Senior Expert, MEL

Introducing Integrity

Integrity is an ethical consultancy and service provider working in challenging and complex environments around the globe.

We help our clients succeed in fragile and challenging environments while building trust and understanding as the basis for transformative change.

We work across all phases of the programme and project cycle, delivering ten complementary services: research, evidence and analysis / monitoring, evaluation and learning / data and knowledge management / programme and project management / grant and fund management / risk management / technical assistance / capability and capacity development / stakeholder engagement / communications. Our services are underpinned by the principles on which we were founded, a commitment to providing reliable information and evidence, and expert and high-quality delivery.

Headquartered in London and Washington DC, Integrity also has offices in Jordan, Kenya, and Pakistan. Our multi-national team of over 50 specialists deliver a diverse and global portfolio of projects for a range of government clients and international institutions including DFID, USAID, the FCO, US State Department and the World Bank.

We are guided by an organizational vision, mission and commitment.

Vision: Integrity sets the international standard for ethically delivered, expert services in conflict, post-conflict, and fragile contexts. We transform conflict and build stability, accountability, and prosperity.

Mission: We help clients and communities to build trust and understanding as the basis for transformative change. We do not advocate: we listen, comprehend, and recommend.

Commitment: We uphold the highest ethical standards in our service delivery, our employment of staff and our interaction with people. This ensures not only that our clients receive the best possible service but that we benefit the individuals and communities amongst whom we work. See our Values here.

Further information about Integrity can be found at www.integrityglobal.com.

How the Senior Expert (MEL) fits into the Integrity team

The Senior Expert (MEL) will play a varied technical and management role at Integrity, contributing to the design and delivery of Integrity’s services, as well as supporting directorate and team management responsibilities. Drawing on MEL, Project Management and other relevant service and thematic expertise, they will help win and deliver high quality, commercially viable projects.

The Senior Expert role will sit within the Services Team, which leads the design and delivery of our work. Responsibilities include: business and proposal development; project direction and management; technical delivery; and wider institutional learning. The Senior Expert will work flexibly across Integrity’s different services and teams and be attracted to a fast-paced working environment. The focus of the Senior Expert’s work will depend on current priorities and may include periods that focus more on either project delivery or business development. Initially, we expect the focus to be on design and business development, as reflected by the percentages split outlined below.

The Senior Expert role will be based in Washington DC and will report to Head of Programs. They will also work closely with the Business, Corporate and Operations teams.

The Senior Expert’s Scope of Work

The Senior Expert will be particularly involved in project design and business development. They will take on important design roles on major bids, including developing approaches, selecting and refining methods, building resource and work plans, and contributing to budget development. They will also engage in wider company learning, manage account and consultant relationships, and manage or support selected projects.

The Senior Expert will play a leading role in technical bid development, particularly for USAID and other US Government donors. This includes developing appropriate and innovative approaches and methodologies to meet the needs of our clients and writing technical proposals. These proposals will relate to key service offerings, including: Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning; Research, Evidence & Analysis; and Data and Knowledge Management. Key thematic areas include: democracy, human rights and governance; health; education; economic development; fragility and conflict; climate, natural resources and environment; and gender and inclusion.

In addition, the Senior Expert will also support the consolidation of good practice within the company and may take on line management responsibilities for more junior staff members.

Terms of Reference

A. Technical Design and Business Development (60%)

The Senior Expert plays a key role in designing Integrity’s approach to MEL - and other relevant services and thematics - through developing approach papers, leading technical proposals, assuring the quality of Integrity’s overall approach and representing Integrity externally. They will also support design related to other relevant services and thematics.

· Lead on, and contribute to, the technical design of new Integrity opportunities, from identification and pre-positioning through to submission, negotiation and inception.

· Contribute to successful and viable bids through: developing technical approaches, selecting and refining methods; building resource and work plans; and contributing to budget development.

· Contribute and sometimes lead the articulation, development and roll-out of approaches and methodologies, in line with Company Strategy.

· Provide internal and external thought leadership on Integrity’s technical offering.

· Develop and sustain strong working relationships with key government clients and other relevant accounts.

· Provide constructive quality assurance of technical offers on selected new programs and/or bids.

