information system (MIS) Ensure data quality, integrity, and security standards and procedures are in place and are aligned with country national monitoring and evaluation guidelines, protocols, information, and reporting systems Strengthen capacity and engage with partners and local stakeholders to monitor the progress and success of activities

Design a reporting system that ensures data flow and utilization and provides insights on activity performance and areas, contributing towards strategic decision-making and project planning with project leadership Operationalize a project collaborative learning and adapting (CLA) approach by leading its implementation as per the MEL plan Work closely with project leadership, including partners and local stakeholders, to develop, implement, and monitor the implementation of a robust learning agenda for continuous learning, collaboration, and adaptation to further the project’s learning agenda Contribute to the development and sharing of information and knowledge products with all relevant stakeholders in a timely manner Facilitate project research, surveys and performance assessments, including quantitative and qualitative studies Contribute to annual workplan preparation in the design of MERL activities.

Qualifications and Background:

Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in monitoring and evaluation, education, demography, social science, mathematics, economics, or relevant discipline Significant study in international development and/or program monitoring and evaluation Experience At least 6 years of experience in the design and implementation of MERL in development projects implemented by national/international NGOs, preferably in education Demonstrated understanding of and expertise in USAID funded MERL plans and reporting

Demonstrated experience in designing tools for data collection, analysis, and production of reports Demonstrated experience in analyzing data using statistical software and mobile data collection

Experience in operationalization of MIS Strong quantitative and analytical skills and ability to articulate technical information clearly and effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences

Experience in facilitating CLA and pause-and-reflect activities Must have demonstrated mentoring and facilitation skills and the ability to network and communicate with a wide range of stakeholders Advanced cross-cultural sensitivity, including experience working and communicating with professional and support staff in a multicultural, multi-linguistic environment; ability to promote an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect

Other: Ability to travel to certain areas in Pakistan (in compliance with Covid-19 and safety and security restrictions).

Advanced skills in Microsoft Office, including proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint Excellent interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills Proficiency in English and Urdu SALARY: The annual salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Excellent benefits offered.

APPLICATIONS:

The deadline for submission of applications is August 15, 2024. However, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and Winrock reserves the right to make an offer prior to the closing date for applications. Applicants are thus encouraged to submit their applications at the earliest opportunity. Applicants should go to https://www.winrock.org/join-us/careers/job-openings/ and submit a current resume and cover letter referencing MERL Director: Pakistan Foundational Learning Opportunity. Winrock would like to thank all applicants for their interest but only candidates who meet all requisite criteria and are shortlisted will be contacted. Winrock is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all people and value diversity and inclusiveness. Winrock recruits, employs, trains, promotes and compensates regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, or any other basis protected by law.

At Winrock we have a clear mission: Empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity and sustain natural resources through unwavering dedication to accountability, equity, innovation, integrity and transformation. Winrock knows that its success comes from the hard work and steadfast dedication of its diverse workforce. Winrock remains committed to maintaining diversity, inclusion and equity across the entire organization