Data Collection Assistant - ARE Program

BACKGROUND

The Lebanon Agriculture and Rural Empowerment (ARE) program is a multi-year project funded by USAID to develop rural economics in Lebanon through support to the agro-food sector and other industries to unlock local and export sales potential while also creating jobs and increasing farmers’ and worker’s incomes. ARE will increase jobs; improve incomes; improve female participation and employment opportunities; increase domestic and export sales; increase private sector investment; improve access to finance; link value chain actors to domestic and international markets; and improve farm production through improved practices, technology, increased volume, and/or decreased cost.

II. POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Data Collection Assistant is a member of the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning team, under the direct supervision of the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Director. The data collection assistant will assist in the collection and storage of accurate ongoing project monitoring and evaluation data across regional offices and activities related to the Lebanon ARE project, including report writing, file maintenance, and quantitative and qualitative data analysis. The assistant will assist the MEL team in ensuring robust monitoring and assessment of project activities, and measuring impact using collaboration, adaptation, and learning methodologies as appropriate. 

III. DETAILED RESPONSIBILITIES

• Organize the collection of data based on guidance received from the MEL Manager, in accordance with the project’s MEL Plan;
• Contribute to data quality and integrity by conducting remote spot checks to verify data and investigate data anomalies;
• Compile relevant data on project indicators for contractual reports;
• Design, maintain, and share databases and spreadsheets as well as formats for reporting information on project activities and deliverables;
• Manage data entry in the Chemonics’ DevResults data management portal and ensure that dashboard information is regularly updated and shared with ARE senior management;
• Support in collective quantitative data for quarterly reports and upon USAID request for information to the MEL Director for review;
• Participate in annual work planning and updates to the project MEL plan as needed;
• Collaborate regularly with field staff to ensure all staff understand the roles and responsibilities regarding the collection of data for the monitoring and evaluation systems in place;
• Work with project technical staff to collect relevant data from counterpart institutions, and when necessary, provide technical support to project subcontractors, clients, and grantees to help them to develop monitoring, evaluation and reporting skills as necessary;
• Maintain the project database and enter data into the required USAID mission reporting tools while ensuring accuracy and timeliness of MEL data;
• Perform other tasks as assigned by the MEL Manager or MEL Director to ensure overall effective implementation of program activities.

IV. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (with statistics background); Business Administration, Economics, Public Health, Social Science or similar
• Minimum of two to three years of experience in data collection, indicator tracking, impact evaluations, and other monitoring and evaluation processes to determine and measure outputs of projects and their affect on selected communities;
• Knowledge of USAID or other donor-funded monitoring, evaluation, and learning standards and regulations strongly preferred;
• Experience using M&E data analysis and tracking systems, particularly Microsoft Excel;
• Experience working with DevResults software package highly preferred; 
• Strong written and oral communication skills; experience with report writing preferred;
• Fluent spoken and written Arabic, and proficient spoken and written English;

V. LOCATION OF ASSIGNMENT

The Data Collection Assistant will be based in the project’s main office in Beirut, Lebanon, and travel throughout the country as needed.

VI. REPORTING

The Data Collection Assistant will report to the MEL Director or is/her designee.