· Support the growth and/or improvement of our service, thematic and geographic capabilities. In particular, work closely with the Head of Programs to improve the US MEL offer.

· Engage with and influence emerging opportunities and delivery concepts and ensure Integrity’s MEL offering is responsive to market requirements.

· Lead and/or contribute to internal and external communications on agreed services, thematics and/or geographies.

B. Project Delivery (20%)

The Senior Expert will help deliver Integrity’s projects, including project direction, management and, as the portfolio grows, participating as a technical specialist on projects.

· Support Integrity to deliver its portfolio of projects and relationships on time and to high quality standards through project management and governance roles.

· Ensure projects are delivered on time, on budget, to high levels of quality and in keeping with Integrity’s ethics and ethos.

· Design, tailor and implement project management tools and processes, such as key performance indicators and financial tracking.

· Develop and sustain our reputation for high quality, innovative and client- and community-focused work.

· Negotiate successful proposals to contract ensuring effective coordination with relevant parties across Integrity’s four key teams.

· Lead on project responses to strategic risks and opportunities.

· Balance project and company resource requirements.

· Effectively, empathetically and diligently manage relationships with clients, consortium partners and stakeholders more broadly.

· Sometimes perform technical advisory and other roles on contracted projects.

C. Account & Consultant Management (10%)

The Senior Expert helps build and manage relationships with accounts and consultants in a targeted and strategic fashion.

· Cultivate and manage effective relationships with relevant accounts (client and partner organizations) and consultants.

D. Learning (5%)

The Senior Expert supports internal and external learning, particularly on key services, thematics and geographies. This includes building awareness of Integrity’s approaches and strengthening the capacity of colleagues to design and deliver to the required standard.

· Lead the identification of lessons from across Integrity’s portfolio, and beyond, and facilitate lesson-learning across the Team.

· Support the Head of Programs to drive cross-project USAID delivery good practice, through design and delivery of training modules and other learning events.

· Work with colleagues 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.

· Engage with the wider sector through attendance and participation in external events etc.

E. Staff Management (5%)

· Line manage select Integrity staff and/or corporate consultants at grade levels below S3.

· Work with colleagues under line management to develop their careers, contributing to professional advancement, job satisfaction and personnel retention.

Your Experience and Expertise

The Senior Expert will have:

• 7+ years’ experience working within international development, with significant exposure to MEL and research activities
• Experience working on USAID bids.
• Proven expertise in the design of complex USAID MEL bids, including approaches and methods, workflow planning and management, budget management.
• Good experience developing MEL systems, logframes, Theories of Change, and/or results frameworks, and tracking progress through a variety of indicators; and/or experience designing and implementing performance or impact evaluations.
• Good understanding of research cycle, covering design of approach, data collection, analysis, reporting and dissemination
• Significant experience of quality control, and quality assurance of raw data and analytical reports.
• Good analytical skills, with experience in analyzing quantitative or qualitative data
• Strong people skills evidenced by client and team management experience, including through Project Manager roles.

· Proficient in Word, Excel, and Powerpoint

It is desirable that Senior Expert will also have:

• Thematic experience in conflict, security and justice, governance, economic development, climate, natural resources and environment, health and/or education.
• Interest and experience in managing learning platforms, developing learning agendas, peer exchanges, sense-making sessions, organizational learning events, and contributing to accessible learning products.
• Understanding of key thematics, including climate, natural resources and environment; gender and social inclusion; health; education; democracy, rights and governance; and economic development;.
• Understanding of key geographies including Middle East & North Africa, East Africa and South Asia.
• Experience of working with UK Government.

Languages:

· Written and oral fluency in English, with excellent communication skills including the ability to write clear and compelling narrative.

French or Arabic language skills to a working proficiency.

Core Competencies

The Senior Expert should also demonstrate the following core competencies:

Level 1: Team competencies

· Ethics

· Leadership

· Planning and Organising

· Development and Continual Learning

· Results Focus and Initiative

· Teamwork

· Customer Orientation

· Communication

· Managing Change

Level 2-4: Management competencies

· Analytical and Flexible Thinking

· Achievement Focus

· Managing Resources

· Teamwork and Team Leadership

· Customer Orientation

· Influencing

· Organizational Knowledge

· Organizational Alignment

· Strategic Thinking

· Accountability

· Developing Talent