MEL & CLA Specialist, USAID/Advancing Digital Democracy

MEL & CLA Specialist, USAID/Advancing Digital Democracy

About
Palladium:

Palladium is a
global company working to design, develop and deliver positive impact on the
lives and livelihoods of people around the globe; broaden access to health,
water, power, and infrastructure; build enduring, sustainable, and
transformative institutions and market systems to address global challenges;
and conserve the natural world. We operate in over 90 countries and have a
workforce of 4,000 talented, motivated, and diverse staff of all religions,
races, languages, and gender identities.

This
Opportunity:

The Digital Solutions and Transformation
Portfolio within the Data Informatics and Analytical Solutions (DIAS) Community
of Practice is seeking a CLA & Monitoring,
Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Specialist to lead MERL and adaptive management activities in an
upcoming global project to support USAID's Advancing Digital Democracy
Activity. The project aims to engage a variety of stakeholders
including government counterparts, civil society, media, private sector,
academia, think tanks, and regional and multilateral organizations in building
a comprehensive approach to supporting digital democracy that centers on
deepening democratic values and human rights into the digital ecosystem. The DIAS Practice is a dynamic and
innovative group with talented and passionate members, working together to
strengthen and harness digital and data ecosystems to accelerate development
investments and outcomes and create positive impact.

The CLA & MERL Specialist is a
data-driven adaptive management leader, with experience infusing MEL approaches
on large global development projects to drive program results and learning. The CLA & MERL Specialist will be
responsible for designing and implementing research and incorporating the
collaborating, learning and adapting (CLA) agenda in support of establishing a robust evidence
base to measure outcomes and impact associated with implementation of USAID's
Advancing Digital Democracy activity, project activities and digital
development broadly. The Specialist will also serve as a catalyst for how
digital technologies and evidence-based approaches can be used as an enabler
for adaptative change management and propelling democratic outcomes.

This
is a full-time position based in Washington, DC and is contingent upon award.

You and Your
Career:

If you are a
problem-solver, collaborator, and doer, and you have expertise in MEL, CLA and designing
evidenced-based approached of digitally-enabled activities, we are interested
in hearing from you.We are a learning organization and provide growth
opportunities from the start. We pride ourselves on giving you the freedom,
resources, and guidance to chart a fulfilling career!

Reporting and
Supervision:

The CLA&MEL
specialist will report to the Project Director.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• The
  CLA & MERL Specialist will have the following roles and responsibilities:
  
• Develop a monitoring, evaluation, research and learning strategy for the project, in alignment with buy-in client objectives and USAID's broader research and CLA agenda for digital development activities
  
• Advise USAID and buy-in clients on research and measurement activities that establish the evidence base for quantifying outcomes and impact associated with the implementation of digital democracy and rights activities.
  
• Work with USAID and network partners to lead the design of buy-in research activities and oversee network partners to ensure successful implementation of research activities
  
• Design and operationalize a project CLA approach by leading its implementation as per the M&E plan and regularly share the same with the donor as part of progress reporting, leveraging digital technologies as appropriate
  
• Lead and oversee the project's digital democracy and rights research and learning agenda, developing partnerships, and translating evidence into actionable learning and guidance products
  
• Manage the program MEL plan including development of key program indicators, data collection processes, data analysis, reporting and development of key project deliverables such as the Performance Plan and Report
  
• Oversee tracking and implementation of the approved work plan and MEL plan ensuring compliance in project contractual reporting on a quarterly and annual basis through submission of quality quarterly progress, program specific and annual reports
  
• Provide technical assistance on buy-in activities to collect data or conduct research as required
  

Key Competencies Required:

• At least ten (10) years of experience leading MEL and adaptively managing USAID programs
  
• Experience collecting, analyzing, and reporting key reporting data, including Performance Plan and Report (PPR), context indicators, and other key annual foreign assistance programming and budgeting reporting requirements.
  
• Experience designing and implementing research, establishing research partnerships, and translating evidence into program action.
  
• Experience in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed research methods and analysis, using a wide variety of analytical tools
  
• Experience conducting program evaluations
  
• Experience in developing and implementing capacity strengthening approaches that leverage multiple learning approaches and media
  
• Experience leveraging digital technologies and information systems to adaptively manage programs and drive results
  
• The ability to work well under pressure and skilled in change management, crisis management, and problem solving
  
• Excellent written and spoken English and ability to communicate across technical disciplines and non-technical audiences, leveraging a variety of multimedia
  

Professional Expertise/Competencies
Preferred:

• Professional fluency in additional languages preferred (e.g., French, Spanish, Portuguese)
  
• Experience working in the democracy, human rights and governance sector
  

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to
embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome
applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to
drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome
and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job
applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their
background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to)
socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion,
ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous
status.

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a
disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other
circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we
will be in touch to discuss.

Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as "the preventative
action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we
work with from harm". We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults
who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from
abuse. All successful candidates will be
subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused
interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.