Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist - United States Institute of Peace

Who We Are

Peace is our commitment. The United States Institute of Peace represents the American people’s shared values and commitment to peace worldwide. We know that Peace is Security – it advances both U.S. and international security by preventing, managing, and mitigating violent conflict.

We are an independent, non-partisan institution and are actively engaged with peacebuilding efforts worldwide. Together we tackle the most challenging problems and hold fast to the possibility of a more peaceful world. To learn more about USIP programs and job openings, go to https://www.usip.org/about/careers.

If you have a passion for making the world a better place and want to have a front-row seat on the world stage, USIP is the place for you.

Summary

The full-time Personal Services Contractor will provide Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) support to the El Salvador Team Lead including: coordination and collaboration with =project staff, key stakeholders, and USIP's Learning, Evaluation, and Research (LER) team to collect and compile the project's performance indicators; store, manage, analyze, and present  written reports on results and lessons learned;  oversee the Learning component including the creation of learning tools; and the development of communications materials to disseminate this learning within and outside USIP.

This is a full-time term host country Personal Services Contractor position, that based in San Salvador, El Salvador This is a Personal Services Contractor (PSC) position for a host-country national in Latin America.    The contract can be renewed pending good performance, funding, and business needs.

In March 2024, USIP’s Latin America Program (LAP) launched the “Fostering Citizen Support for the Rule of Law” project in San Salvador, El Salvador under an Inter-Agency Agreement (IAA) with the United States Department of State - Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs- for a period of three years to increase public support for the rule of law by building stakeholder networks, facilitating dialogues between citizens and authorities, engaging the public on rule of law issues, and equipping local youth with peacebuilding and leadership skills.

The project will work in three municipalities and activities will include: community characterization studies, capacity-building exercises with community, international exchanges to learn best practices, dialogues between coalitions of civil society and local authorities, support for small youth and community-led projects, peacebuilding and dialogue trainings for youth, mentoring activities for youth, and youth-led dialogues within communities.

Responsibilities

Monitoring and Evaluating:

• In consultation with the team, develop and maintain a Project Monitoring Plan (PMP) which includes data to be collected and frequency of measurement. It will also consider inputs from the baseline survey and initial characterization studies of each municipality.
• Support the development of effective mechanisms to monitor progress and impact of activities, including through surveys, interviews, and focus groups, that are appropriately tailored to the needs and context of direct and indirect beneficiaries of the project.
• Establish and implement a data collection methodology/process to enable the systematic collection, management, and reporting of data against the performance indicators in the Change Map.
• Develop all the required data collection instruments and tools for surveys needed to collect data on output and outcome level program indicators.
• In collaboration with Project Officers and Municipal Coordinators, coordinate with USIP partners to ensure that their MEL efforts align with USIP’s MEL objectives. This includes hands-on support to new partners to clarify USIP MEL expectations and objectives.
• Provide ongoing support to USIP partner organizations to ensure MEL data is collected and shared with USIP program staff for program tracking and reporting purposes. This could include fielding questions from partners, helping them develop data collection tools, or providing training support.
• Work closely with staff to develop evaluations of all activities and ensure their timely execution.
• Ensure that all indicators are accurately tracked and measured, and different MEL tools (Change Map and PMP) are up-to-date and disseminated in a timely manner.
• Contribute to analysis of MEL data, including contributing to the drafting of monitoring reports.
• Systematizes all results in a timely manner.

Learning, Research and Report Writing:

• Coordinate research initiatives implemented by USIP contractors and team, including compiling, verifying and analyzing data provided by key stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with Institutional Review Board (IRB) processes, when necessary.
• Coordinate and review teams’ inputs to the Change Map and PMP, as well as any other internal reports on project progress.
• Write detailed baseline, midpoint, and endline reports including graphics on indicators and suggestions for modifications and improvements.
• Support the development graphic and written summaries of survey information which evaluate key indicators working closely with Home Office technical staff.
• Maintain a repository of project lessons learned, offering strategic recommendations on ways to improve impact, and disseminates during key team meetings.
• Support the writing and editing needs of the El Salvador project, including proofreading documents for diverse audiences including local governments, citizens, and international donors.
• Spearhead communications materials such as project factsheets, presentation PowerPoints, and success stories ensuring learning components are always present and tailored to the right audience.

Performs Other Duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, statistics, economics, development, sociology, peacebuilding or related field required.
• Four (4) or more years of relevant work experience, with at least two years of experience in Monitoring and Evaluation.
• Experience in the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data.
• Experience in qualitative research principles, tools and techniques with specific experience in participatory qualitative methodologies.
• Demonstrated experience in report writing in an international donor context.
• Ability to engage and coordinate with staff across teams, as well as, to develop the capacity of others on MEL.

• Strong critical thinking and analytical skills.
• Excellent writing and communications skills, as well as cross-cultural skills and the ability to tailor work to multiple audiences.
• Independent worker and self-starter.
• Knowledge of peacebuilding and culture of lawfulness theories and programs is a plus.
• Advanced English as well as proficient Spanish language is required.
• Ability to travel overnight to the municipalities where the project will work.
• Advanced skills in Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Microsoft 354 suite a must. Preferably the candidate will be well versed with Power BI as a tool for mapping and reporting.

Salvadorian Citizenship or ability to work legally in country without sponsorship.

All USIP contract and employee positions are contingent upon the favorable completion of a suitability background investigation.

HOW TO APPLY

To be considered for this position, please submit a complete application package consisting of:

1.  Completed employment application including titles, dates of hire, and salary requirements.

2.  Cover letter

3.  Resume

Only those applicants that are selected for further discussions will be contacted. 

See job description