MEL ASSISTANT
Position Description
Location: Lofa (1 position)
Position Status Full-time, Regular
Salary Level: 4
Current Team Member: N/A

About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future. Mercy Corps has been working in Liberia since 2002.
Program / Department Summary Mercy Corps and its’ consortium partners are implementing the Incentivize Learning Activity (ILA). This Activity is a five- year program, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The program aims to address food security needs and incentivize school enrollment and ensure access to education for vulnerable and underserved school age children. The program will provide school meals, targeted financial incentives, engage communities and parents and conduct social, and behavior change communication. The program will be implemented by Mercy Corps and its’ consortium partners in Grand Bassa, Bong, Nimba, Margibi, Montserrado and Lofa counties.
General Position Summary
The main purpose of this role is to assist in enhancing quality, Monitoring, Evaluation, and learning for achieving results in increasing school enrollment and attendance and ensuring access to education for vulnerable and underserved school age children. The post holder will work to facilitate the quality implementation of the Incentivize Learning Activity according to the project design using a measurable results framework. Conduct regular data collection activities and assist the MEL Officer in the day-to-day accountability activities.
Essential Job Responsibilities
STRATEGY & VISION
•
Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
•
Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.
•
Provide support to MEL Officers in establishing the MEL system.
•
Support MEL Officers to set up the ILA database.
•
Support MEL Officer to develop monthly work plan based on ILA annual plan.
DATA COLLECTION MANAGEMENT
•
Collect data on the progress of each activity being implemented and enter the information into the database platform.
•
Compile all Monitoring Forms (storerooms School Feeding, PM and PDM) and ensure that these are submitted in a timely manner to the MEL Officer.
•
Support in conducting beneficiary registration in ILA supported schools.
•
Use a pre-prepared summary attendance tracking form to track average monthly student’s attendance on a bi-monthly basis.
•
Support in conducting monitoring of all filed activities including assessments.
•
Tracking and documentation of goods received.
•
Collect success stories in the field.
DATA VALIDATION, ANALYSIS & REPORTING
•
Assist in analyzing and compiling data to measure the progress and impact of projects’ activities.
•
Provide day to day verifying data quality and ensure all data is inputted into the database platform and analyzed with rigor.
•
Develop and maintain database backup and filing systems.
•
Undertake quarterly and annual visits to the field throughout the project, as needed to support data collection or verify data quality.
•
Report on findings from all field visits through appropriate channels.
•
Contribute to the documentation of program events such as meetings, events, and workshops.
COACHING AND MENTORING
•
To improve data quality at ILA Supported schools, the MEL Assistant will develop coaching and mentoring plans for all schools.
•
Conduct regular coaching and mentoring sessions with school authorities at ILA supported schools.
•
Produce post coaching and mentoring report to show improvement.
•
Conduct supportive supervision for mentees as a way of continually supporting his/her mentees.
•
Conduct experience sharing meetings with school record keepers to share their experience with other schools.
•
Provide evidence to ILA management showing improvement in data quality at ILA supported schools.
TEAM MANAGEMENT
•
Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
•
Assist team members with information, tools, and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
•
Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
•
Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
FINANCE & COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT
•
Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to financial transactions and programming.
INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION
•
Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments and other stakeholders.
•
Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.
SECURITY
•
Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
•
Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING
•
As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.
ACCOUNTABILITY TO BENEFICIARIES
•
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
•
Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
Supervisory Responsibility
N/A
Accountability
Reports Directly To: MEL Officer
Works Directly With: Other MEL staff, Lead Mobilizer, Mobilizers, Partner Staff (MEL Manager/Officer and other relevant staff), Admin/Finance Officer, and Logistics Officer
Behaviors (Values and Practices)
Accountability:
•
Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modeling Mercy Corps values.
•
Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.
•
Support the role and implementation of MC CARM policy and procedures in communities of intervention, while also highlighting the same at training and other functions where applicable.
Ambition:
•
Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same.
•
Widely shares their personal vision for Mercy Corps, engages and motivates others.
•
Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.
Collaboration:
•
Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters.
•
Values diversity sees it as a source of competitive strength.
•
Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.
Creativity:
•
Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.
•
Willing to take disciplined risks.
Integrity:
•
Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity.
Knowledge and Experience
•
Bachelor’s degree or relevant experience and/or potential to grow into the role.
•
Minimum of 2 years of experience in MEL related work, preferably with experience supervising others.
•
Previous experience and/or education in data management including planning, collecting, collating, analyzing, and storing data.
•
Capacity-building experience is an added advantage.
•
Proficiency in Word, Excel, and Power Point.
•
Competency in mobile data collection platforms.
•
Strong oral and written English skills.
Success Factors
The MEL assistant should have a keen attention to detail and be able to mobilize a team of food monitors to meet project goals and targets. They should be able to work independently in a challenging and remote work setting, using creative problem solving to get the job done. They should be able to work with a diverse team, be approachable and supportive and be willing to implement new ideas and creative solutions.