Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning Officer – Water Mission

Job Description

Water Mission is a Christian engineering nonprofit that builds safe water solutions for people in developing countries, refugee camps, and disaster areas. Since 2001, Water Mission has served more than 8 million people in 60 countries, sharing safe water and the message of God’s love. Working at Water Mission is as much a calling as it is a career, and we are searching for people with the courage, passion, and drive to help us change the world. Read more about our Statement of Faith and Our Christian Mission.

Job Summary: Reporting to the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning Manager (MERL) In Malawi, the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Officer will be responsible for designing, managing, and implementing MEL activities for Water Mission programs.  The successful candidate will ensure that Water Mission Malawi achieves the intended program results through strong oversight, management, and implementation of performance and impact measurement and learning activities. This is a full-time position with the opportunity for annual contractual renewals.

General Responsibilities

Mission Driven 

• Maintain a strong Christian witness and model servant leadership to colleagues, partners, the communities we serve, and the public.
• Engage and participate in prayer before and after team meetings.
• Lead and participate in biblically based staff devotions.

Key Responsibilities

Program Monitoring and Evaluation System Design 

Assist Water Mission in establishing key performance indicators, collecting performance information, planning, and implementing the assigned evaluation programs.

• Manage the development of performance monitoring and impact management systems for Water Mission’s projects in Malawi, including developing and validating program impact strategy, logical frameworks, measurement indicators, and data collection tools.
• Provide input into designing, implementing, and disseminating evaluations, special studies, and assessments.
• Manage the creation and review of global and country-level monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning budgets to provide adequate financial resources for evaluations, special studies, and assessments.

Data Collection, Compliance, and Quality Assurance

Manage the implementation of data flow activities for Water Mission’s projects in Malawi.

• Supervise all data collection activities. Work closely with Water Mission’s Community Development Officers, Project Managers, and Engineering teams to ensure timely and continuous data collection using Water Mission’s data collection tools, including Household, Church Congregation, and Community-based Surveys.
• Manage the development and implementation of data flow improvements for the Water Mission program in Malawi, ensuring efficient data collection and reporting and supporting scalability.
• Ensure data quality through data verification procedures, including routine data quality audits, and work with various teams to resolve discrepancies and improve processes.
• Develop and implement training on data collection, storage, quality assurance, and retrieval processes, as needed.

Data Analysis & Visualization

Support activities to transform quantitative and qualitative data sets into compelling reports and visuals for different types of audiences.

• Develop and implement plans, methods, and tools for analyzing data.
• Perform qualitative and quantitative data analysis as needed.
• Monitor and respond to relevant data points Water Mission’s innovative Monitoring and Alerting Platform (MAP).
• Manage analytical reports to provide direct and real-time insights to inform the project design and implementation in Malawi.
• Develop standard protocols, templates, infographics, and procedures to ensure data analysis and visualization needs are met.

Research Practices

Implement strategies to improve Water Mission and the broader WASH sector’s ability to use data to drive future program design, implementation, and decision-making.

• Regularly develop performance reports and share program outcomes and learnings with Water Mission’s International Programs team and all key stakeholders in Malawi (UNICEF, etc.), including reports, training, briefs, commentary, and visuals.
• Facilitate reflection, learning, and adapting meetings regularly in the country.
• Work closely with the communications team to help promote Water Mission’s content, including reports, briefs, commentary, and visual data.
• Cultivate strategic M&E relationships and alliances with partners and represent Water Mission’s M&E, data analysis, and visualization activities in public and professional circles through meetings, conferences, and presentations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications, Skills, and Experience 

Relationship and Alignment: 

• Alignment with Water Mission’s Statement of Faith and commitment to the mission and values of Water Mission.
• Personal growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Alignment with the principles of servant leadership as embraced by Water Mission.

Qualifications, Skills, and Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree in Demography, Statistics, Mathematics, Public Health, Environmental Health, or related field; or equivalent experience.  A Master’s degree will be an added advantage.
• At least 3-5 years of experience designing, managing and implementing program monitoring and evaluation activities, including:
• • Theory of change and M&E framework.
  • Community needs, baseline, end line, and data quality assessments.
  • Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research & evaluation studies.
  • Surveys, focus group discussions, and observational data collection tools.
  • Learning and adapting processes and mechanisms.

• Domain expertise in data science, statistical analysis, and data visualization.
• Working knowledge of one or more data analysis and visualization libraries and packages used today, including PowerBi, R, Tableau, SQL Python, JavaScript, SPSS, Stata, MS Access.
• Excellent analytical skills and the ability to summarize disparate information in a clear and concise manner.
• Demonstrated ability to build consensus, solve problems, and work collaboratively and effectively with other leaders, volunteers, and employees at all levels.
• Ability to thrive in a highly fluid environment and respond to changing requests.
• Good written and verbal cross-cultural communication skills.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English is required.
• Ability and willingness to travel in-country for up to 20 weeks per year. Most in-country trips require this person to ride long car rides on rough terrain and stand for extended periods of time.
• Commitment to the organization’s values and mission and ending the global water crisis.
• Legal authorization to work in Malawi.