10466 – MANAGER OF THE MEL PRACTICE

Company Description
Oxfam is a global organization working to end the injustice of poverty. We help people build better futures for themselves, hold the powerful accountable, and save lives in disasters.

Job Description
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Job Description*

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DATE: June 2021*

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TITLE: Manager of the MEL Practice*

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LOCATION: Washington, DC*

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DEPARTMENT: VP of Global Programs*

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REPORTS TO: Director, Knowledge for Impact*

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DIRECT REPORTS: 3-5 and a number of matrixed
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COORDINATES WITH: Digital, Research, Program Portfolio Lead, OI MEL network

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PURPOSE OF THE POSITION: *
The position provides leadership, guidance, and capacity for establishing and implementing robust monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems across the organization to effectively measure and tell the story of the outcomes and long-term impacts on root causes of poverty and social injustice. The position provides oversight to quality management processes that ensure we meet the highest standards of performance in the area of evaluation and learning, and that contribute to the quality of evaluation and learning in support of programs and influencing initiatives. This role works with other Knowledge for Impact leaders (Research, MEL, and Digital practice) to maximize the creation and dissemination of new evidence-based knowledge, establishing policies for the documentation and sharing of programmatic knowledge, and creating incentive programs for digital-enabled knowledge sharing.
The position is a key member of the Knowledge for Impact team, working closely with the Director of Knowledge for Impact and Heads of the Research and Digital in Programs practice on shared leadership goals and responsibilities across the department and in representing Oxfam America. The role will represent the MEL practice within the Global Programs Management group.
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PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES: *
In coordination with the Director of Knowledge for Impact, Manager of Influencing MEL, Program Specialist of MEL Practice and MEL practitioners, the Manager of the MEL Practice will:
Evaluation and Learning Quality Assurance Process, Workflow and Approvals

• Oversee that systematic (peer) review and approval (sign off) processes for
• evaluative research and learning processes implemented by MEL Practice.
• Lead on the MEL practice engagement in restricted fund pipeline proposal development.
• Conduct periodic assessments and reviews on evaluation and learning processes across the Oxfam America organization, ensuring we meet practice standards.
• Lead on quarterly reflections of evaluation and organizational learning performance.
• Ensure MEL practitioners meet organizational commitments to publish evaluations.
• Ensure Program Portfolios and Donor Awards Budget for MEL according to organizational policy.
• Align and simplify processes to reach higher levels of standardization in the use of systems and the processing of data.

Knowledge Management, Sharing Practice & Story Telling

• Partner with the Director of Knowledge for Impact & the Story Telling Cell to establish robust program data and information infrastructure, evaluation and learning systems driving collective understanding of short-term results and longer-term impact and scale and telling the story of the evidence of our impact.
• Ensure evaluation, learning impact story telling across OUS divisions and strategic partner countries and regions are connected to organization-wide strategy.
• Seek out new and exciting opportunities/initiatives that accelerate Oxfam’s uptake of technology and digital solutions to deliver on organization-wide knowledge sharing.
• Management of the MEL Practice (direct and indirect reports)
• Create a positive, collaborative work environment for MEL practitioners that increase mastery, autonomy in individuals and the collective MEL practice.
• Provide timely performance feedback to MEL practitioners to support continual improvement to meet or exceed quality standards of the sector and evaluation field.
• Carry out a periodic assessment of staff capabilities and develop tailored programs to improve technical and MEL practice performance.
• Oversee the engagement of MEL practitioners to new opportunities in consultation with the Director of Knowledge for Impact and relevant managers.
• Identify collective learning needs and professional development programs to improve performance across all areas of MEL practice.
• Coach, mentor, and accompany MEL practitioners and other team members to improve the overall culture and practice supporting systematic evaluation and learning.
• Oversee safety and security protocols for MEL practitioner staff, consultants, and interns, sound financial and risk management, and adherence to organizational policies and norms.

