ThaiNGO

Vacancy – Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Officer, Greater Mekong Community Affairs (GMCA) Department, Mekong Institute, Khon Kaen, Thailand

Mekong Institute

MI is an intergovernmental organization that contributes to regional cooperation and integration through capacity development, dialogue, and advocacy for the acceleration of sustainable socioeconomic development and poverty alleviation in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

Founded and represented by Cambodia, P.R. China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, MI’s strategies are aligned with the core tenets of the GMS Cooperation Program Strategic Framework 2030, ASEAN Economic Community, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

MI supports these frameworks through the implementation of projects across the areas of Agricultural Development and Commercialization, Trade and Investment Facilitation, and Sustainable Energy and Environment, while addressing issues of social inclusion and vulnerability, digital economy and innovation, and labor mobility to cement holistic and sustainable development impacts in the subregion and beyond.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Officer, Greater Mekong Community Affair (GMCA) Department

Reporting to the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist, the role of the MEL Officer is to support in designing and implementation of standard MEL systems in MI Secretariat and across the GMS. Working closely with MEL focal points from the departments/units of MI; the MEL Officer will be responsible for ensuring proper establishment and maintenance of suitable MEL systems for MI.

Main deliverables, responsibilities and tasks

Key deliverables

• To secure and diversify sources of fund to support MI's operations to bring long-term development results and sustainability to the GMS.

• To strengthen strategic leadership and results-based management towards enhanced development synergies, regional cooperation, and GMS development.

• To track and measure the changes in capacity and performances for MI's contribution to GMS development and its own institutional strengthening and facilitate evidence-based decision-making by GMS members countries and MI

• To increase international and regional awareness of MI services and impacts, and to engage and empower GMS stakeholders and champions for effective knowledge building and sharing across cooperation frameworks.

• To advance synergies and partnership with GMS governments and development partners for cohesive and holistic impacts for GMS

• To ensure accurate management of budget for GMCA.

Main responsibilities and tasks

• Contribute to update and operationalize MEL Strategy, MEL Policy, and MEL Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

• Develop indicators, reference manual and guidelines, and necessary tools for collecting data and measuring the Performance Indicators of MI Logical Framework Matrices (LMF).

• Facilitate capacity development training, workshop, orientation, and on-the job technical support to the staff of MI Secretariat and its boundary partners to implement the MEL system.

• Regularly coordinate and follow up with the staff of MI Secretariat, its boundary partners, and alumni.

• Facilitate to develop Annual MEL plan by all department/units of MI as well as boundary partners.

• Collect and analyze M&E data quarterly basis and on-demand.

• Develop and maintain web-based and real-time data collection, automation of data analysis, and reporting mechanisms.

• Prepare quarterly, semi-annual, and annual performance reports for MI.

• Ensure the quality of data following the seven dimension of data quality: Validity, Accuracy, Precision, Reliability, Integrity, Timeliness, and Completeness; and ensure complete confidentiality of M&E data.

• Organize workshops on reflection and learning workshops among the staff.

• Provide advisory and consultancy services on MEL to the GMS member countries, development partners, and other organizations.

• Any other reasonable task requested by management

Required qualifications, skills and experience

• Master’s degree in Applied Statistics, Statistics, Economics, Anthropology, Sociology, or any other fields related to Monitoring, Evaluation and Research.

• Minimum of three years’ experience in MEL related position.

• Good technical skills in the areas of MEL, including system establishment and maintenance.

• Thorough understanding on the technical concepts of MEL and research and experiences of applying methodologies and tools related to project management, monitoring, evaluation, and research/study.

• Sound skills in analysing, synthesizing, documenting, and presenting results.

• Knowledge on ongoing and emerging issues in relation to Agricultural Development and Commercialization, Trade and Investment Facilitation, Sustainable Energy and Environment, Social Inclusion and Vulnerability (including Gender Mainstreaming), Digital Economy and Innovation, and Labour Mobility aspects in the GMS and beyond.

• Sensitivity to cultural differences

• Strong capacity building skills

• Well-developed written and oral communication skills in English and any other GMS language(s).

• Willingness to travel to the field in the six GMS countries, whenever required.

Desirable

• Experience of contributing to design and implementation of MEL systems in any international development organization.

• Experience of evaluation of development projects and assessment of organizational development.

• Proven ability in data analysis both Quantitative and Qualitative data analysis using MS Excel, MS Access, SPSS, SAS, R, NVivo, ATLAS.ti, or any other softwares.

• Proven record of quality report writing following Performance Indicators for both projects and organizations.

• Good management, communication, negotiation, and other interpersonal skills.

• Proven ability to work as an effective team member within own team and also within organization though proper coordination with others.

• Proficient user of all Microsoft Office applications, office equipment and communications equipment.

• Skills in any of the GMS countries’ languages.

If you have the skills and experience to exceed in this position, and are passionate about equitable and inclusive economic growth in GMS, please send your CV and cover letter, to recruitment@mekonginstitute.org by January 15, 2022, titled ‘MEL officer’.

Please note that only applications successful in progressing to the next stage will be responded to.