Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning Manager

Location: Ottawa, ON; or remote

About AKFC
Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC) is an international development organization and registered charity. AKFC partners with communities, businesses, and governments to find innovative, lasting solutions to global challenges. Working in Africa and Asia, we invest in local institutions and systems that anchor progress over the long term. In Canada, AKFC mobilizes funding and expertise, and promotes awareness of global issues. AKFC is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network, one of the world’s most comprehensive development organizations. Since 1980, AKFC has helped millions of women and men to unlock their own potential to build a better life.  Learn more at akfc.ca

Position Summary
AKFC is seeking an experienced, dynamic Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Manager to implement MERL across an exciting multi-sector program portfolio in North America, Africa and Asia. The MERL Manager will provide oversight, leadership, and technical support to AKF colleagues and implementing partners to ensure project and organizational MERL activities are designed and implemented effectively. In most projects in the position’s portfolio, field-based MERL staff will be responsible for leading and executing MERL activities, with backstopping from the MERL Manager. This will include MERL support to existing projects and during proposal development, and to organizational learning processes.

While AKFC is headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario the position can be remote.

The starting salary range for this position is between $79,200 and $84,480 per year.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with AKF, project implementation partners to establish and implement gender sensitive MERL systems for routine project monitoring and evaluation of programs in the AKF North America portfolio.
• Lead design of project logic models, theories of change, indicators, performance measurement frameworks (PMFs), and indicator reference sheets.
• Oversee program data collection, including development of data collection tools and implementation of quantitative and qualitative studies, such as baselines, midlines, endlines, and other periodic evaluations and assessments.
• Guide development and execution of program data management systems in the position’s project portfolio, ensuring timely availability of quality data for reporting and learning.
• Support program data reporting against outcome, output and reach indicators, ensuring reports align with donor requirements and industry good practices.
• Oversee program learning, ensuring data and evidence are disseminated and used to inform decision making and adaptations by AKF, project partners, and other key stakeholders.
• Ensure gender equality and safeguarding are integrated throughout MERL activities, including selection of performance indicators, data collection design and implementation, data management and storage, and data analysis and reporting.
• Support, liaise, and coordinate with global, regional and country-level MERL staff. This includes providing remote and on-site technical support to project implementation partners in relation to the development and maintenance of gender sensitive MERL systems in partner countries.
• Assist in the identification and recruitment of MERL technical experts (consultants and partner staff), as necessary.
• Participate in MERL communities of practice, and represent AKF at MERL-related conferences and forums.

Qualifications & Experience

• Master’s degree, preferably in international development or a related field, ideally with a focus on measurement, evaluation and research.
• Minimum of five years of relevant practical experience designing, implementing and managing gender sensitive MERL systems for donor-funded international development projects across various sectors, including health, education, economic development, including at least two years of experience based in a developing country.
• Extensive knowledge of results-based management (RBM), including how to design and analyze logic models and how to develop and use appropriate (“SMART”) indicators. Strong preference for knowledge and experience with Global Affairs Canada’s (GAC’s) results-based management tools, requirements and reporting processes, including monitoring and evaluating gender equality results.
• Knowledge of good practice global standard indicators.
• Knowledge and experience of research design and implementation, including qualitative and quantitative gender sensitive data collection methodologies.
• Experience with the development of data collection methods and tools (forms, formats, questionnaires) as well as systems for the entry, analysis and storage of quantitative data.
• Experience in using digital data collection, management, analysis and visualization tools and functions (e.g. KoboToolbox, ODK, MS Power Query, MS Power Pivot, SPSS, NVIVO, MS Power BI, etc.) is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated capacity to respect and safeguard vulnerable populations.
• Experience in the development context of any of AKF’s partner countries (Afghanistan, Kenya, Kyrgyz Republic, India, Madagascar, Mozambique, Pakistan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania and Uganda) is an asset.
• Experience working with GAC, USAID and other North American institutional donors is an asset.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills in English. Advanced proficiency in French is strongly preferred.
• Ability to travel up to 30% of time per year, including to Africa and Asia.

AKFC is committed to advancing gender equality and inclusion through our programming and operations in Canada and overseas. AKFC requires all employees to review and abide by the AKFC Gender Equality Policy.

AKFC recognizes the importance of safeguarding and is committed to ensuring it manages a wide range of risks such that beneficiaries, staff, other associates and the organization as a whole are kept safe from harm. 

AKFC welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

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How to Apply:

Qualified applicants should submit a cover letter and resume via email to [email protected] indicating “Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning Manager” in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. Short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview and asked to complete a written assignment.

Deadline for submissions:  Thursday February 16, 2023. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. Please note that applicants must be eligible to work in Canada.