Annual Organization-wide Learning Reviews

• Make use of timely and credible evaluation and learning products relevant to assessing program and campaign outcomes and learning.
• Connect evaluation and learning to organization planning, learning, and adaptation.
• Inclusive and Equitable Work Culture and Feminist MEL practice.
• Lead on design and delivery of effective team spaces that connect MEL practitioners for learning, development, and community building.
• Provide leadership and support to teams in their efforts to improve feminist practice in monitoring, evaluation and learning.
• Support the identification and delivery of collective learning programs for MEL practitioners in coordination with human resources.

EXPECTATIONS FOR THE POSITION:

• Perform all duties appropriately for a multi-cultural environment, treating all persons with dignity and respect, and be familiar with and committed to the mission and goals of Oxfam.
• Adopt a multi-disciplinary approach to MEL, using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies adapted to rights-based development programs.
• Be creative in supporting the development of MEL frameworks that fit Oxfam’s unique set of programs story telling.
• Proactively identify objectives and solutions to problems and challenges.
• Perform all duties appropriately for an intercultural environment and treat all persons with dignity and respect.
• Be familiar with and committed to Oxfam America’s mission, values, strategic priorities and goals.
• Will work effectively and collaboratively in support of building a team-based, problem-solving work culture and strive to build the MEL capacity of country and regional program staff and managers.
• Will have an understanding of gender justice, racial equity and diversity within key areas of responsibility and a commitment to promoting gender justice and diversity in our workplace and programs.
• Within key areas of responsibility, will commit to providing a safe environment for staff, partners, and beneficiaries, and a commitment to promoting safeguarding in our workplace, programs, and the communities we serve.
• Will stay abreast of professional standards, trends, and issues affecting this set of responsibilities, continuously striving for enhanced quality and impact and demonstrating continuous personal learning and development.
• International travel up to 25% of the time (post Covid).

Qualifications*
Education*: Master’s degree or above and with strong social science and applied research component, or equivalent combination of education, experience, and training.
Experience and Core Competencies:

• Seven to ten years of experience in monitoring, evaluation and learning in the public sector, donor, social justice, or international development agencies.
• Experience in a supervisory role and/or team leadership position.
• Experience working in multiple evaluation and measurement frameworks,
• including rights-based, results-based and experiments.
• Demonstrated experience in the use of digital technology in the field of evaluation and learning.
• Strong understanding of feminist principles and practices as applied to
• monitoring, evaluation and learning.
• Experience in positions as an internal consultant or advisor in multi-national, multi-cultural, and multi-functional organizational contexts.
• Hands-on experience strengthening the link between funder (Oxfam) and partner systems of monitoring and evaluation, especially in advocacy coalition.
• Familiarity and experience with participatory MEL, for example, citizen-based human rights monitoring or innovative technology-aided MEL (social media, mobile technology).
• Experience and training working in areas relevant to Oxfam global portfolios, such as social justice, agriculture, gender justice, extractive industries, fiscal justice, inequality, climate, and land rights.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with fluency in English, with the experience ability to articulate complex issues to a wide range of audiences and stakeholders.
• Experience managing and working with a diverse team of individuals
• Able to work effectively in a networked and matrix structure, demonstrating good leadership and good “followership” as needed.

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PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS (GENERAL): *

• Fluency in Spanish, French or Arabic.
• Experience carrying out gender-focused and developmental evaluation studies in cross-cultural settings.
• Experience working in Latin America, West Africa, East Africa, Middle East, North Africa and/or Asia.
• Experience in training and facilitation in the development sector.

Additional Information
Salary Band USNU-J-USD-S

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Oxfam America is a Gender Just organization and an equal opportunity employer. We have a zero tolerance policy for any sexual harassment, exploitation, and/or abuse. We welcome all persons to apply and do not discriminate. We take measures to prevent discrimination against any employee or job applicant on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
We are an E-Verify employer.
For more information, please click on the following links:
E-Verify Participation Poster: English / Spanish
E-Verify Right to Work Poster: English | Spanish

Job Type: Full-time