United States of America: Design, Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist

Organization: International Center for Transitional Justice
Country: United States of America
Closing date: 30 Sep 2014

The Design, Monitoring and Evaluation (DME) Specialist is expected to drive the design of an institution-wide monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system and oversee its function, working closely with senior management, program, field and development staff. This position is designated under the Program Office, reporting to the Director of Programs. This position will support efforts of program staff in working on project context, with particular attention to ensuring quality and performance of M&E in large projects during both the development and implementation processes, developing M&E systems and tools suited to ICTJs major lines of work, and designing evaluations of that work.

The position will be responsible for designing protocols and orchestrate efforts that monitor outcomes against targets; enable management, donors and partners to gain feedback and deduce lessons; and determine the direction and magnitude of progress. More fundamentally, s/he will be responsible for designing, and in many cases, orchestrating baseline and end line evaluations of project work of ICTJs key programs; such efforts will crosscut project timelines and boundaries. The incumbent will use results from those analysis to advise on adjustments to interventions that are vital for optimal effectiveness of translating project inputs into outcomes. S/he is also responsible for providing timely and relevant information to ICTJ senior management, program partners and donors and will contribute to the development of institutional capacity.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITY

• Promote DME functions within ICTJ by developing organization-wide DME methodologies, tools, systems, and policies
• Create and lead a staff development program on DME skills, including a basic orientation for new staff
• Provide ongoing technical assistance and mentoring to program staff, especially in order to develop and implement its own DME plans
• Take a lead role in developing DME components of ICTJ’s grant proposals, in support of relevant staff
• Design and conduct internal assessments
• Manage all steps in external evaluations (defining ToR for evaluations, identifying evaluators, coordinating process, etc.), provide assistance to program staff where external evaluations are being conducted and insure that evaluations are impartial, independent, credible, and meet professional standards
• Promote evaluation use at all levels within ICTJ, and design plans of action to follow up on evaluation recommendations
• Play an active role in cross-organizational learning from evaluation
• With Human Resource, maintain a data-base, recruit and manage DME consultants for specific projects as needed
• Manage DME interns
• Manage DME Unit budget

OTHER DUTIES:

• Work with the Program Director and other designated Program staff to create a 2-year strategy to integrate DME into ICTJ’s programs
• Work with the Program Director, other designated program staff, and the Development Department to create institution-wide indicators, as well as systems to collect relevant data
• Assist with fundraising activities related to DME
• Establish partnerships with peer organizations and relevant institutions
• Travel as needed; approximately 10-15% of work days per year
• Keep abreast of developments in DME field

POSITION SCOPE

Duties involve a wide variety of complex, changing situations, requiring a high degree of conceptual ingenuity and initiative. Incumbent is required to have extensive and authoritative knowledge of the techniques, practices and theories applied to the position.

PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITY

Manages and executes a program and oversees components performed by others within ICTJ or by outside consultants, agencies, etc.

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

Develops and administers budgets for specific programs under her/his charge.

CONTACTS

Regularly interacts with program staff to present and discuss work plans and priorities, to ensure ICTJ achieves its organizational goals. Incumbent also has significant and important contacts with grantees, funders, outside agencies, consultants, vendors and other business-related outside parties, all of which have a major impact on the image, reputation and operational well being of ICTJ.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Education

• A B.A. in a relevant field is required;
• An M.A. in international relations or a related field is an advantage.

Experience

• Minimum of 7 years of relevant professional experience, including 5 years in an M&E position with an international organization and/or non-profit, in the field of rule of law, peace-building, or related area;
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in application of the results framework approach and key performance indicators; Performance Monitoring Plan development, and environmental assessment and impact monitoring;
• Excellent command of survey design, data collection and data management, including experience with quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis tools, techniques, and approaches;
• Familiarity with donors and donor reporting requirements.

Related Skills or Knowledge

Extensive knowledge of design frameworks, monitoring techniques, and evaluation methodologies for programs in politically adverse and changing environments.

• Knowledge of and experience with gender sensitive monitoring and evaluation; and with do no harm tools and methodologies.
• Experience in evaluation management, including budget oversight and recruitment of consultants.
• Experience in assessing gaps and developing strategies to strengthen DME capacity.
• Experience in preparing and leading training and facilitation processes.
• Ability to maintain impartial attitude and to press for impartiality among others, including program staff.
• Ability to explain M&E processes to staff and partners and ensure that they adhere to the highest standards of quality, relevance and timeliness in their M&E efforts;
• Strong analytical skills and ability to write clear reports;
• Ability to explain highly technical results to non-technical audiences;
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of the transitional justice, human rights, or peacebuilding, and previous employment in a related sector, is strongly desirable.
• Experience in using virtual classroom training platforms is desirable.
• Fluency in English is required; strong competency in a second language, especially French or Spanish, is strongly desirable.

How to apply:

Please email resume and cover letter with salary requirements to jobs@ictj.org include job code DME - SPin the subject line. Position open until filled.