Strategic Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Advisor, USAID, Bureau for Planning, Learning and Resource Management

Dexis Professional Services (DPS), in collaboration with prime contractor ZemiTek, LLC, is implementing the Bureau for Planning, Learning and Resource Management Institutional Support Contract (PLR ISC). The PLR Bureau is the Agency's lead on strategy, policy and program implementation, budget, learning, and evaluation. PLR ISC isa mechanism used by USAIDto staff the PLR Bureau with administrative, programmatic, and technical support staffon both short- and long-term bases. DPS works to ensure that the Agency can efficiently accomplishits priorities in relation to aligning resources with the U.S. Government's foreign policy and national security objectives - and advancing evidence-based, cost-effective programming to achieve sustainable development outcomes.

The Strategic Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Advisor will be embedded within USAID's Office of Learning Evaluation and Research (LER), in the Bureau for Planning, Learning, and Resource Management (PLR). This position will support design and implementation of strategic monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) efforts focused on Agency-wide and interagency initiatives. The Strategic MEL Advisor will support tasks such as designing logic models; drafting and implementing monitoring, evaluation, and CLA plans; facilitating stakeholder workshops; and using evidence to adapt programming. The Strategic MEL Advisor will sit within the Agency Learning and Evidence Team in PLR/LER.

The Office of Learning, Evaluation and Research (LER) supports the Agency's work to be a learning organization that generates key information and evidence through monitoring, research and evaluation for what does and does not work in development, sets policy and promotes best practices in knowledge management to maintain Agency leadership in the development arena, and develops and uses evidence to guide program and policy decisions. LER establishes policy guidance on evaluations and evidence use, coordinates the Agency's evidence generation and use related to the Agency Learning Agenda and Agency performance reporting systems, provides technical assistance to support program cycle implementation and evaluation, and strengthens the capacity of USAID staff, partners and local actors in monitoring, evaluation, and learning. LER manages Learning Lab, the Agency's public facing online monitoring, evaluation and Collaborating, Learning and Adapting (CLA) resource for development practitioners and partners, and is the home of the Agency Evaluation Officer and the Agency Knowledge Management and Organizational Learning Officer. Working with Bureaus and Independent Offices, and in coordination with the Office of the Chief Economist, Chief Data Officer, Agency Statistical Official, Chief Scientist, and Performance Improvement Officer, among others, LER has three main objectives:

• Integrate evaluation, monitoring, and learning throughout the USAID Program Cycle and in accordance with the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act;
• Strengthen Agency learning and the generation and use of evidence for more effective policies and programs. Support Agency efforts to create, organize, share, and use evidence within technical practice areas to improve the effectiveness of development programs. Implement Title I of the Foundationsfor Evidence-based Policymaking Act and supports USAID compliance with the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act;
• Partner with other donors and organizations to strengthen local monitoring, evaluation and learning capacity; synthesize learning relevant to development programs; and identify gaps and develop new approaches for monitoring, evaluation and learning.

PLR/LER/ALE is leading or supporting development and implementation of Strategic MEL frameworks for:

• Global Fragility Act: USAID, the Department of State, and the Department of Defense lead implementation of the United States Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability (SPCPS), which is aligned to the Global Fragility Act. The Strategic MEL Framework presents the approach for generating evidence, defining analyses, and driving learning that will enable a strengthened understanding of how progress is being made toward the goals in the SPCPS.

• Economic Resilience: USAID has just launched a portfolio of Economic Resilience programming to respond to an acute global need, strategic opportunity, and clear demand from country partners to help confront surging economic headwinds.

• Strategic Development Approach on the People's Republic of China: USAID and the Department of State are partnering to develop and implement a Strategic MEL Framework to inform adaptive management of programming under the interagency strategic development approach on the People's Republic of China.

The candidate will work on other Strategic MEL initiatives as assigned.

This full-time position is located in the Washington, D.C. area and is required to be in the office at least three (3) days a week, subject to change if requirements shift.

This position requires a candidate to obtain and keep a SECRET clearance, and the start date is immediate.

This is a limited term position currently approved for 18 months with the possibility of an extension.

Responsibilities

• Lead process facilitation with key stakeholders to develop Strategic MEL Framework components, including logic models and theories of change, learning questions and plans, evaluation and research plans, monitoring plans and indicators, and guidance documents for operating units implementing programming.
• Coordinate with USAID staff and counterparts at the Department of State and Department of Defense to ensure interagency alignment and sharing of learning.
• Provide technical assistance to Operating Units managing programming focused on designing and conducting MEL activities and ensuring alignment to the Strategic MEL Framework.
• Summarize/synthesize and package evidence for strategic decision making by diverse stakeholders, including USAID operating units and leadership, the interagency, Congress, and the National Security Council.
• Strengthen coordination, evidence exchange, and peer learning among Agency stakeholders, and with the Department of State and external experts, working on related initiatives under the Agency Learning Agenda.

• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance.
• Bachelor's degree in economics, political science, international development or other relevant field with at least 6 years of relevant work experience or master's degree with at least 4 years of experience.
• Experience working on monitoring, evaluation, research and learning in large organizations with complex social programs that are difficult to monitor and evaluate.
• Experience designing and managing high quality, rigorous evaluations, employing a range of quantitative and qualitative methodology.
• Ability to design and facilitate workshops and meetings to support use of evidence in decision making.
• Ability to analyze data, synthesize evidence, and present it in a concise understandable format.
• Strong writing skills and the ability to communicate complex programming concepts into clear, concise written documents and oral presentations.
• Ability to work independently and to interact effectively with colleagues at many levels of multiple bureaucracies.
• Ability to build consensus among and resolve differences between parties with different interests and perspectives.
• Ability to plan and manage multiple tasks simultaneously and work within tight deadlines.
• Knowledge of international relations.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly adapt to evolving priorities, changing environments, and new technologies, while maintaining high levels of productivity and effectively managing competing tasks in a dynamic, fast-paced work environment.
• Commitment to being a strong advocate for equity, inclusion, and uplifting marginalized voices.