Research Coordinator – Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)

The State University of New York’s Center for International Development (SUNY/CID) is one of the preeminent leaders in the field of democracy and governance with more than 30 years of experience managing more than $300 million dollars in funded projects.  

SUNY/CID is seeking qualified candidates for a Research Coordinator – Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) position for an upcomingUSAID-funded Local Governance/Support to Federalization program in Nepal (Sajhedari). The activity will focus on local governance, decentralization, service delivery, public financial management (PFM) and citizen participation at the sub-national level.  The role of the Research Coordinator and MEL Manager will be to design research and monitoring systems that identify programme achievements, to track performance vis-a-vis governance constraints and project benchmarks, to contribute to internal decision-making processes and iterative learning, and evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the project over the course of the initiative. 

This position is contingent upon funding. 

The position will include the following tasks:

• Design monitoring systems
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the new federalist governance system and the project’s role in it, including programme objectives, activity streams, coordination mechanisms and performance indicators;
• Design, manage and implement systems for results-based monitoring of programme activities to ensure quality of outputs and achievement of performance targets;
• Develop and implement structure for organizing data generated by the programme.
• Develop systems to use learning for adaptive management
• Establish and facilitate feedback forums on a regular basis to share accumulated learning across and within the team and advise programme decision makers on the improvements to activity design and implementation processes;
• Support management to facilitate regular reviews of programme strategy and implementation experience;
• Support development and revision of programme Theory of Change (ToC) and project-specific ToCs.
• Reporting

Qualifications:

Successful candidates will have demonstrated expertise in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning for donor-funded programs.  Preferred candidates will have worked with advanced adaptive management concepts, including Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA); and experience in USAID-funded projects and/or expertise in decentralization, public financial management, local governance and/or service delivery, knowledge of new constitutional arrangements and governance structures and processes in Nepal and knowledge of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) and experience mainstreaming GESI.

• Minimum of 7 years' relevant experience in with exposure to M&E system design and implementation with responsibility for organizational/programme learning;
• Master’s degree in relevant field such as international development, sociology, political science, public policy.  Ph.D. in relevant field preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding and experience of knowledge management and communication;
• Experience conducting monitoring, evaluation and learning for USAID or another large bilateral donor
• Experience using quantitative data sets and ability to effectively operate MS-Excel and other relevant software for effective MEL processes
• Experience using data to prepare reports that clearly describe results and outcomes and strong written communication skills, ability to write clearly and quickly
• Demonstrated experience in managing qualitative research, qualitative and quantitative evaluations, political economy analyses, conducting or managing surveys, focus group discussions with diverse participants including Government and civil society groups  
• Ability to work in both English and Nepali language;
• Demonstrated facilitation skills dealing with internal and external stakeholders;
• Willingness and commitment to learning and knowledge dissemination  

Application Instructions: 

Please send a resume, cover letter and three professional references to cidinfo@albany.edu by May15, 2018. Please include “Research Coordinator – Monitoring,Evaluation& Learning - Nepal” in the subject line of your transmission.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.