Social Solutions International, Inc. (Social Solutions) is a Hispanic and woman-owned business emphasizing quality research and evaluation, training and technical assistance, and institutional support services. We are a mission-driven organization that believes that superior science can improve the world. Social Solutions is dedicated to the creation of social and health solutions to improve the welfare of underserved populations worldwide.

Social Solutions is a large, thriving business with a fun atmosphere that encourages creativity, new ideas, and employee health and well-being. We put our employees first and use empathetic leadership, taking a genuine interest in our employees' lives and the challenges they face in and out of the workplace. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are integral to our company culture, and we are continuously striving to enhance our DEIA efforts across our company. You will feel like a contributing member of a growing team and company that has flexibility to enhance processes and procedures quickly to improve performance and growth. We help our employees carve out a professional pathway that has mutual benefits for them and Social Solutions. Social Solutions also offers exceptional compensation and benefits, detailed below.

Social Solutions International Inc. is seeking an experienced Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Program Lead to support the Pacific American Fund (the Fund), a five-year, $35 million project financing facility funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The Fund serves as a key platform for supporting the United States Government's Indo-Pacific Strategy while also advancing USAID's goals of promoting the localization of aid delivery. The goal of the Fund is to improve the quality of life in vulnerable communities and to improve access to services for remote communities in the region, and the Fund operates across 12 Pacific Island Countries. These goals are met through two components of the Fund: 1) multi-year grant-making facility and 2) US $8 million small-scale construction program in Malaita Province, Solomon Islands.

Instructions:

Submit CV and cover letter to info@pacificamerican.fund with the following:
• Email subject line: MEL Program Lead Candidate - First Name Last Name

Project Summary: The Fund is supporting grant activities focused on: the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic; climate change adaptation; disaster resilience; economic growth and market-based enterprise development; biodiversity, conservation, and sustainable natural resource management; education; and water, sanitation, and hygiene. All activities incorporate cross-cutting challenges associated with gender equity and socially inclusive development. In addition, the Fund provides technical support to build the capacity of grantees to ensure the sustainability of their efforts and to strengthen long-term self-reliance. Improved proficiency in grant management will enable these organizations to scale up their capabilities, leverage the activities and resources of partners, and engage in more complex projects, including public-private partnerships. The Fund will capture best practices and lessons learned at the community level and disseminate these to a variety of stakeholders.

Note: This is a global telecommuter/remote position contracted out of the US Office. Social Solutions International is searching for candidates who are based in countries with time zones similar to Fiji. The role will have frequent travel to Suva, Fiji to closely support the Fiji based MEL Specialists.

Key Responsibilities

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Review and maintain MEL, capturing qualitative and quantitative aspects, according to the annual work plans and USAID quality standards.
• Manage the data collection and partner reporting system, ensure data quality, and analyze information.
• Provide quarterly updates of MEL indicators and provide all information for reporting to USAID and SSI.
• Plan and conduct routine and ad-hoc pause and reflect and learning sessions with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Ensure high quality and accuracy of Activity results presented in donor reports and communications materials.
• Manage all internal and external evaluations of the Activity as well as evaluations of partners.
• Ensure optimal use of evaluation by providing guidance and support in preparation of timely management response to all mandatory evaluation.
• Ensure that evaluations, assessments, and other M&E products are designed and implemented in accordance with SSI and the Activity quality standards and designed to improve performance and contribute to wider learning.

Quality Planning and Reporting:

• Refine MEL Plan with Team Leads to ensure that activities in the Annual Work Plan (AWP) have measurable baselines and targets for the appropriate levels (input, output, outcome, impact).
• With Team Leads, review and coordinate effective mechanisms of monitoring the implementation of the AWP including the review and refinement of monitoring methods and processes for specific activities. Review and refine tools for data collection and monitoring as needed.
• Lead and contribute to preparation of quarterly and annual reports.
• Ensure progress towards key performance indicators is reported in a timely manner.
• Oversee implementation of the project indicators through the review of reports, correspondence, and site visits.
• Conduct internal data quality assessments (DQAs) and prepare for and coordinate with USAID on external DQAs.

Partner Reporting and Data Gathering:

• Implement the grantee data collection system / partner reporting system for all grants under contract
• Oversee and provide support to PAF staff and grantees in collection, verification, and calculation of data; monitor data accuracy, entry, and cleaning; and oversee maintaining accurate and up-to-date and secure data.
• Manage processes for data verification, data quality, and data analysis, including regular data quality reviews, spot-checks of the collected data and field visits to observe data collection. Address challenges in data and information management that impact quality.
• Oversee proper grantee data maintenance.

Grantee Support:

• Coordinate with technical and grants teams to identify and select performance indicators for awards, MEL data collection methods, and the assessment methods of grant awards' impact.
• Ensure mainstreaming of gender equality in all awards.
• Verify partner or grantee capacity to provide accurate, quality and timely data.
• Design and provide training for Activity staff and grantees on MEL tools and data collection systems.
• Support the Activity staff with effective use of tools and methodologies for planning, monitoring, reporting, and measuring outcomes and progress towards key performance indicators.
• Where needed, support partners to design and implementation of innovative solutions to data gathering.

Knowledge Management and Capacity Building:

• Promote the shared responsibility of MEL function among all staff members and grantees through communication, training, learning and development activities.
• Coordinate producing data for activity updates, newsletters, and performance reports, if needed.
• Collaborate and coordinate with other USAID funded projects, government agencies, NGOs, and other organizations on monitoring and evaluation issues; keep abreast of latest development and professional norms, standards, tools and methodologies.
• Provide feedback, highlights and reporting to USAID.

Leadership and Management:

• • Participate in senior staff meetings, providing debriefings to management.
  • Lead the MEL team to ensure the MEL system accurately captures Activity and donor needs.
  • Hire, train, supervise, and mentor Activity MEL staff.
  • Plan, assign, and direct work; appraise performance, address, and resolve problems.
  • Serve as the point of contact for all official communication dealing with MEL management.
  • Perform other related duties as required.

Qualifications:

• • Master's degree in social sciences, international development, or relevant field is required. Professional certification in program evaluation is highly desired.
  • At least five years in of experience in a MEL position of a USAID funded projects with a proven ability to manage a robust MEL system that is integrated into all aspects of program implementation and based.
  • An established understanding of the theory of change that drives private sector development programs based on partner and systems-level results rather than input and outputs
  • Proven ability to oversee and manage the collection and reporting of performance indicator data as frequently and in as timely a manner as decision makers need
  • Demonstrated success managing information feedback loops that connect performance monitoring and learning with adapting implementation over the life of the activity.
  • Familiarity with developing, overseeing, organizing, storing, and analyzing data and data systems.
  • Proven to be a strong manager, focusing on team building, with a background in intercultural communication required
  • Fluency in English required
  • Willing to travel up to 50% of the time, when required

Social Solutions offers competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits. Please submit your resume online at www.socialsolutions.biz.

Social Solutions is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by law.