Senior Complexity-Aware Monitoring and Evaluation MEL

Location	Erbil	Job Type	Permanent
Salary		Sector	NGO

Project Background:
The purpose of the Iraq Governance and Performance Accountability (IGPA)/ Takamul project is to advance effective, accountable, and transparent governance in Iraq. This USAID effort, implemented by DAI, will work with the Government of Iraq (GOI) at all levels to better respond to citizen needs by supporting reform initiatives and Iraqi change agents on inclusive governance and public sector transparency, accountability, and economy. "Reform initiatives" include support to improve service delivery functions, public financial management, and open government initiatives. IGPA will support the GOI and the citizens of Iraq in forming partnerships and collaborative efforts to solve problems jointly. IGPA has four (4) objectives:

Enhance GOI service delivery capacity
Improve public financial management
Strengthen monitoring and oversight of service delivery and public expenditure
Support Iraqi change agents (cross-cutting objective)

The operational context of the IGPA/Takamul Project in Iraq is complex and dynamic, with layers of complicated variables. Government economic institutions are not genuinely independent. Rather, they are subject to tactical political decisions to reward individual communities, advance specific social engineering agendas, or react to election season campaigns for political gain. Political considerations strongly influence resource distribution decisions, leading to inequitable government resource allocation and politicized employment opportunities in government and service delivery agencies.

systemic corruption schemes that result in public unrest and demands for efficient services and more accountable government institutions. Operating in a complex environment, the IGPA/Takamul Project's Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) team requires innovative and non-traditional approaches to fit the project's implementation realities. As the operating environment progressively requires flexibility, IGPA/Takamul complements the project's performance monitoring with a Complexity- Aware Monitoring evaluation approach. Together, these strategies further promote collaboration, adaptive management, and learning, thereby creating a circular framework for components to reinforce and complement each other.

Responsibilities:
The Senior Complexity-Aware Monitoring and Evaluation MEL Specialist is a senior-level professional and expert in conducting complexity-aware monitoring and evaluation approaches, which will take an adaptive, interactive approach towards monitoring and evaluation. Additional roles include the following:

Provide methodological guidance to the team in all aspects regarding Complexity-Aware approaches and evaluation strategies.
Design quantitative and/or qualitative data collection and analytical methods and tools to support evaluation design and implementation.
Liaise with IGPA/Takamul Objective Team Leads to inform the design of each study/evaluative activity and support quality assurance activities throughout each study, including the review of milestone deliverables and final reports prior to submission to USAID.
Interpret outcomes of implementation through data or other evidenced- based sources and provide program recommendations as needed
Contribute substantively to the design and field testing of the evaluation methodology, participatory data collection methods and protocols, data verification techniques, and other technical evaluation and analytical tasks conducted during the project's length.
Employ strong collaboration, learning, and adapting (CLA) practices throughout the work, with an understanding of the USAID Program Cycle.
Contribute to weekly, quarterly, and yearly reports of MEL, which is part of the IGPA contractual requirements.
Significantly support the development and submission of the annual complexity- aware monitoring report.
Support the MEL Unit on additional tasks that may arise in relation to but not limited to standard performance monitoring.

Common Duties:

Uphold the mission, values, and spirit of DAI in coordinating the program and in interacting with all community members.
Follow and enforce all DAI codes of conduct, including but not limited to the Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Code of Conduct and Drug and Alcohol Policy. Report any violations to appropriate IGPA/Takamul authority, and participate in preventative initiatives.
Follow and enforce all DAI organizational policies, procedures, and guidelines, including but not limited to personnel, security, communications, finance, procurement, and logistics. Report any violations to the appropriate DAI authority.
Actively seek opportunities that will complement the ability to fulfill the position's responsibilities as well as further professional development, such as taking part in internal and external training and participating on relevant advisory boards.
Perform other duties as requested by supervisor.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in a related field. Master's degree strongly preferred.
At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in monitoring evaluation, program management, or knowledge management.
2-5 year of experience in a USAID MEL function with responsibility for data collection and maintenance of MEL systems in Iraq.
Demonstrated leadership, strategic thinking/planning, management, and presentation skills.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with institutional and private- sector partners and stakeholders in a multi-country setting
Excellent writing and organizational skills and experience preparing well- researched reports
Excellent writing, speaking, and reading skills in Arabic and English. Kurdish strongly desirable.

