Background

SoCha is contracted to provide Monitoring, Reporting, and Capacity Strengthening (MRCS) support to complement and augment USAID’s Sahel Regional Office (SRO) performance management activities within its portfolio. Over a period of five years (2022-2027), MRCS is providing this technical assistance to the Sahel Regional Technical Office (SRTO), Sahel Regional Program Office (SRPO), the Niger Mission, the Burkina Faso Country Office, the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) Resilience Food Security Activities (RFSAs) in Niger and Burkina Faso, as well as limited support to other SRO-supported countries.

SoCha seeks a highly qualified Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, Assessments, and Studies (MELAS) Assistant to work on SoCha’s MRCS team. The position is full time and will be based in MRCS’s country office in Niamey, Niger.

Scope of Work

The MELAS Assistant will support the Senior M&E Specialist in the delivery of evaluations, assessments, and studies, which will include baseline studies, mid-term performance evaluations, and assessments as deemed necessary by USAID/SRO as well as other MEL activities such as DQAs or TPMs. The MELAS Assistant will also provide ad hoc support to the Quality Evaluation and Context Monitoring (QECM) Advisor on establishing a context monitoring system, including the production of routine reports, and supporting the maintenance of a database and dashboard.

The MELAS Assistant will work under the direction of the QECM Advisor.

Responsibilities of the MELAS Assistant will include:

• Provide support in recruiting evaluation team members and data collection firms, with a focus on recruiting local experts and firms.
• Assist in developing and providing feedback for evaluations, assessments, and studies scopes of work and supporting the development of data collection tools, focusing on innovative and emerging methods when possible.
• Assist in data collection and analysis, using quantitative and qualitative methods, and drafting reports and studies.
• Assist in the dissemination of findings related to evaluations, assessments, and studies to USAID/SRO, implementing partners, and other stakeholders.
• Assist in other MEL activities as requested such as DQAs and TPMs.
• Assist the QECM in operationalizing a context monitoring system, including routine reporting, and database and dashboard maintenance.

This position may require occasional travel to various countries in the MRCS portfolio.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in international development, statistics, economics, or a related field.
• At least three (3) years of experience in monitoring, evaluation, and analysis of international development projects.
• Experience in assisting with the design and implementation of evaluations, assessments, and studies, including developing data collection tools and conducting quantitative and qualitative analyses.
• Knowledge of quantitative and qualitative analysis software such as Kobo toolbox and Atlas.ti preferred.
• Experience in drafting and disseminating reports to donors, implementing partners, and other stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively interact with local professionals, international donor organizations, civil society and the private sector, host country government counterparts, and other IPs in developing countries.
• Knowledge of USAID reporting requirements.
• Professional communication skills and strong proficiency in written and spoken English and French.

Location

Niamey, Niger