SENIOR Research and Learning Coordinator
Location Wajir or Garissa or Nairobi
Position Status Full-time, Exempt
Salary Level:
Current Team Member N/A
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.
Program / Department Summary
Mercy Corps began working in Kenya in 2008 and has built a robust and diverse portfolio working to enable Kenyans affected by poverty, climate change, resource scarcity and conflict to be healthy, productive and to drive peace and development of their communities. To do this, we deliver integrated programming to strengthen market and governance systems, innovate urban youth employment opportunities, respond to climate-related shocks, address the root causes of conflict, and build the resilience of vulnerable populations – in particular youth, women, adolescents and marginalized communities.
General Position Summary
Mercy Corps is seeking a Research and Learning Coordinator for Incentivizing Collective Action for Rangeland Regeneration (ICARR) program. ICARR seeks to address climate change challenges in pastoralist communities by identifying and testing incentives for collective action to promote and improve natural resource management, livestock productivity, and livelihoods. The Research and Learning Coordinator will assist in the building, adapting and implementing the program performance architecture to ensure high quality and effective program delivery and learning. The Research and Learning Coordinator will also be responsible for monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning aspects of the program, including providing review of program implementation, assisting with collection of statistical data, and working with program staff to refine implementation approach based on findings.
Essential Job Responsibilities
Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Adaptive Management
- Guide and oversee the roll out of a learning agenda for the program; partner across units to ensure appropriate metrics of success and learning protocols are in place, including quantitative and qualitative monitoring tools and research.
- Work with the MEL Officer to translate findings into actionable insights that inform program adjustments and improvements and allow programmatic decision-making.
- Facilitate a culture of curiosity, learning and adaptive work planning and implementation with program teams.
- Support and ensure the integrating cross-program learning and new insights in strategy design and implementation.
- Ensure the quality of learning materials, methodologies, and delivery methods used in Strategic Learning meets the program’s standards and objectives.
- Partner with the MEL Officer to ensure activities are aligned with the broader program goals and objectives, collaborating to establish MEL frameworks that support the program’s success.
Technical Leadership and Implementation
- Ensure that the ICARR program uses the appropriate MEL systems and tools to inform and improve implementation and feed into the broader country-level MEL system and country strategy.
- Conduct internal DQAs to ensure data is collected with attention to accuracy and consistency.
- Lead the development of processes to support programs team in integrating cross-grants learning and ensure that lessons learned are used to inform adaptation of activities and future program design.
- Maintain program performance metrics in line with Mercy Corps and donor expectations to track and improve performance and quality.
- Regularly liaise with external stakeholders, including the donor to represent ICARR program performance and systems
- Establish mechanisms and tools to facilitate greater efficiency in between partners, program, M&E and information management.
- Contribute to program visibility and advocacy work by assisting in the dissemination of program data and learning and regularly reflecting program results.
- Communicate effectively across teams and partners to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.
Team Management
- Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
- Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
- Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
- Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
Supervisory Responsibility
The Research and Learning Coordinator will supervise a MEL Officer.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: ICARR Program Manager
Works Directly With: Country Director, Operations Director, Finance Director, Director of Programs, Program Managers, PAQ team, consortium partners, local implementing partners.
Knowledge and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in management, social science, statistics or other relevant field;
- At least 7 years of experience leading research, monitoring or learning interventions within international development programming
- High degree of experience in / familiarity with the ASAL areas of Kenya
- Extensive experience in and understanding Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, including MEL Tech tools and how to apply them effectively.
- Proven ability to drive learning agendas and a culture of adaptive management across program teams.
- Patient and committed to capacity building, training and coaching of a team with diverse skill sets.
- Demonstrable ability to produce high quality deliverables at speed and with minimal direction
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, and the capacity to work at a strategic level with senior leaders (both internal and external) is essential.
- Ability to multi-task and juggle several tasks and relationships at one time, with little to no direction
- Proven ability to work effectively in multicultural teams and with technical and administrative staff and consultants.
- Demonstrated proficiency with MS Office software (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) required
- Persuasive written and oral communication in English and Swahili required, competency in another relevant local language beneficial
- Ability to work in a hardship environment with moderate to high levels of insecurity and significant restrictions on personal movement.
Success Factors
The successful Research and Learning Coordinator will have to visualize, develop and implement high-quality research and learning agenda, in conjunction with a diverse team in a fluid context. S/he will have proven ability to learn quickly, take initiative, and be accountable for results, with an ability and willingness to nimble and adaptive.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
This position will be based in either Wajir or Garissa. Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.