Monitoring, Evaluation, & Learning (MEL) Lead at Nextier Capital Limited

Nextier is a multi-competency public service advisory firm and think tank with experience bringing diverse actors together to address governance problems in highly complex environments. Nextier has core competencies in policy research, strategy, finance, monitoring and evaluation, and strategic communication. Nextier consultants bring deep knowledge of their industries; deliver rigorous analysis, and present pragmatic solutions to produce practical, sustainable, and high impact results.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Monitoring, Evaluation, & Learning (MEL) Lead

Location: Abuja

About SPRiNG

• The Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) Programme will support a more stable and peaceful Nigeria, the impact of which will be that citizens will benefit from reduced violence and increased resilience to climate change. It will achieve this by supporting Nigerian stakeholders to resolve conflict and improve security, justice, and natural resource management challenges in target areas. 
• SPRiNG will support locally led enhancements to conflict prevention, violence reduction, security and justice and natural resource management; work to remove or lessen the impact of critical barriers to peace; and support partnerships for peace with likeminded international partners to multiply funding spent by the UK’s FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office).
• SPRiNG is a politically led programme and is grounded in research, evidence, and science, including political economy, conflict analysis, and environmental science to ensure that the Programme is addressing the root causes of violence.
• SPRiNG is problem driven, evidence based, iterative, adaptive in approach, reflective, responsive, and scalable. SPRiNG will seek to address a complex set of interwoven political, conflict, and ecological conflict drivers impacting security across North-West and North-Central Nigeria.

Role Purpose

• This role is responsible for measuring, documenting, and consolidating impact/results across all programmes and projects, ensuring that key achievements are effectively captured and reported.
• The role also provides relevant expertise and support to programme staff and implementing partners to ensure accurate and timely reporting of results. 
• Based primarily in Abuja, the role will lead the implementation of the Monitoring, Evaluation, &Learning (MEL) strategy across the programme and projects. This includes managing systems for monitoring and evaluating progress and achievements, as well as facilitating learning and adaptation processes.
• The MEL Lead will work closely with the core team to ensure that insights from knowledge generation and results are applied to programme delivery, informing strategic decisions and continuous programme adaptation.

Key Relationships:

• Research and Evidence Lead, Coalitions and Advocacy Lead, Programme Manager, Regional Managers, Regional MEL Officers (Core Team); MEL Advisor, Communications Advisor (Technical Advisors)

Job Responsibilities
Programme Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Lead and drive the implementation of MEL Strategy, MEL systems and processes to ensure that the combined impact of the programme’s activities can be effectively assessed and communicated. 
• Lead the systematic gathering of project results, learning and adaptations. 
• Oversee the day-to-day collection of project data, monitoring of interventions, and in-field verification, tracking results against logframe targets. 
• Lead on knowledge and data management associated with evidence-based programming, ensuring the periodic analysis and sharing of programme data with the Core Team and client
• Manage inputs and updates to the programme’s Theory of Change and logframe, results management handbook, and project guidance. 
• Support the commissioning and collection of programme baseline data and manage relationships with the programme midline and endline evaluator

Programme Learning:

• Lead robust programme knowledge generation, analysis and management and work closely with the Core Team and Communications Adviser to ensure that the knowledge generated is effectively packaged and widely disseminated. 
• Lead and coordinate programme learning events to encourage shared learning between projects, and to external stakeholders to share wider learning. 
• Lead on the collation of data and documentation for the preparation of programme results, lessons, stories of change and good practice. 
• Facilitate and lead programme reflections on findings and recommendations, ensuring they feedback into improved programme quality and delivery.

MEL Capacity Building:

• Provide training, tools, and templates to programme teams to facilitate accurate reporting, lessons learned, and adaptations.
• Work with the Regional MEL Officers to provide capacity building and support to projects in key areas such as Theory of Change development and testing, and outcome harvesting.

Reporting:

• Support programme teams in collecting and analysing data for progress reports, including quarterly and annual reporting to clients and stakeholders.
•  Work with programme staff to ensure that monitoring and evaluation data are effectively used to communicate programme impact and results.

Leadership and Strategy:

• Act as a key member of the core programme team, contributing to the achievement of programme objectives and ensuring alignment with strategic goals. 
• Ensure the continuous revision and implementation of the MEL strategy as the programme progresses. 
• Provide support and functional supervision to regional MEL officers, ensuring they track progress, manage the stop/go framework, and apply necessary adaptations to projects.

Role Requirements

• Candidates should possess a Master's Degree in Social Science, Monitoring and Evaluation, Statistics or relevant field. 
• At least 10 years working in MEL system coordination/implementation in Nigeria, within a development context, preferably in a programming sector of governance, social development, climate adaptation or peacebuilding. 
• Experience working on an adaptive programme, including facilitating adaptation and learning cycles, leading strategy testing and promoting a reflective team learning culture 
• Demonstrated technical expertise in evidence-based monitoring and evaluation approaches and practices both for accountability and learning outcomes. 
• Demonstrable track record in data tracking and quality assessment, with the ability to support staff and implementing partners on MEL methodology, process and capacity building.
• Well-developed research, analytical (qualitative and quantitative), documentation, reportwriting and strategic planning skills. 
• Experience developing and delivering experimental evaluation methods such as Randomised Control Trials alongside other evaluative techniques
•  Ability to analyse and disseminate complex information to a range of stakeholder audiences.
• Experience solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward and ensuring buy-in. 
• Demonstrated understanding and practical knowledge of peace, security, climate thematic and development issues in the Middle Belt and North Western States of Nigeria (NW/NC). 
• Demonstrated relevant technical skills in developing and maintaining a Management Information System, using apps for data collection, analyzing quantitative and qualitative data, and maintaining dashboards for visualization of data in real-time. 
• Fluency in spoken and written English is required.

Application Closing Date
12th December, 2024.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should forward their CV and Cover Letter to: [email protected] using the job title and full name “MEL Lead—Their full name” as the subject of the email.