Influence Learning and Engagement Monitoring Specialist - (210000MG)

Description

About Changing the Way We Care:

Changing the Way We CareSM (CTWWC) is an initiative designed to promote safe, nurturing family care for children: those reunifying from institutions or those at-risk of child-family separation. This includes strengthening families and reforming national systems of care for children, including family reunification and reintegration, development of alternative family-based care. CTWWC is a consortium of Catholic Relief Services and Maestral International, and key partners like Lumos, Better Care Network and others, joined, through a Global Development Alliance (GDA), by three donors (MacArthur Foundation, USAID and GHR Foundation). CTWWC is operating in the context of growing interest in care reform, and as a result of a growing global understanding that institutional care of children is a significant problem that will be best addressed through collaboration between national, regional, and global stakeholders to develop alternative care and family strengthening systems supportive of family care.

CTWWC has three strategic objectives (SO):
(SO1) Governments promote family care through improvement and uptake of policies, investment in social workers and other social service staff and the national and community systems that serve vulnerable children and families;
(SO2) Children stay in or return to families through family strengthening that includes the voice of children, community engagement, and transitioning institutions to family support initiatives;
(SO3 also referred to as Influence, Learning, and Engagement or ILE) Family care promoted globally, through global, regional and national advocacy to advance policies, best practices and redirection of resources by multi-lateral, bi-lateral, corporate, philanthropic, faith-based and secular organizations and individuals, increasing the demand from other countries to support family care. The global effort will use learning and evidence from CTWWC demonstration countries, as well as other countries undergoing similar reforms, to influence policies and practice that lead to redirection of funding to support family care.

Job Summary:

This part-time position is within CTWWC’s global monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) team, and primarily supports indicator monitoring under ILE, but may at times support MEAL activities under SO1/2 within the project countries.

The CTWWC global MEAL team has limited capacity to provide ongoing hands-on support to project staff that must understand and report in to the ILE indicators. This position will engage with up to 10 ILE team members based in the US, UK, Guatemala, Haiti, Moldova, and Kenya, who are engaged in global and regional influence, learning, and engagement activities primarily in, but not limited to, Latin America and the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the United States. The position will support the monitoring of activities including, but are not limited to, technical assistance, participation in coalitions/forums, presentations, mentoring, and training. This position will primarily facilitate the collection of these results under the relevant indicators, validate them, and enter them into an Excel database for reporting.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

Excel database support

• Lead data collection/entry and regular data quality checks/cleaning
• Utilize formulas, as needed, to efficiently transfer, enter, and clean data
• Contribute to updating database user and admin manuals
• Other database-related tasks as they arise

Data collection / validation

• Manage the use and updating of (Word-based) data collection forms for collecting indicator results from colleagues
• Validate data submitted via forms before entering into database to ensure accuracy
• Guide colleagues to understand indicators and indicator definitions and how to report their work including orient new staff on reporting requirements
• Maintain a solid understanding of colleagues’ activities and relevant indicators to provide high-order guidance/support on what and how to report
• Identify issues/gaps in existing indicators and propose solutions
• Track learning products CTWWC creates through existing dataflows, and ensure they are reported under corresponding indicators; improve the process as needed.
• Supporting monitoring of learning product use and end-user feedback
• Support ILE outcome harvesting by reviewing reports for possible outcomes to harvest, ping-ponging with ILE team members, receiving and reviewing outcomes through emails, etc.

Other (as needed)

• Prepare research datasets in for online publication.
• Support online publication of datasets and learning products
• Support data analysis and visualizations in dashboards, to inform reflection, etc.
• Contribute to ILE reflection process (facilitating sessions, creating PPTs, developing agendas, etc.)
• Contribute to webinar planning (agenda, identifying speaker, facilitation, posting webinar content to blog, etc.
• Update Performance Indicator Reference Sheets (PIRS) as needed
• Support MEAL Policy and Procedure (MPP) adherence for ILE team (support setup of feedback, complaint, and response mechanism, reflection meetings, data quality assessments, etc.)

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

• Intermediate Excel skills (experience with pivot tables, formulas, data viz. preferred)
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint; Power BI is a plus), Web Conferencing Applications (Team and Zoom), information management systems, and ability to learn new platforms as required.
• Experience in data collection, building and maintaining databases, and undertaking regular data quality checks.
• Interest in global childcare reform advocacy or social work is a plus
• Understanding of ethical standards when managing data related to vulnerable children and adults
• Understanding of monitoring and evaluation practices and interest in the role that data can play to inform and advance development efforts
• Independent worker with ability to manage/prioritize activities and deliver quality work utilizing a ‘good enough’ approach
• Strong critical thinking, analytical and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with culturally diverse and remote groups and as part of a larger team.
• Patience and flexible with experience/comfort working in complex initiatives where activities may not always nicely align
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented
• Ability to maintain flexible work hours, as needed, to meet with colleagues in different time zones. Depending on locations, this may mean meetings very early in the morning or in the evening.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required or equivalent experience
• Minimum of two to three years of progressively responsible work experience

Required Languages: Advanced or native fluency in written and oral English required; (Spanish is a plus)

Travel: n/a, except to global team meetings, as needed

Supervisory Responsibilities: none

Key Working Relationships: Reports to CTWWC Global MEAL/KM PM (CRS); Influence, Learning, and Engagement Director (CRS); Faith-based Advisor (CRS); Sub-Saharan Africa Advocacy Advisor (CRS); Lived Experience Manager (Lumos); Technical consultants (Maestral); Global- and country-level MEAL Advisors (CRS and Maestral); Maestral President; Director of Better Care Network

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship

What we offer

CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, generous retirement savings plan and the opportunity to work in a collaborative, mission-driven culture that is committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.

***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

Note: All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside their home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical examination.

CRS' talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people - especially children and vulnerable adults - to live free from abuse and harm.

EOE/M/F/D/V - CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. (For all US and International positions)

Primary Location: Headquarters

Job: Cross-Functional

Organization: Catholic Relief Services

Schedule: Regular

Shift: Standard

Employee Status: Individual Contributor

Job Type: Part-time

Job Level: Day Job

Travel: Yes, 10 % of the Time

Job Posting: Oct 7, 2021, 7:03:18 AM