Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Advisor
- Career Category: Monitoring & Evaluation, Research / Development, Advisor / Individual Consultant
- Schedule:Part-time
- Salary: Negotiable
Reports to: Director of MERL and GEDSI
Location: Phnom Penh, with some travel to provinces.
Duration: One year, with possibility for extension for high performers
Employment type: Part-time, output-based
Contractual arrangement: Open to applicants with the right to work in Cambodia. International applicants may apply; however, visa arrangements, relocation support, and any accompanying benefits will not be provided.
Position Summary
The MERL Advisor will provide high-level technical and hands-on support to implement CAPRED’s MERL system and deliver quality outputs across monitoring, research, learning, and reporting. This is a delivery-focused advisory role, with direct responsibility for producing, reviewing, and quality-assuring outputs according to clear weekly or bi-weekly deliverables.
The role requires a mid-to-senior level professional who can manage high-intensity workloads during peak reporting and research periods while providing practical coaching and hands-on technical support to other team members. The successful candidate will be expected to work independently, exercise professional judgment, and deliver outputs of superb quality with minimal guidance.
Selection Criteria – Essential
This role is designed for a senior-level MERL professional with extensive experience in research, monitoring, evaluation, and learning in development programs. This role is not suitable for junior-level or purely advisory candidates. Only those meeting the essential criteria and able to manage a high-intensity workload should apply.
- Technical:
- Update and revise Intervention Guides (IGs), including developing new ones, where applicable.
- Review and update existing IGs to reflect current intervention design and delivery.
- Lead development of new IGs.
- Provide quality assurance on IGs drafted by other team members.
- Conduct fieldwork and lead on data collection, entry, analysis, and quality assurance.
- Lead research plan and questionnaire development, ensuring proper and ethical research practices.
- Oversee quality control of baseline, midline, and endline surveys.
- Support training and supervision of enumerators; lead team capacity building on data collection tools (e.g., KoboToolBox, Excel template).
- Perform or oversee data cleaning and initial analysis to generate key findings to contribute to program learning and reporting.
- Support contracting and management of research and MERL assignments.
- Draft and review scopes of work and deliverables for MERL consultants, with responsibility for tracking timelines, budgets, and documentation for these assignments.
- Facilitate learning and knowledge-sharing.
- Facilitate knowledge sharing and learning workshops to strengthen team capacity and promote best practices within the team.
- Compliance:
- Ensure all MERL activities align with DFAT and Cowater policies and procedures, including ethics, safeguarding, data privacy, and value for money.
- Champion integration of GEDSI and climate resilience in MERL practices.
- Maintain accurate information and audit trails for data quality assurance and compliance.
- Stakeholder relationships:
- Respond to information requests and support knowledge dissemination to internal and external stakeholders.
- Bachelor's Degree in social sciences, development studies, public policy, statistics, or a related field
- Experience in research and/or MERL for 10 years as a minimum
- Strong experience in both qualitative and quantitative research and evaluation.
- Demonstrated experienced with DFAT and other donor-funded MERL frameworks.
- Excellent writing and communication skills, with the ability to synthesise monitoring findings into clear, actionable insights.
- Experience embedding GEDSI and climate resilience in MERL systems.
- Willingness to frequently travel (appx. 40%) to project sites for field monitoring and support.
