Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Advisor, Positive Youth Engagement Program (West Bank/Gaza)

This position is contingent on funding and will based in either East Jerusalem or Ramallah

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Now, and for the future.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps has been working in the West Bank and Gaza since the 1980s, delivering emergency response, education and psychosocial support for children, and skills and vocational training. Since 2008 it has been investing in information and communications technology training with the aim of increasing start-up participation in tech entrepreneurship activities, and particularly providing support for youth in this field.

General Position Summary

Mercy Corps is seeking candidates for a Senior Technical Expert in Youth Development who will manage and provide technical leadership of the anticipated five-year USAID-funded Positive Youth Engagement program. The program aims to transform vulnerable youth into productive, contributing citizens who are connected to their communities by improving education, health, employment, community involvement (reintegration) and other needs as identified through drivers assessments.

The Senior Technical Expert in Youth Development will lead the technical design and advise on implementation ofcommunity and youth development interventions, including conducting capacity building and community stakeholder mapping, assessments and community programs in close coordination with the program managers and key staff. The Technical Expert will provide technical leadership in positive youth development approaches, integrated youth friendly services, and social inclusion and gender analyses. The Technical Expert will ensure activities are designed to be flexible to respond to changes in the context and adaptable to on-going learning and stakeholder feedback. The Technical Expert will ensure activities addressing youth are evidence-based and aligned with the Palestinian Authority’s National Policy Agenda and USAID’s Youth in Development Policy.

Essential Job Responsibilities

TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP

• Provide strategic vision to the technical components of the program including workplan development, market analysis, partnership selection and management, and overall sector strategy.
• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Provide technical leadership in the development and implementation of strategies, interventions, and activities that address the holistic needs of youth, including their well-being, education, protection, health, economic strengthening, and civic engagement needs.
• Advise national counterparts on technical issues and participate in relevant advisory and/or working groups with counterparts, partner institutions, Palestinian Authority representatives, and other local stakeholders.
• Ensure technical compliance with USAID rules and regulations, and adherence to grant agreement
• Oversee technical performance of consortium partners and sub-grantees.
• Ensure the program-wide positive youth development framework is integrated across partners and into program implementation.

CAPACITY BUILDING AND MENTORING

• In close partnership with the CoP, create a work atmosphere conducive to professional growth and development of excellent personnel at all levels.
• Contribute to country team-building efforts and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision making processes
• Build the technical capacity of project staff in youth safety and well-being (social emotional learning), youth leadership and engagement, and youth work readiness relevant to the implementation of the project through training and continuous mentoring.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT

• Ensure that adolescents are effectively targeted according to established vulnerability criteria across consortium partners.
• Integrate community approaches, inclusion and gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate.
• Provide managerial and programmatic technical oversight to partners and sub-grantee(s).
• Document processes and achievements to ensure technical best practices are captured and disseminated. This will include the continual re-evaluation of program activities and information, with resulting activity adjustments in keeping with new insights.
• Produce written reports on program activities, capturing the impacts of activities. .

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COORDINATION

• Serve as an active contributor and collaborator with regional and global counterparts to promote the use of best practices.
• Strengthen linkages with other internal resources, including the LMS, Digital Library, Hub, and Connect, to enhance organizational learning where relevant to M&E.
• Maintain close working relationships with counterparts in other relevant international NGOs, and local NGOs and associations in WBG.

Supervisory Responsibilities: National and international team members working on the program, as well as partnerships with international and national program partners. The number of direct and indirect reports is to be determined.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Chief of Party

Works Directly With: Program teams, MEL team, Finance, Administration and Operations teams

Knowledge and Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences or a field related to the technical design of the activity. A Master’s degree in a field related to youth development programming is preferred but not required;
• 5-7 years of relevant experience in community and youth development (i.e. community mobilization, community development, capacity building and youth empowerment), preferably in an international organization;
• Proven managerial experience through prior work in a relevant area such as accountability, community communications, community and youth development or mobilization and holding positions of progressive responsibility;
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with communities, government and other stakeholders at local level;
• Experience in working in participatory community processes an in leading participatory monitoring processes;
• Experience in training, facilitating focus group discussions, community consultation;
• Full Professional proficiency in spoken and written English is required. Must be able to use the language fluently and accurately, and be able to read all styles and forms on all levels pertinent to professional needs.
• Full or moderate professional proficiency in spoken and written Modern Standard Arabic is required. Must be able to use the language fluently and accurately, and be able to read all styles and forms on all levels pertinent to professional needs

Success Factors

A successful candidate will have a demonstrated ability to lead and communicate effectively with team members of varied work styles and cultures, follow procedures, and meet deadlines with flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving. S/he will have a proven ability to learn quickly, multi-task, prioritize, take initiative, and be accountable for results, understand the larger picture while remaining focused on the details, problem solving, work within a complex and sensitive setting and to follow laws and security protocols. The most successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This is an accompanied post residing in Jerusalem with regular travel to the West Bank and Gaza.

The position will be based in East Jerusalem. It requires frequent visits to the West Bank and Gaza. In Jerusalem there is individual accommodation with full freedom of movement and excellent amenities. In Gaza there is shared accommodation with more limited freedom of movement depending on the security situation.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Given the nature of the context, working hours require flexibility and working through weekends/evenings might be necessary.

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