MEL Specialist

Workplace Circumstances

• Environment: Office
• Languages: English, Khmer
• Location: Phnom Penh

Position Summary

ASTI is looking for a MEL Specialist who owns the project’s monitoring system, internal learning and external communication. The Specialist makes ASTI’s data usable: building and running the digital monitoring platform, training partners to feed it, turning the data into reporting and reflection that steers implementation, and communicating results to partners, SDC, ASEAN bodies and the public. The position is based with GIZ in Phnom Penh and works with the country teams in Cambodia and Lao PDR.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Monitoring system. Design, manage and populate the digital monitoring platform, linked to enrolment applications and tracking trainee enrolment and progression, participating enterprises and institutions, course delivery and completion, delivery costs and co-financing in near real time.
• Partner capacity for data. Train the GIZ and Helvetas team on M&E, and train sector associations, enterprises, TVET institutions and country teams to collect and enter monitoring data; run regular data-quality checks and follow up on gaps.
• Reporting. Consolidate output-level data across the countries into quarterly dashboards and inputs to the Annual Operational Report; track co-financing contributions; maintain the project risk register.
• Project management cycle. Support the country teams and the Team Leader in planning and reporting (yearly plan of operation, annual and semi-annual reports, reports to the ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN TVET Council); ensure that reporting is consistent with monitoring data and help draw conclusions on progress, results and the adaptation of key interventions; The Specialist organize strategic quarterly reviews, to review evidence and steer project management at national and regional levels.
• Learning. Organise the internal learning and exchange moments at which country teams and partners review the data: the annual Develop–Scale–Reflect review, cross-country exchanges and the reflection note for each Regional Programme Steering Committee.
• Evidence and studies. Support the design of research and evaluation assignments; identify and document cases for case studies, lessons learnt and stories of change. Serve as interface with the CEMETS Global Foundation: provide monitoring data and sampling frames for tracer studies and coordinate the employer surveys.
• LNOB and GESI. Serve as focal point at GIZ Cambodia for leave-no-one-behind reporting and gender equality and social inclusion; ensure that monitoring data is disaggregated and used accordingly.
• Communication and visibility. Produce in-country and regional communication products, including project briefs, inputs to ASEAN bodies, and strategy and material for the Skills Forum and Swiss visibility; ensure that all material is accurate, high quality and engaging.
• Campaigns. Supports to develop communication material and campaigns, including on new channels, to change the perception of TVET and promote enrolment in WBL; support the national teams with targeted products for specific audiences, and work with the Private Sector Engagement Advisors on developing case studies and success stories.

Languages

• Khmer - Fluent
• English - Fluent

Qualifications

• Master's Degree in social sciences, economics, statistics, development studies, communication or a related field, with training in quantitative and qualitative methods

Work History

• Monitoring, evaluation and learning for development programmes, including experience of setting up or running digital M&E systems and of training partners in data collection for 7 years as a minimum

General & Technical Skills

• Experience in research design, data collection and analysis (both quantitative and qualitative).
• Experience drafting learning and reporting products for international development partners.
• Strong digital data management skills: spreadsheets, survey and M&E platforms, dashboards; able to check data quality and present data clearly to non-specialists.
• A record in communication: writing and editing for business, ministry and donor audiences; producing briefs, stories and campaign material; commissioning design, video or digital products from service providers.
• Experience in TVET, skills development or private sector development, and familiarity with gender and social inclusion monitoring, are an advantage.
• Fluent Khmer and excellent written and spoken English.

Soft Skills

• Organised and accurate; able to work with teams in two countries and with partners of varying data capacity.