Soma Umenye,Director of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)Jobs Vacancy

n public and
government-aided schools in Rwanda by the end of Grade 3. Specifically, Soma
Umenye will target all children in Grades 1-3 attending public and
government-aided schools nationwide and ensure that at least 70 percent of
students are able to read grade-level text with fluency and comprehension by
the end of Grade 3.

• To
  improve reading outcomes in Kinyarwanda for at least 1 million children
  (unique direct beneficiaries) in public and government-aided schools in
  Rwanda by the end of P3; and
• To
  ensure that at least 70 percent of P1-P3 students are able to read
  grade-level text with fluency and comprehension.

• Provide
  technical leadership and oversight of MEL activities to ensure quality,
  timeliness, and efficiency.
• Collaborate
  closely with government of Rwanda counterparts in collecting, analyzing,
  and using MEL data.
• Ensure
  that MEL activities are in line with the USAID Evaluation Policy, and that
  periodic reports (oral and written) are provided to the chief of party for
  submission to USAID.
• Design
  and oversee research activities in line with USAID’s Goal One Education
  Strategy and with Soma Umenye’s approved research plan. In this work,
  collaborate effectively with Soma Umenye’s subcontractors Cambridge
  Education and Room to Read.
• Oversee
  and support administration of Soma Umenye’s early grade reading assessments
  (EGRAs), working in partnership with subcontractor EdIntersect.
• Provide
  quality assurance of the capacity building interactions of Soma Umenye
  with the University of  Rwanda College of Education for MEL
  activities.

• Ensure
  that performance monitoring, policy-driven research, and evaluations are
  consistent with program deliverables and results and track activity
  progress towards achieving targets and results.
• Ensure
  that MEL activities under this contract are in accordance with USAID
  regulations, USAID Education technical requirements and meet reporting
  timelines as described in sections B, C, and F of the project contract.
• Ensure
  that the methodologies used to measure the programs deliverables, results,
  and impact on improved learning outcomes, gender, disability-inclusive,
  and other measures in approved M&E plan, are being consistently and
  systematically tracked and reported in accordance with USAID data
  reporting requirements.
• Conduct
  periodic training for project staff, stakeholders, and/or partners. Share
  information to help them monitor the progress of their work and use the
  data for strategic decision-making.
• Oversee
  the collection of baseline data and the setting of targets. 
• Oversee
  the data quality assurance process to ensure project data quality and
  integrity.
• Oversee
  the set up and maintenance of the ChemResults system
• Oversee
  the maintenance of the MEL system, periodically evaluating its
  effectiveness, and adjusting as necessary to provide the project with
  accurate and useful data.
• Continuously
  review indicator achievements to date against set targets, including
  reporting to senior management on any indicators which may exceed targets
  by more than 10 percent or may fall short of targets by more than 10
  percent.
• Contribute
  to the development annual work plans and review the relevance of the MEL
  plan against these work plans.
• Update
  (as necessary) the M&E system utilized by the project, taking into
  account staff input and USAID recommendations regarding program benchmarks
  and indicators.

• Ensure
  that MEL tools are designed to support learning – in collaboration with
  government of Rwanda counterparts – about what works (tracing the results
  chain from intervention to intermediate outcomes to expected outcomes)
• Organize
  periodic learning events with REB and other relevant stakeholders to
  review MEL data at the national and regional level to learn what is working
  and what could be improved.
• Support
  development of case studies on key course corrections or adaptive
  management actions undertaken in response to positive or negative
  developments during the project’s implementation.

• Provide
  as-requested MEL data to the client in a timely manner.
• Regularly
  communicate progress against targets to project staff.
• Support
  project communications staff to disseminate lessons learned and best
  practices to internal and external stakeholders, as appropriate.

• Oversee
  and guide the work of the MEL Advisor and MEL Specialist, ensuring it
  supports the goals of the project’s approved monitoring and evaluation
  plan.
• Conduct
  other tasks as requested by chief of party.

• A
  master’s degree (or foreign equivalent) preferred in the social sciences
  or a related field.
• At
  least 5 years’ experience working in monitoring and evaluation for
  donor-funded projects preferred.
• Demonstrated
  expertise in quantitative and qualitative methodologies, research,
  management information systems, reporting, data quality assessments, data
  analysis and presentation, as well as experience monitoring and evaluating
  education and/or development projects.
• Must
  be familiar with USAID Education Strategy Technical Notes regarding
  monitoring and evaluation of Goal 1 activities.
• Experience
  administering EGRAs preferred
• Possesses
  excellent facilitation, oral and written communication skills, including
  demonstrated technical writing skills for publication.
• Demonstrated
  exemplary diplomatic, communication, and interpersonal skills;
  Demonstrated ability to work effectively and collaboratively with
  host-country counterparts in both the government, university, and NGO
  sectors is desirable.
• Experience
  tracking equity in learning outcomes among boys, girls, and children with
  special needs preferred;
• Written
  and spoken proficiency in English