MERL Advisor / Conseiller-ère en SERA

Job title:

MERL Advisor / Conseiller-ère en SERA

Company

World University Service of Canada

Job description

*** Version en français à venir ***POSITION TITLE: Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning AdvisorPOSITION LOCATION: Hybrid – Based in a country in which WUSC has an officeREPORTS TO: Director, Technical ServicesCONTRACT TERM: IndeterminateSALARY LEVEL: PRO 3 or 4 depending on experience (CAD 70,000 to 95,000 inCanada – Based on local salary scale in other countries)LANGUAGES: Fluency in both English and French are requiredAPPLICATION DEADLINE: March 3, 2025*Note: this employment opportunity is subject to fundingBACKGROUNDWorld University Service of Canada (WUSC) is a leading Canadian international development organization focusing in three programmatic areas: Economic Opportunities, Education, and Empowerment. Our vision is a better world for youth – a world where all young people, especially women, are empowered to secure a good quality of life for stronger families and communities. WUSC currently works in 25 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, with an annual budget of approximately CAD $45 million. We have a staff of over 90 people in our Ottawa office, and over 200 people overseas implementing 16 development projects in collaboration with donors such as Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) , the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the African Development Bank. Globally, we collaborate with a network of higher education institutions, civil society organizations, private sector partners, professionals, students, volunteers, faculty and community leaders that work with us to achieve our mission.NATURE AND SCOPEWUSC is seeking a Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Advisor (Programs) to play a leading role in implementing WUSC’s MERL Policy and Strategy; developing innovative Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) systems that contribute to WUSC’s ability to measure impact and results, track performance, and integrate lessons from programming to improve the quality, scope, sustainability and impact of our work. The MERL Advisor will ensure high quality monitoring and evaluation across WUSC’s programs and projects, supporting the incorporation of continuous learning into programmatic thinking and practice. The advisor will also be responsible for strengthening MERL capacity within projects and programs.Supervised by the Director, Technical Services, the MERL Advisor collaborates closely with peer MERL advisors, Technical Advisors and Project Directors.KEY RESPONSIBILITIESQuality Assurance and Capacity Development

• Provide coaching and support to project teams to ensure the effective revision/update and implementation of project MERL strategies across a portfolio of programs;
• Advise program staff in the development or revision of high quality Logic Models, Performance Measurement Frameworks, theories of change, learning agendas and MERL plans for new and existing program and projects;
• Advise program staff in determining project information needs and propose strategies to increase data use and demand, focusing not only on reporting needs but also on organizational learning objectives;
• Advise program staff on ways to properly document, organize and capture program progress in a gender and youth responsive manner;
• Identify strengths and weaknesses in existing data collection and management systems, leading the development of improved systems, processes, and tools for tracking programmatic performance;
• Advise program managers in reviewing donor reports to ensure the submission of high quality reports that clearly articulate results and lessons learned;
• Lead MERL capacity building efforts including training and coaching to WUSC staff and partners and developing guidelines, tip sheets, and templates.

Corporate Strategic Direction

• Support corporate strategic planning and the development and update of key corporate documents such as WUSC’s Theory of Change;
• Design and support systems and process to track organizational performance, such as the Corporate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs);
• Lead the design and management of WUSC Global Reach and Results Framework in close collaboration with colleagues;
• Lead the development and implementation of tools and processes for regular tracking and analysis of program data;
• Promote innovative thinking within our program teams and facilitate ways to capture and scale up innovations;
• Lead the development of systems and processes to generate program data and research that will facilitate evidence-based learning, adaptive management, reflection and informed decision making at the organizational level.

Research, Knowledge Sharing and Learning

• Advise program staff in designing and implementing studies, research, and evaluations;
• Support the development of systems and processes to generate program data and research that will facilitate evidence-based learning, adaptive management, reflection and informed decision making at the project and organisational level;
• Set up and maintain knowledge management systems to allow for easy access and sharing of MERL resources, while strengthening the security of sensitive data;
• Co-facilitate WUSC’s MERL Community of Practice to promote cross-pollination, peer-support, knowledge-sharing and learning.

Networking, Thought Leadership and Positioning

• Keep abreast of innovative practices related to MERL, participate in MERL-related working groups and maintain close working relationships with MERL counterparts in other relevant international NGOs;
• Actively participate in relevant conferences and support the development of conference abstracts and presentations;
• Participate in WUSC’s communications work by providing access to data, learnings and other material for use with WUSC’s Canadian and International constituency and assist in implementing constituency building, communication strategies, and fundraising activities

Other duties

• Support programs in recruiting MERL staff and consultants;
• Supervise consultants, interns and junior staff as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in social sciences, international development or related field ;
• A minimum of 7 years of experience working for international development organizations or social impact organizations preferably with significant experience in regions in which WUSC works;
• Excellent working knowledge of Results Based Management (RBM) approaches including Logic Model and Performance Measurement Framework (PMF) development;
• Familiarity with systems thinking and systems-informed approaches to monitoring and evaluation.
• Proven experience in qualitative and quantitative research methods;
• Experience in the development of data collection tools and data collection protocols, including knowledge of digital data collection platforms and data analysis packages;
• Proven ability to work productively with a variety of stakeholders to run participatory processes and meet tight deadlines with an emphasis on producing quality products;
• Experience with a range of institutional donors such as Global Affairs Canada, UKAID, among others, as well as major foundations such as Mastercard Foundation;
• Effective interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills;
• Detail oriented and strong commitment to ethical standards in monitoring and evaluation;
• Flexibility, with a strong work ethic and an entrepreneurial spirit to accommodate high levels of responsibility and multiple priorities;
• Flexibility to work both in a team and independently and ability to work well with others;
• Demonstrated commitment to gender equality and youth empowerment;
• Ability to travel in and out of Canada (up to 25%) and occasionally work irregular hours and weekends.

Languages:Fluency in both English and French is requiredWHY WORK WITH WUSC?Join Us. Our work is important, cutting-edge, and rewarding. We encourage curiosity, innovation, and flexibility.WUSC offers a dynamic international work environment with a diverse intercultural workforce. We offer employees exciting opportunities to apply their skills and gain experience all while making a difference in the lives of youth around the world. Employees at WUSC work hard to create lasting change in education, economic opportunities and empowerment.Here’s some of what you can expect working with us in Canada*:

• 35-hour workweek, ability to work flexible hours
• Remote-friendly workplace, with free access to our Ottawa office
• 4 weeks annual leave, plus the week between Christmas and New Year
• Paid sick days (10) and special leave days (5)
• Extensive health and dental coverage for you and your dependents, 100% covered by us
• Group RRSP contributions, from day 1
• 300$ reimbursement for home office equipment
• Parental leave top-up
• Being part of a friendly, caring and enthusiastic team!

*(Benefits vary in other countries of operation)APPLICATIONSWUSC’s activities seek to balance inequities and create sustainable development around the globe; the work ethic of our staff, volunteers, representatives and partners shall correspond to the values and mission of the organization. WUSC promotes responsibility, respect, honesty, and professional excellence and we will not tolerate harassment, coercion, sexual exploitation or abuse of any form. Successful applicants will be required to undertake an enhanced criminal record check.WUSC is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and abilities. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.Candidates must be legally authorized to work in Canada or in one of WUSC’s Countries of operations. WUSC will not facilitate any work authorization process or relocation.

Expected salary

Location

Ottawa, ON

Job date

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 05:38:43 GMT

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