Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist (MEL)

About RRI

The Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) is a global coalition of over 150 organizations dedicated to advancing the forest, land, and resource rights of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, Afro-descendant Peoples, and in particular the women within these groups. RRI’s members capitalize on each other’s strengths, expertise, and geographic reach to achieve solutions more effectively and efficiently. RRI leverages the power of its global coalition to amplify the voices of local peoples and proactively engage governments, multilateral institutions, and private sector actors to adopt institutional and market reforms that support the realization of rights.

If you are passionate about working with Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and Afro-descendant Peoples in the Global South to strengthen their rights, development, and environmental efforts, this could be the place for you. For more information, check out our current openings.  We are hiring for either Washington, DC, USA, or Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Applicants for the Washington, DC location should apply to this offer. 

Studies show people of color, people from Indigenous and local communities, women, and LGBTQ+ persons are less likely to apply for positions unless they meet every qualification. RRI strongly encourages candidates to apply even if they don’t meet every required qualification as all applications will be accepted, reviewed, and evaluated equally. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. 

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist (MEL)

The Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Specialist will play a cross-cutting role within the RRI Coalition by ensuring that RRI effectively deploys its energy and resources to achieve its institutional goals and priorities, and that CLARIFI's strategic funds are used effectively to realize their desired impact. The specialist will track and report progress towards stated results for both RRI framework and its CLARIFI mechanism, and capture lessons learned from associated interventions to guide the direction of future endeavors and showcase success and challenges. 

The MEL Specialist will contribute to the design, development, and day-to-day management of MEL strategies for RRI and CLARIFI. This strategy will serve three functions: (i) provide accountability towards desired results; (ii) foster learning and sharing within RRI and across its partners and grantees; and (iii) strengthen strategies and interventions through the validation of the assumptions and theories of change that are used to guide actions. The MEL specialist will work closely with the RRI Senior Director of Programs and the CLARIFI Director to develop and manage solutions to field-level monitoring and organizational learning that are consistent with a “living strategy” approach. Among other tasks, the Specialist will contribute to the design and implementation of results frameworks, monitoring systems, theories of change, reporting tools, knowledge infrastructure, lessons synthesis, and donor reports.  

This is a full-time position based in Washington, DC, and classified as exempt under the US Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA); thus, it is not eligible for overtime. Candidates must be legally eligible to work in the US and reside in the DC metro area by the start date. RRI currently has a hybrid work schedule with the opportunity to telework Mondays and Fridays. 

Primary Responsibilities:

Strengthen and maintain RRI’s Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning System (30%):  

• Review, strengthen, and maintain RRI’s MEL system and associated data infrastructure; 
• Support program-level data collection and reporting; 
• Review and design quantitative and qualitative performance indicators across programs; 
• Provide quality assurance oversight of data collection, analysis, and reporting; 
• Contribute to the design and implementation of organizational learning tools and processes, including system and staff-level reflection and learning efforts; 
• Provide technical back-stopping support to program staff on MEL tools, data collection, and reporting; 
• Track and document lessons learned in support of donor reporting and future programs; 
• Monitor and assess the validity of RRI’s Theory of Change and its underlying assumptions;  
• Contribute to design of robust results frameworks in donor proposals; 
• Support external program evaluations of specific grants or program-wide assessments;  
• Work with the Regional and Thematic programs and communications team to effectively communicate the results, challenges, and impact of RRI to a wider audience. 

Design and maintain CLARIFI’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning system (30%): 

• Develop and manage solutions to the ongoing monitoring, evaluation and learning needs of the Initiative consistent with a ‘living strategy’ approach and aligned with RRI’s overall MEL system; 

• Contribute to designing low-cost but meaningful impact metrics for the Initiative based on available or soon-to-be available data, which nests bottom-up impact goals within a coherent global impact framework; 

• Adapt and refine tools for collecting and sharing information necessary to monitor Initiative activities and narrative; 

• Implement, refine and maintain consistent data collection methods for indicators; 

• Contribute to the development, design and implementation of knowledge infrastructure and information technology solutions to support coordinated execution of the MEL strategy across grantees, as well as real-time sharing of intelligence and learning from the field; and 

• Collect data from across RRI teams that are contributing to Initiative project deliverables, and draft progress reports.

Synthesize and Extract Lessons and Contribute to Communication (20%):

• Extract and synthesize performance data from across RRI regional and thematic programs
  and CLARIFI, and help communicate that information to partners, members and the public through effective and compelling means (interactive dashboards, storytelling); 
• Contribute guidance to CLARIFI/ RRI program staff and RRI Partners and extended Collaborators on MEL best practices including Logic Models or theory of change, results frameworks, monitoring and evaluation plans, performance and impact indicators, etc.; 
• Work with the CLARIFI and RRI communications teams to effectively communicate the results, challenges, and impact of RRI and CLARIFI to a wider audience; 

Contribute to learning objectives and capacity building (20%):

• Use monitoring and evaluation findings to identify lessons learned and areas of improvement. 
• Facilitate learning sessions among team members and stakeholders to share findings and promote adaptive management; 
• Recommend changes in program strategies based on evaluation results; 
• Engage in exchanges with other MEL experts in the sector to improve learning approaches; 
• Work closely with Indigenous and community rightsholders to understand their needs and feedback; 
• Engage with funders and partners to ensure alignment in monitoring and evaluation approaches. 

Qualifications:

• 10+ years of extensive experience in international development or conservation/environmental field with BA in Monitoring, evaluation, learning or similar subject strongly preferred 

• Proven track record of contribution to successful evaluation initiatives and funding proposals  

• Experience with developing log frames and results frameworks for multilateral and bilateral donors 

• Professional competency French and or Spanish is preferred (written sample request is not required) 

• Experience working with Rightsholder organizations in Latin America, Africa, and Asia preferred 

Salary range: $125-185,000

Benefits:

Rights and Resources recognizes the value of benefits to employees and their families. We take great pride in offering our dedicated and committed employees a competitive benefits package. Our comprehensive benefit programs provide you with a reliable, effective, and affordable array of choices that will meet your needs and those of your family.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance; dependents and domestic partners eligible
• 100% coverage of employee premiums for the following: short-term/long-term disability insurance, life insurance, travel insurance, and the employee assistant program
• If eligible, 401(k) retirement plan (US) or Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan (Canada) with employer match
• 25 days of PTO, in addition to paid holidays
• Flextime and teleworking options
• Tuition reimbursement up to $1,500 per year after 1 full year of employment
• Dynamic growth opportunities with merit-based promotion philosophy

Rights and Resources is committed to creating and maintaining a workplace in which all employees have an opportunity to participate and contribute to the success of the organization and are valued for their skills, experience, and unique perspectives.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Rights and Resources makes all employment-related decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, political affiliation or belief, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, personal appearance, family responsibilities, matriculation, or any other category protected by applicable law.