Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Closing date: 13 Oct 2019
How the Head of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) fits into the Integrity team
The Head of MEL will be a senior technical and management role at Integrity, providing internal and external leadership on the design and delivery of Integrity’s MEL strategy and portfolio.
The Head of MEL will oversee a growing MEL portfolio that includes several major multi-year projects across the world. These include Integrity’s role on the Evaluation and Learning Services to the Prosperity Fund (X-HMG including FCO, BEIS, DFID and DIT), the Learning and Monitoring Programme Somalia (DFID), and the Independent Monitoring, Research & Evidence Facility for a major DFID migration programme across North and West Africa.
The Head of MEL will sit within our Directorate Services (D/Services) which leads the design and delivery of our work. The Head of MEL role includes responsibilities in company strategy and management, technical delivery, business and proposal development, and wider institutional learning. The Head of MEL will work flexibly across Integrity’s different services and directorates and be attracted to a fast-paced working environment.
Your role will be based in London and you will report to Director Services. You will work closely with Integrity’s MEL Experts and Managers. You will also work particularly closely with Directorate Business (D/Business) to design new projects, manage consultants and build relationships with key partners and institutions.
Head of MEL’s Scope of Work
The Head of MEL’s role is a varied one, particularly focused on providing technical and commercial leadership to drive quality, consistency and profitability across our MEL bids and contracted portfolio. Positioned at senior management level in the company, the role also includes strategy and management functions. You will own Integrity’s MEL strategy and work with colleagues to develop and expand Integrity’s MEL portfolio.
You will play a major role in the delivery of contracted projects, including Project Director positions on high profile assignments. You will need to have proven technical, leadership and management expertise, including the ability to liaise effectively with senior stakeholders and team members.
You will also oversee the technical design of MEL bids for clients including DFID, the FCO and USAID. This includes developing appropriate and innovative approaches and methodologies to meet the needs of our clients and assuring the quality of our technical MEL proposals. Key thematic areas may include governance, economic development, security and justice, fragility and conflict, health and education.
In addition, you will also lead the consolidation of good MEL practice within the company. You will have line management responsibilities and may take on company management functions over time.
This is also an external facing role and you will engage with clients, partners and stakeholders on Integrity’s MEL offering. This may include representing Integrity and promoting our work at key events and conferences.
Terms of Reference
A.MEL Offer, Strategy and Plan (10%)
- In line with the Company Strategy (2017 – 2021), own and adapt Integrity’s MEL offering through a MEL Strategy and Plan that sets out Integrity’s approach to MEL and how Integrity’s MEL capability should grow sustainably over the next three years.
- Engage with and influence emerging MEL programmes and delivery concepts and ensure the MEL Strategy and Plan are responsive to market requirements.
- Lead internal and external communication of Integrity’s MEL offering.
B.MEL Portfolio Management and Delivery (35%)
- Sponsor select contracted projects in governance and/or management capacities as Project Director and/or as member of project governance board.
- Negotiate successful proposals to contract ensuring effective coordination with relevant parties across Integrity’s four directorates.
- Lead on project responses to strategic risks and opportunities.
- Balance internal and external resource requirements.
- Effectively, empathetically and diligently manage relationships with clients, consortium partners and stakeholders more broadly.
- Ensure projects are delivered on time, on budget, to high levels of quality and in keeping with Integrity’s ethics and ethos.
- Provide oversight of all MEL programmes in delivery and facilitate lesson learning and sharing from the MEL portfolio across Integrity.
- Participate in and if necessary lead the Senior Services Forum that coordinates Integrity’s Services functions and activities.
C.Technical Design (30%)
The Head of MEL will provide technical leadership and oversight to drive consistency and quality of MEL technical proposals. They will work across Integrity’s Directorates, and with Directorate Business in particular, to develop market leading approaches and to capture new business. You will:
- Oversight of the MEL pipeline and support Directorate Business in the identification of new MEL opportunities.
- Develop and sustain strong working relationships with key government clients and other relevant accounts.
- Contribute to and lead on technical design of new Integrity opportunities, from identification and pre-positioning to writing and submitting technical proposals.
- Work with the Integrity team to provide constructive quality assurance of technical and commercial offers on selected new programmes and/or bids.
- Contribute to key company processes for
- Business development, for example the development of relevant Standard Operating Procedures.
D.Thought Leadership and Learning (10%)
- Enhance Integrity’s MEL approaches and methodologies, with a view to promoting innovative practices and positioning the organisation as a practice/thought leader.
- Share knowledge gained through MEL project delivery and wider experiences with the internal team.
- Drive the company’s participation in external technical events, fora and relevant communities of practice in the MEL space.
E.Staff Management (10%)
- Line manage select Integrity staff and/or corporate consultants at grade levels below SM2.
- Mentor and support colleagues.
- Work with colleagues under line management to develop their careers, contributing to professional advancement, job satisfaction and personnel retention.
- Work with colleagues not under line management to support their professional development in areas of specific expertise or companies, including supporting the development of in-house training materials and delivery of training.
F.Company Management (5%)
- Eligible to sit on the Executive Management Committee and Company Committees (e.g. Risk, Resource, HR).
Your Experience and Expertises
The Head of MEL will have:
- 12+ years’ experience working within the international development, research and/or the consultancy sector.
- Proven expertise in the design and delivery of multi-year MEL programmes in the international development sector, preferably with relevant experience on programmes in fragile and conflict affected states
- Experience in senior technical and management roles on international development projects, including proven expertise in at least one of the following areas: third party monitoring; programme and portfolio evaluation; and organisational learning.
- Some previous experience of incorporating data and knowledge management strategies into MEL systems.
- Experience in effectively managing complex projects, clients and teams, including senior consultants and staff members. This should include working with DFID and/or FCO, including an understanding of contractual requirements.
- Written and oral fluency in English, with excellent communication skills.
It is desirable that the Head of MEL will also have:
- Thematic experience in governance, conflict, economic development, health or education.
- Experience working in FCAS environments
- Track record of MEL publications and presentations at key industry conferences.
- Software expertise, e.g. Microsoft Excel, Access etc.
- French and/or Arabic language skills
How to apply:
If you are interested in applying for this position, please complete the application form at www.integrityglobal.com/apply and attach a CV and Cover Letter at the bottom of your application.
The closing date for applications is 13 October 2019. However, we will review candidates on a rolling basis and the vacancy may be filled before this deadline. We encourage early applications.** Please be advised that only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
Candidates must have the right to work in the UK.
Integrity is an equal opportunities employer. And positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity. We will respect your confidentiality and abide by UK data protection laws.