MEL Specialist

The ABA (American Bar Association) is recruiting a MEL Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Specialist to support the anticipated “Strengthening Human Rights, Information Integrity, Equality, and Democracy for the LGBTQI+ population in the Western Balkans” (Western Balkans Equality SHIELD) program. The program will work to mitigate the impact of anti-rights disinformation so that the LGBTQI+ population is able to exercise their rights equally. It will be implemented in the Western Balkans, with regional activities and in-country work in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia by a consortium consisting of the ABA, the LGBTI Equal Rights Association for Western Balkans and Turkey (ERA), and Justice for Prosperity.

American Bar Association Background

ABA was founded on a commitment to advance the rule of law in the United States and beyond by providing practical resources for legal professionals, conducting law school accreditation, developing model ethics codes and more. Today, the ABA remains a member-based organization that works to ensure access to justice for all, a fair legal process, and respect for the rule of law at home and across the globe.

Job Description

The MEL Specialist is critical to the success of the activity implementation through ensuring processes and procedures to operationalize the MEL Plan, as well as leading reporting to United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The MEL Lead Specialist supports the COP in ensuring that interventions are evidence-based, and that the activity gathers appropriate data to inform adaptive management. The MEL Team lead Specialists plays a critical role in sharing information with USAID and other stakeholders related to the activity’s evidence-based impact, lessons learned, and other successes.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements program monitoring and evaluation procedures, including the MEL plan, to monitor all project activities and progress towards achieving program goals.
• Works closely with other team members and partners to collect information for monitoring, analyzes data and presents reports and presents evidence to program team and Chief of Party on strategies for improving project effectiveness.
• Reports as needed, including monthly, quarterly, and annual progress on all project activities to technical team and Chief of Party.
• Coordinates with project partners in collecting relevant quantitative and qualitative data to report on key performance, context, and outcome indicators.
• Develops all required data collection tools and templates, including identifying and requesting administrative data relevant to the program, and develops and maintains a secure system for storing and organizing all program data.
• Facilitates Pause and Reflect sessions and other learning activities in furtherance of the MEL objectives of the project.
• Responsible for compliance with USAID MEL requirements.
• Provides MEL capacity building to staff and partners as needed.
• Participates in design, collection, and analysis of baseline and end-line data.
• Participates in other research assignments as needed.
• Uploads MEL data and products onto ABA MEL systems.

Required qualifications

• Demonstrated experience leading the MEL function of a large project and expertise in developing and operationalizing a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan, routine monitoring system, and USAID reporting.
• A minimum of 8 years of MEL experience in international development projects with a Master’s degree or 10 years of MEL experience with a bachelor’s degree.
• Experience working in regional or multi-country programs, including collection and analysis of sensitive and personally identifiable information.
• Fluency in English (both spoken and written) and one of the official Western Balkan languages (Albanian, Bosnian, Macedonian, and Serbian).
• Work experience in a professional environment with people of diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Strong commitment to rule of law principles.

Location

This is a full-time position that can be based in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, or Serbia.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit your CV and a cover letter by August 16, 2024.

https://americanbarassociationruleoflawinitiative.applytojob.com/apply/9eKJSEB5v9/MEL-Specialist