1.      Background

SoCha’s Monitoring, Reporting, and Capacity Strengthening Activity (MRCS) supports the U.S. Department of State in strengthening oversight, accountability, and contextual understanding of humanitarian, health, and stabilization activities in the Sahel. Operating in both Niger and Burkina Faso, MRCS conducts independent Third-Party Monitoring (TPM) to verify activity implementation, assess beneficiary experiences, identify operational challenges, and reveal emerging risks or hot button issues that require donor attention. Through routine site visits, qualitative inquiries, and structured reporting, MRCS provides the U.S. Department of State with timely, neutral, and evidence-based insights to inform decision-making and strengthen program effectiveness in complex and insecure environments.

2.      Purpose of the Role

MRCS is seeking an experienced Learning and Monitoring Support Advisor (LMSA) to strengthen the technical quality, analytical rigor, and learning orientation of its TPM portfolio in Burkina Faso and Niger. The LMSA plays a senior, hands-on advisory role that complements and supports the Senior Monitoring Advisor, with a particular focus on quality assurance, training, analytical validation, and learning engagement with implementing partners and the U.S. Department of State. The LMSA contributes to the consistency and credibility of MRCS’ TPM system by reinforcing methodological standards, supporting tool development and refinement, strengthening field monitor capacity, and ensuring that monitoring findings are analytically sound, clearly communicated, and actively used for decision-making and adaptation.

3.Key Responsibilities

The LMSA plays a central role in strengthening the quality, consistency, and learning value of MRCS’ TPM work. The LMSA supports the Senior Monitoring Advisor and MRCS leadership by reinforcing methodological standards, enhancing analytical rigor, and ensuring that monitoring findings are clearly communicated and actively used for decision-making and adaptation. Key responsibilities include:

1. Leads the design, rollout, and continuous refinement of MRCS’ Field Monitor Training and Certification system, ensuring alignment with SoCha’s global TPM standards, U.S. Department of State requirements, and safeguarding/PSEAH obligations; includes the development of standardized curricula, and leading the delivery of Training of Trainers and refresher trainings;
2. Lead learning and validation engagements with Implementing Partners and stakeholders, facilitating discussions around TPM findings, implications, and follow-up actions;
3. Support the preparation of analytical briefings and presentations for the U.S. Department of State and other stakeholders, translating monitoring evidence into clear, decision-relevant insights;
4. Support the capacity development of national monitoring staff and M&E Advisors, through hands-on coaching, refresher trainings, structured feedback, and iterative review of analytical and reporting products;
5. Provide senior technical support and quality assurance across TPM task streams, with a particular focus on tool development, methodological consistency, and alignment with SoCha’s standardized TPM approach and U.S. Department of State oversight priorities;
6. Support advanced qualitative analysis, including sensemaking interpretation, thematic coding, triangulation across data sources, and validation of findings prior to final reporting;
7. Contribute to the drafting, review, and refinement of TPM reporting outputs, including Site Visit Reports, Hot Button Issue Reports, and Quarterly Synthesis Reports, ensuring analytical soundness, clarity, and practical relevance, and serving as lead author for a defined subset of reports;
8. Work closely with the Senior Monitoring Advisor, in-country TPM Specialists, MRCS senior leadership, and SoCha’s Home Office, ensuring coherence, consistency, and timely delivery across TPM training, analysis, learning, and reporting activities.

4.Required Qualifications

1. Master’s (or higher) in a relevant field such as international relations, political science, economics, public health, law, public administration, or data sciences. Equivalent professional experience may be substituted in lieu of an advanced degree;
2. Minimum of 8 years (10+ years preferred) of demonstrated experience analyzing multi-disciplinary issues - including politics, governance, economics, and delivery of social services – in fragile and conflict-affected environments;
3. Substantial field experience supporting evidence generation, performance monitoring, or learning functions across multiple sectors, preferably within donor-funded or U.S. Government–supported programs;
4. Demonstrated expertise in qualitative data collection, analysis, and synthesis, including triangulation across multiple data sources;
5. Experience contributing to or leading the drafting of donor-facing analytical reports and briefing findings to senior-level officials;
6. Experience developing learning products (e.g., slide decks, briefs, synthesis notes, dashboards) and facilitating learning and adaptation-focused sessions with implementing partners, donors, or technical teams;
7. Experience mentoring and coaching national staff to strengthen analytical, methodological, and report-writing capacities;
8. Strong contextual familiarity with international development and humanitarian programming in West Africa and/or the Sahel;
9. Excellent English writing and editing skills (writing samples may be requested);
10. Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple workstreams under tight timelines;
11. Ability to work independently in complex and insecure operating environments;
12. Experience working with the U.S. Government or U.S. Government–funded programs strongly preferred;
13. Regional presence required, with the ability to engage regularly across Burkina Faso and Niger to facilitate coordination, communication, and required consultations.

Languages

1. Professional fluency in French and English is required; proficiency in relevant local languages is an asset.