The Program / Department / Team 

Mercy Corps has been operational in Sudan since 2004 and currently leads humanitarian assistance and longer-term development efforts in conflict-affected regions of Sudan, supporting host communities, IDPs, returnees and refugees. Mercy Corps’ current areas of programming include food security and livelihoods, WASH, health, nutrition, peace building and protection, resilience, and Market Systems Development.

Enhancing Community Resilience - Additional Finance (THABAT AF-AF) is an 18-month, USD 30 million program funded by Sudan Transition and Recovery Support (STARS) multi-donor trust fund and managed by the World Bank. The project is implemented by Mercy Corps in selected localities of Gedarif State. The Project’s main Development Objective (PDO) is to improve access to basic services and food security in select localities in Gedaref aiming to complement the current humanitarian aid to Sudan by laying a foundation for medium- and longer-term development support in relatively secure areas with high concentration of IDPs. The specific objectives include: i) enhance primary health services, ii) improve access to clean water and sanitation, iii) support safe and inclusive learning environments, iv) strengthen gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response mechanisms, v) increasing agricultural production, vi) supporting agricultural value chains, and vii) scale-up and strengthening of community consumer cooperatives. 

The Position Summary

The Monitoring Evaluation Learning (MEL) unit exists to strengthen the monitoring efforts of Mercy Corps' programs. The MEL unit provides technical support service to programs. The aim of the MEL unit is to assist programs in specific activities that help quantify, analyze, and document the output, outcome and impacts of Mercy Corps' programs including data collections—data

Updated July 2024 management, data analysis, and mapping. The MEL Unit conducts surveys, manages program data, maps program activities, provides reports and participates in monitoring evaluation and learning activities. Mercy Corps is looking for an experienced, qualified and business minded Sudanese to fill the position of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Officer.

The MEL Officer position will serve as the focal point for all THABAT AF monitoring activities and a coordinating role for MEL assessments, monitoring and reporting. Reporting to a MEL Coordinator, this is a technical position working in close collaboration with the THABAT AF team to ensure that all program needs are being met and that data collection, analysis, storage and reporting is as planned. The MEL Officer will provide leadership, management and technical support in the design and implementation of THABAT AF MEL system. S/he will support the MEL Coordinator and MEL Manager in training and supervising enumerators for all programs and field offices. S/he will also support the development of MEL plans and conduct research/studies. S/he will ensure that learnings are generated and shared back with THABAT AF program teams and work closely with the team to liaise with relevant authorities and other organizations to ensure the implementation of quality programs.

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Support the design of the MEL system

• Work closely with the MEL Coordinator on the design of County and Program-level MEL system
• Support in design or review of strategic and thematic area specific results chain and / or Theory of Change (TOC) and identify the assumptions that underpin the expected pathways of change, and subsequently direct data collection efforts to test those assumptions, for THABAT AF.

Support the management and implementation of the MEL system

• In coordination with the MEL Coordinator and Program Managers, ensure that all program MEL plans are implemented.
• Manage all operations related to MEL according to individual program MEL plans, budgets and implementation strategies.
• Monitor program implementation, measure impact and calibrate program strategies and implementation accordingly.
• Ensure continued re-evaluation of program activities and that achievements and best practices are captured and disseminated with resulting activity adjustments.
• As part of the learning function, seek to identify learning points across the range of work carried out, and identify opportunities to share this learning with program teams.
• Implement a robust research design to assess the impact of the program on participant's economic and non-economic outcomes over time. Tracking of outcomes and impact will be conducted via outcomes surveys for both youth and market actors.
• Oversee data management (collection, cleaning, entry, storage and maintenance of approved databases etc.) including timeliness and completeness of reporting.
• Collaborate with THABAT AF team to provide weekly, monthly, quarterly and any other reports as required. Analyze and provide summarized reports as requested.
• Coordinate with THABAT AF team to ensure regular monitoring is being performed as scheduled and that data collection is adequately completed.
• Serve as a liaison between Mercy Corps program staff and collaborating research institutions for data-based research projects, as directed by the THABAT AF Project Lead.

Support MEL Team Management

• Working under the MEL Coordinator, s/he will be responsible for the performance management of enumerators and data collectors in the field.
• Track and advise on MEL staffing needs and manage the recruitment and training of enumerators when necessary to ensure volunteers are of the quality and capacity for successful implementation of activities.
• Facilitate capacity building and technical assistance for MEL staff from program and implementing partners, to improve the quality of monitoring data and maximize program wide learning.

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Safeguarding Responsibilities

• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: Enumerators (if/when hired)

ACCOUNTABILITY

Reports Directly to: MEL Lead

Works Directly with: All THABAT AF program team members, other MEL staff and support functions.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO PARTICIPANTS AND STAKEHOLDERS

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION & TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

• A graduate degree in statistics, quantitative Economics, Information Technology,

Computer science, Development economics or related field

• At least 3 years of relevant experience in M&E
• Wide experience in design and execution of monitoring and evaluation systems is essential and experience in working in consortia or partnerships is an added advantage.
• Proven technical experience in monitoring and evaluation of market facilitation, development programs, livelihoods, agriculture and value chain, climate smart, resilience programming is an added advantage.
• Practical and theoretical knowledge in program monitoring and data collection methods, including interview techniques.
• Experience in building and maintaining effective partnerships with implementing and strategic partner agencies, and government authorities and counterparts.
• Strong computer literacy with a full knowledge of statistical packages for data analysis is required.
• Experience with mobile data collection,
• Strong English writing and speaking, communication, organization, prioritization and negotiating skills is required.

SUCCESS FACTORS

The ideal candidate will have a natural curiosity for quantifying and articulating the impact of Mercy Corps' programs on individuals and in communities. He/she will also have an interest in exploring the larger factors that influence the success of humanitarian and development programs and the well-being of populations affected by natural disasters. S/he will undertake innovative approaches, be agile in the conceptualization of new program ideas and will be well versed in strategic thinking, planning and monitoring frameworks. A successful candidate will have skills and a passion for data collection, entry, and analysis as well as the ability to mentor others in these areas. This position requires the ability to work effectively in a team as well as assume individual responsibility for supervision and specific reporting tasks

Equal Employment Opportunity 

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out different 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.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions 

The position is based in Gedaref and it requires up to 40% travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. Housing for this role is in individual housing and staff will have access to good medical services and the living situation is of a high standard. 

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 

Team Efficiency and Effectiveness

Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work. 

We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.

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 eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline (integrityhotline@mercycorps.org).