Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Officer

POSITION TITLE: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Officer 

LOCATION: Nepalgunj Regional Office, Lumbini Province

UNIT: Agriculture, Resilience & Water

REPORTS TO: Senior Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Director for Technical areas based in Kathmandu and the Regional Agri-business Director, Nepalgunj for Administrative matters.

LEVEL: P3/P3.1

Feed the Future Nepal USAID Agricultural Inputs (USAID Agricultural Inputs) is a five-year activity funded by USAID under the Feed the Future initiative which aims to increase the availability, accessibility, and use of agricultural inputs and technology to improve Nepal’s agricultural productivity. USAID Agricultural Inputs is implemented by Winrock International in collaboration with five consortium partner organizations.

USAID Agricultural Inputs will enable lead firms, agrovets, input suppliers, local machinery service providers, and Government of Nepal change agents and farmers to increase productivity, input supply chain efficiency, market system competitiveness, and strengthen the enabling environment in a way that equitably addresses the needs of women, youth, and members of marginalized groups. USAID Agricultural Inputs will benefit 200,000 farmers in the USAID FTF zone of influence. 

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The MEL Officer will be responsible for formulating, aligning, and leading Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) best practices across activities, grants, reporting, and planning at the field level. S/he will be required to work in close collaboration with the USAID Agricultural Inputs technical team at the regional and cluster level and the MEL team at the central level. S/he will work under the technical supervision of the Senior Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Director based in Kathmandu and under the supervision of the Regional Agri-business Director for administrative matters. Additionally, s/he will work closely with the field-based grants team and technical team. Key responsibilities include:

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Support MEL System Maintenance: Support in maintaining MEL systems including plans, performance indicators, data collection & reporting tools, and data management systems at the field level.
• Coordinate M&E and CLA Integration: Collaborate with regional and cluster teams to integrate M&E and Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) best practices into activities, grants, planning and reporting.
• Assist in Data Management: Provide technical support to grantees in data collection, management, and report preparation to track progress toward indicator targets and results.
• Enhance the Technical Capabilities of MEL: Support to build capacity of MEL technical staff, partners, and key stakeholders to ensure compliance and deliver high-quality reporting.
• Provide Support for Quality Assurance: Provide support to ensure the consistent application of high-quality MEL and data collection activities.
• Assist in conducting Internal Assessments: Assist in conducting internal Data Quality Assessments (DQA) and other related assessments to maintain data integrity.
• Participate and contribute to project Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) initiatives. Ensure a safe and equitable workplace, create opportunities, and offer support for women and those from disadvantaged groups.
• Execute tasks as delegated by the supervisor.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

Education: Bachelor’s degree in statistics, agriculture, social science, development studies, or in another related field.

Experience: 

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning, preferably in donor-funded development programs.
• Experience in coordinating with project team to integrate M&E and CLA best practices into activities, grants, planning and reporting. Strong project management skills and ability to collaborate with diverse teams.
• Experience in enhancing MEL technical capabilities of staff, partners, and stakeholders. This includes developing and delivering training sessions and workshops to ensure compliance and quality reporting.
• Experience in supporting grantees/partners in data collection, management, and report preparation to track progress toward indicator targets. Strong analytical skills and familiarity with data management tools are required.
• Experience in ensuring consistent application of high-quality MEL and data collection activities. This involves conducting internal Data Quality Assessments (DQA) and related assessments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Computer literacy, including proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Language: Working level of English and fluent in Nepali is required.

Application Instructions:

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter along with a recent CV to jobs.aginputs@winrock.org by December 13, 2024. Applicants should reference ‘MEL Officer’ in the subject line of the email.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBILITY (DEIA):

Winrock International seeks to cultivate an environment where all candidates relish equal employment opportunities devoid of discrimination, misconduct, fraud, and abuse. Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) and Localization guides our practices not just in hiring, but also in staff retention, growth, and policy implementation. This commitment signifies that we value diversity in all its forms including age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, and cultural background. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, recognizing the rich tapestry of the communities in which we live and work.

Disclaimer: Winrock does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (resume submission, interview, processing.