Monitoring, Evaluation, Collaboration, Learning and Adapting (MEL & CLA) Manager job at Research Triangle Institute (RTI)

About the Organization

RTI is an independent, nonprofit institute that provides research, development, and technical services to government and commercial clients worldwide.

Research Triangle Institute (RTI) has over 30 years’ experience assisting governments, communities, and the private sector. As a not-for-profit, independent research institute based in North Carolina, USA, RTI has roughly 6,000 employees with global experience implementing international development projects. RTI's Sustainable Growth & Resilience (SG&R) technical unit within the International Development Group brings together RTI experts and capabilities across food security, agriculture, energy, environment, water, governance, and economic opportunity. SG&R will leverage RTI's experience designing and delivering multisectoral programming and technical solutions to respond to climate change, build resilience, and promote economic growth around the world.

Job Description

Research Triangle Institute (RTI) has over 30 years’ experience assisting governments, communities, and the private sector. As a not-for-profit, independent research institute based in North Carolina, USA, RTI has roughly 6,000 employees with global experience implementing international development projects.

The RTI Center for Governance promotes strong, stable societies by empowering people and strengthening institutions. Building on the RTI’s decades-long legacy of leading governance projects around the world, the Center works to increase transparency and accountability, mitigate corruption, and help government actors to better deliver on the needs of citizens. Boasting a global reach, the RTI Center for Governance includes partners, expertise, and learning from major initiatives spanning sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia. The Center leverages RTI’s longstanding local partnerships to bring together governments, civil society, the private sector, and communities to define problems and jointly create sustainable solutions in countries around the world.

Responsibilities
Position Description
This position is planned for an upcoming governance project to be based in Kampala, Uganda.
The Monitoring, Evaluation, Collaboration, Learning and Adapting (MEL& CLA) Manager will be responsible for supporting the accountability and anti-corruption program in all technical and management aspects of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) and Collaborating, Learning and Adapting (CLA). This position is responsible for ensuring the successful implementation of the Activity Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan (AMELP) by overseeing project results, data management, reporting on indicators, capturing evidence and learning, and supporting evidenced-based decision-making. The MEL & CLA Manager will also design and facilitate learning events and support other avenues for disseminating M&E evidence and using it for data driven decision making.

Position is contingent upon award and funding.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide overall vision, management, and strategic leadership to for CLA and MEL activities.
Lead preparation of the project’s Activity Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan (AMELP). Review the approved plan periodically and propose changes to project management when necessary.
Facilitate strong collaboration, learning, and adaptive management practices with partners and throughout the program cycle.
Design and facilitate learning events and support other avenues for disseminating MEL evidence and using it for data driven decision making with relevant stakeholders.
Ensure adaptive management techniques across technical activities are integrated and utilized across CLA, MEL, program design, program implementation, and community engagement.
Lead monitoring of project performance; designing and implementing routine data collection protocols for all performance indicators, as well as for other studies and assessments, and supporting their use and dissemination; developing collaborating, learning and adapting initiatives, and managing data within RTI's secure knowledge management platform.

Facilitate a collaborative environment among project stakeholders, including implementing partners, government agencies, and beneficiaries, to promote knowledge sharing and adaptive management.
Develop and implement CLA strategies and tools to capture and disseminate best practices, lessons learned, and innovations throughout the program lifecycle.
Prepare analyses of all performance indicator data including performance against targets and key disaggregated results, and prepare necessary MEL components of all quarterly and annual reports in coordination with the COP, DCOP, technical team members, and proposal support staff including writers, communications specialists.
Serve as trainer and mentor for project staff on monitoring and evaluation methods and techniques.
Provide MEL technical assistance capacity strengthening for local partner organizations.
Contribute to monthly, quarterly, and annual budget projections related to MEL activities.
Perform other duties related to managing project monitoring and evaluation, learning and adaptive management.

Qualification, Experiences and Competencies

Bachelor's Degree and 8 years of experience, Master's degree and 6 years of experience with a degree in a relevant field.
At least 6 years of demonstrated experience in learning and adaptive management, strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation, facilitation, business process improvement, learning, and/or knowledge management on donor funded programs.
Knowledge of USAID reporting procedures, best practices, guidelines, methods, and approaches for MEL and CLA.

Demonstrated ability to lead design and implementation of monitoring systems, databases, and data collection tools.
Demonstrated experience using data and learning to inform program decision-making.
Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
Experience with MEL that measures and promotes gender and social inclusion.