International Monitoring and Evaluation (MEL) Adviser

INOVASI 3 - International Monitoring and Evaluation (MEL) Advisor

Project Overview and Role:

Indonesia’s Vision 2045 sets the goal for Indonesia to transition from a resource-based economy towards an advanced service, technology, and knowledge-based economy by the centenary of its independence (2045). The 2025-2045 National Long Term Development Plan emphasizes the urgency of Indonesia’s human resource development to fully realise 2045 goals.
Faced however with persistent low student performance that is emblematic of a learning crisis, significant improvement in student learning will be required to reach Indonesia’s 2045 goals. Government of Indonesia (GoI) has started an ambitious program of education reforms. Successive education ministers have set out to modernise the education system through reforming the national curriculum and teaching and assessment approaches, to produce citizens with strong foundational skills, open minds, and inclusive values.
Australia is a long-term supporter of the Indonesian basic education sector, with continuous investments supporting education quality improvements for the past two decades, including through the INOVASI program (Phase 1 2016-2020; Phase 2 2020-2023) that focused on supporting acquisition of literacy and numeracy foundational skills in early grades classrooms; exploring local problems and solutions; and generating evidence to inform government policy development and practices.
This third phase of INOVASI (2024-2027) builds upon the existing program’s approach and lessons learned and takes the focus on the development of foundational skills through to the end of the primary grades. Phase 3 will engage with priority issues of Australia’s development policy: gender equality, effective inclusion of children with a disability, responses to the climate change challenge in education. It will focus on the challenge of policy implementation and the gaps that exist between national policies and practices at district and school levels and use the well attested-success of INOVASI’s local problem-based approach to continuously support policy development for effective fit between policy and implementation context.
The Program is implemented by Palladium on behalf of DFAT.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

The International Monitoring and Evaluation and Learning Advisor will provide strategic support and advice to INOVASI to implement its Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Plan, which is integrated into a broader Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Strategy. INOVASI has a keen interest in using monitoring and evaluation to: (1) optimise achievement of program Intermediate Outcomes (IOs) and End of Program Outcomes (EOPOs); (2) learn from implementation to improve practices and activities in the future; (3) provide internal and external accountability for resources used and results obtained; and (4) take informed decisions about the program. INOVASI III commenced January 2024. The program’s Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Plan will be prepared during the inception phase and finalised by July 2024. The International Monitoring and Evaluation Adviser will be responsible for supporting and advising the Deputy Director (Education Policy Performance and Learning) and the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Manager to implement the MEL plan.
Working with children
Is this position likely to come into contact with children? Yes No

Duties
Under the direction of INOVASI’s Deputy Program Director (Education Policy Performance and Learning) and in coordination with the Program Director, the Research and Learning Advisor, the MERL Manger and Deputy Program Director (Learning), the International Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Adviser will:

1. Provide technical advice to ensure that the MEL Plan is effectively implemented;
2. Quality-assure MEL processes and outputs - ensuring MEL activities are informed by contemporary good practice;
3.Coordinate closely with the Research and Learning Advisor to ensure that the Research & Learning plan is well integrated into the overall MERL strategy, and that advice to the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Manager is consistent and synergistic;
4. Update the MEL Plan on an annual basis, or when required;
5. Support the MERL Manager:
a. To analyse M&E data and generate succinct, useful performance information to be used in reports on program performance against IOs and EOPOs and in internal and external review and learning.
b. To deliver six-monthly MEL reports on program performance, to incorporate into INOVASI six-monthly-progress reports (SMPR).
c. To deliver routine MEL reports, which comply with DFAT requirements.
6. In collaboration with other members of the INOVASI leadership team, support the timely completion of high-quality program annual workplans and six-monthly progress reports, and help to ensure that all products comply with DFAT policies, procedures and standards and contain strong evidence and analysis of progress towards IOs and EOPOs;
7. Coordinate with INOVASI’s senior management, R&L Advisor, DFAT’s MEL Advisor, Education Advisor and the Independent Strategic Advisory Team (ISAT), as appropriate, to
a. design and facilitate review and learning sessions throughout the program’s life;
b. co-facilitate six-monthly internal reflection and review of program performance for adaptive management and continual improvement in pursuit of achieving the program’s IOs and EOPOs
c. facilitate internal and external evaluations;
d. coordinate with DFAT appointed independent reviewers and MEL consultants, as needed;
8. Help instil a culture of monitoring, evaluation, research and learning in the team;
9. Support and advise the MERL team in building the capacity of staff and partners, especially in interpreting evidence against outcomes and key measures and considering implications;
10. Work closely with other members of the leadership team in ways that promote a collaborative culture in which teams operate cohesively and efficiently and work to achieve INOVASI’s objectives to ensure maximum impact is achieved;
11. Other duties as may reasonably be required by the Deputy Program Director consistent with the incumbent’s qualifications and experience.

Required Qualifications:

The International Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Advisor will possess the following qualifications and experience:

I. Relevant professional experience in the design and implementation of monitoring evaluation and learning, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
II. Strong academic background and or internationally recognised professional status in the field, i.e. evaluation, social sciences, statistics; and/or specialised training/certification in monitoring & evaluation.
III. Expertise in qualitative research methods, and experience in quantitative methods, statistical design and analysis, and sampling strategies.
IV. Ability to work independently, and coordinate with teams with a mix of MEL skills, capacities and exposure.
V. Experience with DFAT M&E standards is highly desirable. Experience with MEL in adaptive programs would be an advantage.
VI. Excellent communication, problem solving and inter-personal skills and ability to form productive relationships with senior government stakeholders.
VII. Excellent writing skills in English. Competence in Bahasa Indonesia would be highly desirable.
VIII. Extensive experience in a donor environment. In particular, knowledge of the Australian Government’s aid program in Indonesia would be an advantage.

Company Overview:

About Palladium - Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with governments, businesses, and investors to solve the worlds most pressing challenges. With a team of more than 3,000 employees operating in 90 plus countries and a global network of over 35,000 experts, we help improve economies, societies and, most importantly, peoples lives.

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