Preferred Qualifications:

Substantial knowledge and experience in evaluation methodologies,
Experience in managing MEL adaptively.
Experience leading large, complex, and politically sensitive evaluations.
Experience with Complexity-Aware approaches (Sentinel Indicators, Process Monitoring for Impact, Outcome Harvesting, and/or Stakeholder feedback). and impact evaluation in complex contexts.
Significant experience in indicator development, data collection, quantitative/statistical analysis, performance monitoring, and reporting.
Experience creating and managing performance monitoring plans and building adaptable knowledge and expertise in evaluation methodologies

Location and Reporting:
The Senior Complexity-Aware Monitoring and Evaluation MEL Specialist will be based in Erbil, Iraq, and will report to the MEL Director.

Enhance GOI service delivery capacity

Improve public financial management

Strengthen monitoring and oversight of service delivery and public expenditure

Support Iraqi change agents (cross-cutting objective)

Provide methodological guidance to the team in all aspects regarding Complexity-Aware approaches and evaluation strategies.

Design quantitative and/or qualitative data collection and analytical methods and tools to support evaluation design and implementation.

Liaise with IGPA/Takamul Objective Team Leads to inform the design of each study/evaluative activity and support quality assurance activities throughout each study, including the review of milestone deliverables and final reports prior to submission to USAID.

Interpret outcomes of implementation through data or other evidenced- based sources and provide program recommendations as needed

Contribute substantively to the design and field testing of the evaluation methodology, participatory data collection methods and protocols, data verification techniques, and other technical evaluation and analytical tasks conducted during the project's length.

Employ strong collaboration, learning, and adapting (CLA) practices throughout the work, with an understanding of the USAID Program Cycle.

Contribute to weekly, quarterly, and yearly reports of MEL, which is part of the IGPA contractual requirements.

Significantly support the development and submission of the annual complexity- aware monitoring report.

Support the MEL Unit on additional tasks that may arise in relation to but not limited to standard performance monitoring.

Common Duties:

Uphold the mission, values, and spirit of DAI in coordinating the program and in interacting with all community members.

Follow and enforce all DAI codes of conduct, including but not limited to the Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Code of Conduct and Drug and Alcohol Policy. Report any violations to appropriate IGPA/Takamul authority, and participate in preventative initiatives.

Follow and enforce all DAI organizational policies, procedures, and guidelines, including but not limited to personnel, security, communications, finance, procurement, and logistics. Report any violations to the appropriate DAI authority.

Actively seek opportunities that will complement the ability to fulfill the position's responsibilities as well as further professional development, such as taking part in internal and external training and participating on relevant advisory boards.

Perform other duties as requested by supervisor.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in a related field. Master's degree strongly preferred.

At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in monitoring evaluation, program management, or knowledge management.

2-5 year of experience in a USAID MEL function with responsibility for data collection and maintenance of MEL systems in Iraq.

Demonstrated leadership, strategic thinking/planning, management, and presentation skills.

Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with institutional and private- sector partners and stakeholders in a multi-country setting

Excellent writing and organizational skills and experience preparing well- researched reports

Excellent writing, speaking, and reading skills in Arabic and English. Kurdish strongly desirable.

Preferred Qualifications:

Substantial knowledge and experience in evaluation methodologies,

Experience in managing MEL adaptively.

Experience leading large, complex, and politically sensitive evaluations.

Experience with Complexity-Aware approaches (Sentinel Indicators, Process Monitoring for Impact, Outcome Harvesting, and/or Stakeholder feedback). and impact evaluation in complex contexts.

Significant experience in indicator development, data collection, quantitative/statistical analysis, performance monitoring, and reporting.

Experience creating and managing performance monitoring plans and building adaptable knowledge and expertise in evaluation methodologies

Location and Reporting: The Senior Complexity-Aware Monitoring and Evaluation MEL Specialist will be based in Erbil, Iraq, and will report to the MEL Director.

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Location and Reporting:
The Senior Complexity-Aware Monitoring and Evaluation MEL Specialist will be based in Erbil, Iraq, and will report to the MEL Director.