Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Research (MERL) Officer

Terms of Reference

Position Title:

Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Research (MERL) Officer

Location:

Hanoi with frequent travel in provinces as required 

Period of Assignment:

12-month contract (with possibility of multi-year extension)

Reporting To:

Senior MERL Specialist

Background:

Cowater International is a leading global development consulting company. Headquartered in Ottawa which has successfully delivered a portfolio of over 2500 projects and assignments in more than 95 countries. We work with governments, private sector actors and communities implementing projects that support socio-economic development, institutional strengthening, environmental improvements and advance equal opportunities for all. We are a diverse and experienced team committed to building a better tomorrow for the people we serve.

Cowater is recruiting an experience professional as MERL Officer in Hanoi to support the provincial work of its socio-economic development initiative - Gender-Responsive Equitable Agriculture and Tourism Phase 2 (GREAT 2 Program) in Vietnam.

The objectives of the GREAT 2 Program are:

• Objective 1 – Ethnic minority women living in Son La and Lao Cai, have improved economic benefits.
• Objective 2 – Ethnic minority women living in Son La and Lao Cai, have increased confidence and social status, including more balanced workloads and greater decision-making within the home, workplace, and community.    
• Objective 3 – Ethnic minority women and household members living in Son La and Lao Cai benefit from more gender-responsive, inclusive, and effective provincial and national policies, plans, strategies, and programs.

The program is in its second five-year phase and GREAT 2 and focuses on agriculture and tourism, identifying specific sectors that lend themselves to opportunities for women’s economic empowerment and work with multiple stakeholders to address constraints, generate opportunities, drive market growth and increase productive value of the sector. A limited number of agriculture sectors have been targeted, in addition to tourism. Cross-sector strategies such as women, access to finance, digital transformation, policy advocacy and behaviour change will complement the sector strategies.

Statement of Duty:

The MERL Officer will work under the supervision of the Senior MERL Specialist and contribute along with the MERL team to effectively implement the MERL Plan. This includes conducting and coordinating MERL activities to support the development and implementation of a responsive and robust MERL system for the Program that generates evidence used for reporting, communication and knowledge dissemination. Following guidance by the Senior MERL Specialists and MERL Manager, the MERL Officer will contribute to carrying out quality checks of collected data and evidence through MERL system, MERL products and providing support and guidance to partners to implement MERL activities. The position will also be required to conduct data analysis and data consolidation to generate timely Program level information.

Specific Duties:

GREAT level activities:

• Contribute to carrying out quality assurance for relevant MERL products including consolidating partner targets to obtain GREAT level targets with the support and guidance from Senior MERL Specialist and MERL Manager
• Conduct data analysis to generate evidence for the GREAT Program and project level learning, planning and decision making.
• Train partners on M&E and MIS as necessary.
• Contribute to the MIS development and operations.
• Participate and/or coordinate project level baseline, midline, and endline assessments.
• Support the organisation of and participation in the research activities in the field.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of the knowledge management plan.
• Participate and organise learning activities such as the Reflect and Refocus workshops.
• Support the coordination and organisation of Joint Monitoring Missions and conduct data quality assessment trips.
• Provide data and inputs to GREAT level reports and other documents when required.
• Collect necessary local data as required.
• Contribute to GREAT level workplan development for MERL.

Partner level activities

• Monitor progress generate data on project progress and provide support to partners, especially the partners in policy sector to improve MERL and data related issues throughout the project management cycle.
• Monitor and support partners to execute the partner level M&E plans.
• Contribute to development of project design, results framework and M&E plans for new projects.
• Contribute to the modification of project results chains and M&E plans for partnership agreement modification.
• Encode revised results chains, indicators and updated work plan into the MIS.
• Prepare progress data and templates for partner annual workplans.
• Review and appraise partner annual workplans and provide support to partners to make improvements, particularly for setting relevant targets.
• Synthesise partner workplans to generate GREAT level targets.
• Collaborate with the Technical and Operations teams to update partner workplans and encode updated workplans into the MIS.
• Support partners to prepare quarterly reports, assess the quality of quarterly reports, and synthesise information from them. 
• Carry out data quality assessment and measurement for data quality assurance; and
• Collect necessary local data as required.
  

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor/tertiary qualification in a relevant area such as evaluation, economics, statistics, development studies, or any other relevant social science;
• 3 to 5 years of experience in the field of monitoring and evaluation or social research in the international development sector;
• Knowledge of M&E and aid effectiveness concepts;
• Sufficient experience and skills in data collection, analysis, and management;
• Sufficient monitoring and reporting skills and knowledge and experience in program/project management;
• Ability to manage multiple demands and prioritise tasks, work effectively, flexibly and collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, and support other team members as needed;
• Ability to understand the data needs of a broad range of users;
• Experience maintaining relationships with stakeholders at all levels (government, international and local NGOs, and at community level);
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of gender-related issues and women’s economic empowerment concepts (highly preferable);
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of M&E for market system or private sector development (highly preferable)
• Have a good level of critical thinking and systemic thinking;
• Willing to work in a high pace and highly adaptive environment; and
• Fluency in Vietnamese, and sufficient working knowledge of English.
  

Application process

Candidates are encouraged to apply no later than 5 pm Hanoi Time (GMT+7) Friday 11^th October 2024. Applications will be assessed as they are received. We thank all applicants, however, only those making the shortlist will be contacted.

Interested candidates are invited to send an application  to [email protected].Please indicate in the subject “Application for MERL Officer”.

Applications should include:

• A cover letter responding to the selection criteria.
• A Curriculum Vitae.
• Contact details of three referees.

Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer, basing employment on merit and qualifications as they relate to professional experience and position expectations. Cowater does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or any other basis protected by law.

For more opportunities, please visit our website at https://equality.aus4vietnam.org/careers