Monitoring, Evaluation

Background

Since formally launching Chemonics UK in May 2019, we have established a strong and diverse portfolio of UK Aid-funded programmes as well as partnerships with European bilaterals and development banks. We work with government and development sector counterparts across the world to deliver programmes in sectors including climate action, education, governance, peacebuilding, stabilisation, social cohesion, and research.

Purpose

The Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Practice Lead is a senior director responsible for the performance of the MEL technical area for Chemonics UK (UK) and is responsible for providing senior-level technical oversight, expertise and leadership to build and deliver a MEL programme portfolio as well as MEL advisory support to our portfolio of implementation contracts. This includes market positioning, business development, client engagement, project management, thought leadership, capacity building in MEL Across Chemonics UK, and team management and leadership. The senior director will manage the budget and profit and loss statement, take a leadership role in engaging with Chemonics UK’s clients, and contribute to UK and corporate strategies and initiatives.

This role reports into the Chemonics UK Managing Director, and sits on the Chemonics UK Senior Leadership Team.

Currently the MEL practice in the UK is a team of aprox. 8- 10 . This role has 3 direct reports

Chemonics UK Office location is Farringdon, London, there is a requirement to be able to be in person in London off on a regular working pattern

Key Responsibilities:

Technical

• Applies in-depth MEL technical expertise to implementation and MEL programmes.
• Ensures quality of MEL project methodological approaches, reports, and other deliverables; ensures project technical objectives are met in partnership with the team leader and troubleshoots when deviations are needed.
• Identifies opportunities to conduct billable assignments; ensures meeting of billability targets for the Practice to contribute to a billable project work or technical area.
• Maintains consistent application of existing best practices and innovative methodologies in current MEL programme/s and in MEL components of implementation programmes.
• Takes on roles of Programme Director, Team Leader, or STTA Senior Technical Expert on MEL programmes.
• Takes on roles of Senior Technical Adviser (STTA or LTTA) on implementation programmes.

Market Positioning and Business Development

• Takes a leadership role in growing Chemonics UK ’s MEL portfolio through strategy setting, outreach and network development, proposal development, and positioning with Chemonics’ clients and within the industry.
• Proactively tracks upcoming new opportunities, market opportunities with new clients, leading on upstream BD as needed. Leads or supports the submission of bid opportunities to the Bid Decision Committee, and oversees pipeline management.
• Takes on the role of proposal lead or lead writer for MEL bids. Takes on the role of lead writer of MEL sections for Priority A implementation bids.
• Cultivates strategic partnerships for growth with other organisations and consultants, keeping the MEL expert database and associate consultant roster updated.
• Applies in-depth MEL technical expertise to bids.
• Travels periodically to explore new business opportunities. Interacts with key client and counterpart staff related to new programming opportunities.
• Keep MEL Practice capacity statement up-to-date and relevant.

Practice and Programme Management

• Oversees programme implementation for the MEL Practice portfolio and quality of MEL support provided by MEL Practice Members to implementation programmes. Responsible for providing technical support and oversight at advanced levels of authority and accountability to achieve results.
• Collaborates closely with team leader(s) and project directors within the MEL Practice portfolio in developing work plans, ensuring timely resources to execute plans, supervising progress, and reporting, ensuring proper technical direction in fulfilling the project scope of work, and conceptualizing new strategies to improve performance.
• Provides strategic guidance and solutions to address technical and programmatic issues and risks raised on programmes within the MEL Practice portfolio to Programme Directors and Programme teams.
• Oversee roll out and management of the Aktek iO Management Information System, ensuring that all new projects are onboarded to the system and that current pilots are run in accordance with best practice. Liaise with GITD as needed.
• Manages the budget and P&L for the practice, and leads participatory practice workshops to develop the annual workplan.
• Manages and leads monthly MEL Practice meetings with practice members and the ‘MEL curious’ pool across the business.
• Manages and leads weekly practice meetings with Chemonics UK head office MEL staff.
• Provides line management and support to direct reports, and ensures wider practice line managers are providing appropriate support to their reports.

Capacity building and learning

• Oversee annual MEL training, ensuring consistency and quality in approaches. Lead select MEL trainings.
• Oversee cross-project learning efforts led by the MEL Director and Senior MEL Specialists.
• Oversee MEL Focal Point Network efforts led by the MEL Director.
• Ensure MEL guidance is kept up-to-date.

Thought Leadership

• Develop effective working relationships with clients, partners, consultants and both internal and external stakeholders.
• Assume a leadership role in MEL network development and professional societies and represents the company at technical conferences.
• Actively participates in MEL thought leadership, including but not limited to: writing blogs, thought pieces, presenting at conferences, presenting at evaluation society events, participating in podcasts, developing practitioner guides and toolkits, and developing and facilitating MEL events and engagements.
• Advances body of knowledge (e.g., innovations, best practices, lessons learned) and quality standards in MEL and practice networks; formulates approaches to guide project work, new business efforts, and technical assignments; and advises clients on technical trends and programming priorities.
• Tracks, analyses, and shares development trends and priorities within the MEL sector.

Client Engagement

• Develops effective working relationships with internal and external clients, counterparts and stakeholders and continually promotes outstanding client service with corporate office staff and project teams; leads discussions as part of quarterly client consultations; leads response on annual client performance reviews in consultation with the team leader and submits the final version in the system.

Chemonics UK is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, or protected veteran status, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE