Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Specialists

Company Profile: 

MSI is a Washington, DC metro area international development firm with a 35-year history of delivering development results across the world. We operate in some of the most challenging political and economic climates in the world, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, South Sudan and Iraq. MSI currently employs 800 development experts in the fields of public sector management, monitoring and evaluation, governance and anti-corruption.  For more information on MSI, please visit our website at www.msiworldwide.com.

Project Summary: 

In May 2015, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded a five-year contract to Management Systems International (MSI) to provide performance management support to USAID-sponsored development programs throughout Pakistan. The Performance Management Support Contract (PERFORM) serves as a centralized management support mechanism that provides services in (1) monitoring, (2) evaluation, (3) assessment, and (4) learning support. PERFORM provides  data and information to help USAID/Pakistan project managers improve results through better implementation, design, and learning, enabling it to better target its programming and achieve its goals and objectives.

Position Summary:

MSI is recruiting long-term Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Specialists for Performance Monitoring.  PERFORM’s Performance Monitoring unit is led by a Performance Monitoring Advisor and Team Lead.  M&E Specialists for Performance Monitoring will report directly to the Team Lead and serve in the Performance Monitoring Unit of MSI PERFORM. The M&E Specialist will lead and participate in assignments related to performance monitoring, including but not limited to data quality assessments, baseline studies, assessments, third party data verification, and capacity building and technical assistance in performance monitoring for USAID and implementing partner staff. Technical assistance could include developing results frameworks and logic models, creating, and/or updating M&E plans, identifying and operationalizing performance indicators and conducting data quality assessments. The M&E Specialist will assist with developing data collection instruments and participate in data collection, analysis and reporting. The M&E Specialist for Performance Monitoring will also participate in research, data analysis and learning activities for DO teams to ensure that performance monitoring data and information contribute to DO teams’ learning and adaptive processes.

This is a full-time position based in Islamabad, Pakistan. It is expected to begin immediately and last through April 2020.

Responsibilities:

• Meet with USAID staff as necessary to get clarity on assignments before initiating them.
• Develop and review Assignment Work Plans (AWPs) for monitoring assignments in accordance with PERFORM requirements, USAID M&E Policy and MSI standards.
• Develop SOWs for consultants and subcontractors, and work with the PERFORM Human Resources team and MSI home office throughout the hiring and procurement process.
• Manage the assignments contracted to short-term consultants and subcontractors to ensure they are completed on time and the products meet quality standards.
• Assist in the development of the data collection methodology, data collection instruments, data analysis and tabulation plans, sample frameworks, and data collection plans and schedules.
• Draft assignment debriefs, interim and final reports, and other documents, as required, for MSI PERFORM internal review.
• Collect and collate project data.
• Conduct primary data collection, including interviews, surveys, and focus group discussions.
• Participate in the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data. 
• Work with PERFORM’s Senior Management, and Evaluation, Monitoring and MIS/GIS staff to respond to USAID/Pakistan’s needs and priorities.
• Participate in activities to ensure performance monitoring data and information contributes to USAID/Pakistan’s learning and adaptive processes.
• Provide technical assistance and training to USAID/Pakistan staff and implementing partners to design and/or improve their projects’ logical frameworks, monitoring and evaluation plans, and collection, management, analysis and reporting of performance data.
• Assist in the development, selection and refinement of USAID/Pakistan indicators and operationalization of them through the creation of data collection instruments.
• Ensure that all performance monitoring tasks are completed on time and are of high quality.
• Lead and participate in interim and final debriefing sessions with USAID/Pakistan, including the production of supporting materials such as hand-outs and power-point presentations.
• Write thematic briefs, learning summaries, newsletters, and other brief documents to effectively communicate PERFORM’s technical work and promote learning.
• Travel outside Islamabad as required.

·        Carry out additional responsibilities as assigned by the Team Lead, Performance Monitoring Advisor, and the Chief of Party.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in economics, statistics, business or public administration, public policy, or the social sciences. Exceptional candidates with other degrees will also be considered.
• A minimum of five (5) years of experience providing technical and management support for M&E activities and research studies, preferably for USAID projects.
• Experience conducting site visits and activity verification and data quality assessments in multiple provinces of Pakistan.
• Proven skills in defining results/outcomes statements and developing performance indicators.
• Demonstrated experience designing consultant and/or subcontractor SOWs for evaluations, assessments, and other M&E related tasks.
• Demonstrated experience in developing sample frameworks, data collection methodologies, data collection instruments, data collection plans and schedules, and data analysis and tabulation plans.