Associate for Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning – US based remote

Tetra Tech International Development is (International Development Jobs – Tetra Tech) currently accepting expressions of interest from qualified Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) experts for an Associate position in the MEL Department. The position can be fully remote from a continental US-based location or hybrid within a commutable distance to either one of our office locations in Winooski, VT or Arlington, VA.

Position Description: The Associate is a vital member of the Tetra Tech home office MEL Team and works across sectors to provide quality MEL services to support new business, project implementation, and institutional learning. The MEL Associate is a team player, mentor and trainer, and a provider of technical assistance, guidance, and support of Tetra Tech’s five sectors (Agriculture and Economic Growth, Democracy, Rights and Governance, Environment and Natural Resources, Land Tenure and Property Rights, and Water Security, Sanitation, and Hygiene). The Associate reports to the MEL Director in the areas of capacity building, business development, and providing billable technical assistance.

Responsibilities:

The Associate is engaged in four major areas of work:

New Business Development

* Develop a thorough understanding and knowledge of the proposal development process;

* Assist the sector teams in project tracking and the development of capture plans;

* Develop preliminary Activity Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plans (AMELPs), annexes, and MEL-related technical sections responsive to the RFP; and

* Review proposal MEL budgets with an eye toward balancing budgeting for implementation and a winning strategy.

Project Implementation

* Go to project offices abroad and, as part of mobilization and start-up, prepare or help local staff prepare the final AMELP, design and conduct baseline surveys, orient and train local staff on AMELP and MEL, and develop data collection instruments, configure a database, and train Tetra Tech staff and partner organizations on standard operating procedures;

* Provide on-going follow-up support to field projects, such as conducting Data Quality Assessments, review of data and reports, assist in report preparation, assist with submitting data to USAID via the DDL or DIS, and assist in the development of lessons learned and success stories;

* Solicit feedback from project office to understand how MEL systems are utilized and perceived and develop outreach and training accordingly;

* Develop mid-term and final learning assessments (as appropriate) and provide oversight in the implementation of these activities as well as conduct analysis of data;

* Provide advice and training to field projects on collaboration, learning, and adaptation (CLA) design, methods, and tools; and

* Provide COP and PM with input and feedback on evaluations carried out by sub-contractors.

Institutional Learning

* Contribute to the continued development and refinement of MEL guidance, tools, trainings, templates, and samples;

* Lead the research and improvement of MEL methods that will improve data quality and use at Tetra Tech, including the development and testing of automated systems to enhance data management and quality assurance; and

* Review the SOWs, terms of reference, and MEL work of sub-contractors for quality control and improvement and provide them and the COP with guidance on how to improve their work.

Organizational and Professional Development

* Contribute to organizational priorities and initiatives with the development of standard tools, guidance, statistical analysis, internal assessments, mapping, etc;

* Prepare and deliver training materials related to MEL for home office and field technical staff and the field MEL specialists;

* Participate and/or manage programs tailored to build staff capacity in MEL, raise awareness and appreciation for MEL and build a culture of learning within Tetra Tech; and

* Provide support, guidance, capacity building, and recognition of local MEL professionals through the MEL SharePoint Site and Community of Practice.

Minimum Qualification Requirements:

* Minimum bachelor’s degree with significant experience in MEL;

* Minimum 7 years of professional experience working at a services firm or equivalent organization focusing on MEL;

* Ability to work in multi-disciplinary, cross-cultural team situations with excellent written, oral, and presentation skills;

* Effectively demonstrated ability to work within a home office environment and with clients, with a record of positive collaboration;

* Proficient at being a team leader or team member;

* Ability to understand scope and schedule aspects of the consulting business, and demonstrated strengths in managing scope, schedule, and budget;

* Demonstrated knowledge of USAID and other Tetra Tech clients, and proficient at marketing professional services to a client and/or proposal writing;

* Proficiency in development of monitoring and evaluation plans;

* Demonstrated commitment to client satisfaction, through technical excellence and quality of work products;

* Availability for 20–30% international travel; and

* Current U.S. work authorization is required at the time of application.

Preferred Qualifications:

* Master’s degree with experience in MEL;

* Knowledge of digital data collection methods, cloud storage, and data visualization;

* Overseas development experience or demonstrated understanding of contract management, technical disciplines, and client needs across home office and field project teams; and

* Speaking and reading proficiency in at least one foreign language (French, Arabic or Spanish). French strongly preferred.