MEL Assistant

Location: Ramallah, Palestine

Position Status: Full time; Regular

Salary Level:

Duration: 1 year, Renewable

Department: PYE MEL

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action—helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future. In Palestine, Mercy Corps has been working hand-in-hand with local communities and partners since 1980s and has staff in three offices based in East Jerusalem, West Bank, and Gaza. Mercy Corps’ work aims to increase the capacity of Palestinian’s civil society to promote inclusive social and economic development, long-term recovery, and respond to humanitarian needs.

The Program

Positive Youth Engagement (PYE) is a USAID seven-year multi-sectoral Youth Activity designed to address the core issues of Palestinian youth development. The PYE activity will reach vulnerable and marginalized youth aged 10-29 at risk of social marginalization in vulnerable areas through safe spaces as well as private universities by aiming to improve outcomes for them in the areas of education, mental health and wellbeing, future employment, community bonding and other needs as identified through drivers' assessments. The activity’s goal is to transform vulnerable youth into productive, contributing citizens who are connected to their communities by increasing opportunities for Palestinian youth to realize their potential and to effectively contribute to social and economic development. The following are the main themes of the PYE:

• Core programming that supports, protects, prepares, and engages youth in safe spaces found within a strong network of CBOs and Career Centers at private universities, bringing the total number of youth friendly safe spaces to 71 in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza.
• Tailored packages of activities, resources, and referrals that will set youth on individually selected pathways building on the core curriculum to increase opportunities for youth to effectively contribute to social and economic development.
• Opportunities for sustained community engagement and leadership through youth-led pathways and councils, community and social media campaigns, and mentorship of subsequent cohorts as part of sustainable community youth networks.
• Improve opportunities for learning and individual empowerment for youth in grades 7-12 through the roll-out of non-formal education activities in the network of safe spaces.
• Expand safe spaces through 11 local university career centers to reach youth ages 19-24 and offer the PYE core interventions including healthy well-being for youth, learning activities, youth pathways, and youth-led small-scale initiatives in addition to technology and innovation-driven learning programs with a focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics), green solutions, and entrepreneurship.

The Position (General Position Summary)

The MEL Assistant will support the MEL PYE team in ensuring highest quality implementation of the USAID Positive Youth Engagement Activity by fulfilling suitable functions at both the MEL PYE and partner organization/safe spaces levels. They will also be responsible for supporting the program in adopting effective monitoring mechanisms and practices based on Mercy Corps' MEL Policy and USAID requirements. The MEL Assistant will work alongside other MEL team members to complete necessary MEL tasks and contribute to the accurate collection and precise analysis of relevant data vital in measuring PYE’s progress and impact, as well as providing technical teams and stakeholders with evidence for decision-making and demonstrating accountability.

Essential Responsibilities

• Track and ensure the quality of field data collection, oversee data flow within PYE team, and assist in compiling data using digital tools [Commcare].
• Support data collection, entry, and analysis and ensure adherence to PYE MEL guidelines and USAID requirements.
• Conduct regular and random data verification to ensure high quality data and ensure processes are in line with requirements.
• Provide orientation to field workers and data collectors on best practices, conduct sample checks, and offer guidance to maintain high-quality data.
• Support in conducting DQA for various data types, including end-line surveys and beneficiary selection processes, following best practices.
• Participate in field visits and checks to ensure implementation quality aligns with plans and share observations with the MEL and technical teams for action.
• Assist in survey data analysis, report preparation, and archiving DQA files and supporting documents.
• Provide regular program updates to the MEL team, including beneficiary reach and success stories from the field.
• Participate in designing and conducting MEL surveys and assessments and sharing of findings with the program management team and stakeholders.
• Participate in designing and conducting lessons learned sessions through collection, analysis and reporting of data to program management. 
• Support in developing monitoring mechanisms and conducting regular monitoring system updates and follow up with relevant stakeholders.
• Track enumerators working hours and distributed tables per MC procurement standards, follow up and support to complete the monthly payments for enumerators.
• Maintain a professional and respectful demeanor both in professional and personal capacities, reflecting positively on Mercy Corps and its mission.
• Fulfill any additional responsibilities assigned.

Supervisory Responsibility None

Accountability

Reports directly to: PYE MEL Advisor

Works directly with: PYE team; PYE implementing partners

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of our field projects.

جميع الحقوق محفوظة لموقع جوبس.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in statistics, economics, development studies, project management, or related field.
• 1+ years proved experience in Monitoring and Evaluation in local or INGO/funded projects. 
• 1+ years of experience in supervising and leading data collection. 
• 1+ years of experience in supporting quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis. 
• High proficiency in using MS Office, especially Excel, database management and statistics packages.
• Familiarity with and understanding of digital data collection (especially using CommCare), data visualization (especially using Power BI) and cloud data management/ETL pipelines strongly preferred. 
• Excellent skills in data collection and data analysis. 
• Experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a plus.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English and Arabic languages is required.
• Ability to conduct oneself with sensitivity and respect toward others

Success Factors

The successful MEL Assistant will be adept at multitasking, possess excellent communication and coordination skills, demonstrate initiative, and have experience in on-the-job coaching. Ideally, they should be capable and curious, able to collaborate effectively with team members from diverse work styles and cultures. They should also be able to adhere to procedures, meet deadlines, and exhibit flexibility and creativity in planning and problem-solving. Successful team members at Mercy Corps prioritize teamwork and accountability, thrive in dynamic and challenging environments, and excel in both written and verbal communication.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening, and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply online HERE no later than 13:00 on Monday, 24 June 2024.  Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.