MEL Specialist - Climate

The MEL Specialist will provide support to the design and delivery of mixed-methods MEL support, under the direction of the Senior MEL Specialist, for the UK Division’s portfolio of active projects in the climate and private sector engagement space. The Specialist will support capture and bid efforts for MEL programmes, as well as writing MEL sections for implementation bids. The Specialist will also work with the rest of the MEL team to contribute to the management of knowledge, learning, and information that is gained through our programmes to support our lesson learning process, and to generate insights in support of new business and client reporting activities. The Specialist will be working with Information Management Systems and will need to provide statistical and qualitative analysis services. The Specialist will provide day-to-day delivery of impact reporting services based on the Triple Effect template and systems, with guidance from a senior specialist.

Main Responsibilities:

Programme Support

• Support the MEL functions on current Chemonics programmes, with a focus on the climate change and private sector engagement sector. Includes, but is not limited to: Results Framework and Theory of Change development, MEL plan development, data analysis, data visualisation, results reporting, workshop facilitation, adaptive management support, research planning, and learning hubs and/or activities.

• Work with the Senior MEL Specialist, and independently, to deliver capacity building on an as-needed basis.

• Work with the communications team to cascade programme MEL and research information to exernal audiences where appropriate.

• Support project management units with broader MEL and research needs.

• Contribute to the development of MEL and knowledge management workplans, coordinating with technical teams for consistency in approach and content.

• Other duties and responsibilities as required.

Impact Reporting

• Serve as the focal point for the Chemonics UK desktop-based impact reporting function

• Coordinate data verification with support from project administrators and using relevant IT solutions

• Provide oversight for impact reports generated through online platform include verification of self-reported submissions

• Monitor development and regulations for impact reporting and continue to improve impact reporting templates

• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to build out on-the-ground impact reporting capabilities for impact funds and social enterprises

Knowledge and Relationship Management

• Work with the Senior MEL Specialist in developing capacity building, guidance, and templates for MEL approaches, tools, and methods for Chemonics UK. Lead the solicitation of feedback from staff on these.

• Work with the Senior MEL Specialist, and independently, to develop technical MEL tools, products and other outputs.

• Work with the Senior MEL Specialist to contribute to thought leadership activities, including preparing materials for public dissemination and conference preparations.

• Engage with clients, partners, consultants, academics, think tanks, innovators and other stakeholders relevant to the UK market – assist in promoting knowledge and awareness of Chemonics UK and our work internally and externally, and to generate potential resources for Chemonics to work with in the design and delivery of technical products and new business efforts.

• Support the cross-programme learning efforts across the UK Division, leading on UKD learning workshops, and developing or coordinating usable learning products in response to programme needs.

• Managing knowledge and learning from Chemonics programmes, and take responsibility for seeking relevant learning from comparable programming efforts.

• Maintain a record of key meetings and events and represent the MEL team as needed to ensure continued engagement with wider teams.

Business Development

• Support new business development for donor programming (with particular emphasis on UK and EU donors) with a focus on the climate change and private sector engagement sector. Providing MEL input into proposal efforts, as well as supporting proposals in designing MEL strategies and activities, preparing theories of change and results frameworks, and building and maintaining records of relationships with MEL-relevant candidates and partners within the industry.

• Direct line roles for capture and proposal development efforts in multiple technical sectors and regions may include but not limited to: MEL technical writer, researcher, MEL reviewer. Support and mentor those leading the following on MEL-relevant proposals or proposal elements: CV writer, subcontractor/partner liaison, capability statement writer, recruiter and commercial preparer.

• Degree in relevant subject or equivalent work experience required;

• Experience with using mixed-methods MEL and research approaches in the following sectoral areas: climate change mitigation and adaptation, natural resource management, biodiversity, climate finance or impact investing initiatives, economic growth, private sector development;

• Knowledge of UK and global climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, and/or climate finance frameworks and reporting standards;

• Comfort with interpreting and designing Theories of Change for programmes;

• Experience with or understanding of theory-driven evaluation approaches;

• Qualitative and quantitative data interpretation skills and ability to condense, refine, and tailor large amounts of qualitative and quantitative data for external audiences;

• Experience designing and facilitating workshops;

• Strong verbal and written communication skills;

• Willingness to travel and work abroad for some periods (including in fragile and conflict-affected environments), experience living or working in developing countries an advantage;

• Strong analytical skills, demonstrated soft skills, and ability to take initiative;

• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team;

• Experience working with donor government departments or multilateral donors, FCDO or UK government Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) spending department;

• UK work authorization required or ability to obtain it required.

Desirable

• Knowledge of UK and global climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, and/or climate finance frameworks and reporting standards desirable;

• Experience with the Useful Theory of Change model desirable but not essential;

• Experience with systems mapping and systems-based approaches to evaluation desirable but not essential;

• Experience with complexity-sensitive and systems-based methods desirable but not essential;

• Experience and comfort with using information management systems and software to house and analyse data, familiarity with data visualisation tools such as Power Bi desirable but not essential;

• Experience supporting programme-level and organisation-level learning initiatives desirable but not essential;

• Experience delivering MEL activities in the following sectoral areas ideal but not essential: climate change mitigation and adaptation, private sector development or impact investing initiatives, stabilisation and peacebuilding;

• Foreign language proficiency in a region in which we operate preferred but not essential.