ABA CGP - Learning Evidence and Impact - MEL Director

The American Bar Association (ABA) was founded on a commitment to advance the rule of law in the United States and beyond by providing practical resources for legal professionals, conducting law school accreditation, developing model ethics codes and more. Today, the ABA remains a member-based organization that works to ensure access to justice for all, a fair legal process, and respect for the rule of law at home and across the globe.

The ABA is committed to service and refining the standards that guide the legal profession. ABA staff are provided multiple types of continuing education and career development opportunities. Your work will help eliminate bias, enhance diversity, and advance the rule of law throughout the US and around the world.

The ABA recognizes the value staff contribute to our success through a generous benefits package that protects their health and their financial security.  The ABA’s wide array of benefit offerings include 401(k), medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, health spending accounts, supplemental life and disability insurance, prepaid legal programs, and a complimentary membership to the American Bar Association, which offers additional benefits.

Flexible/hybrid work arrangements may be available for residents of CA, DC, IL, IN, IA, MD, MI, MN, TX, VA, and WI.  Residency requirements may apply. ABA employees are eligible to apply for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). 
 

Responsible and accountable for providing strategic direction for technical and managerial elements of MEL processes across Center for Global Programs in support to regional divisions and entities. The main purpose of this job is ensuring that all MEL requirements are being met/exceeded according to the ABA, CGP, and donor requirements. This includes developing and implementing MEL products, maintaining proactive communications with relevant stakeholders, incorporating evaluation recommendations and findings in new program design, and identifying best practices derived from lessons learned. Serves as key contributor to new business efforts, including proposal development and engaging in continuous training and mentoring programs for program staff. The job also involves establishing and enhancing effective collaboration and relationships with program donors, local entities and other partners regarding MEL activities, providing leadership to assigned staff, contributing to business development efforts, facilitating cross-regional pollination, and providing regular briefings and analysis for CGP and ABA leadership.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities 

•            Oversees the day-to-day management of monitoring, evaluation, learning, and analytics processes and ensures that all MEL requirements are being met/exceeded according to the ABA, ROLI, and donor requirements.

•            Oversees the development and implementation of MEL products, including, but not limited to, project MEL plans, budgets (including subaward MEL processes), analysis of MEL activities in regional workplans, and convening, organizing and participating in training and workshop opportunities in DC and field offices.

•            Strategically guides/contributes to business development efforts by leading MEL sections of proposal design, writing proposals, coordinating with partners, serving as a MEL technical expert, and meeting with donors to maintain relationships and project ABA ROLI MEL expertise.

•            Maintains proactive communications with the Country Directors (if relevant), Division staff and ROLI leadership to ensure timely and accurate updates on programs’ MEL activities, achievements, and shortcomings in MEL processes.  In areas where program shortcomings are identified, creates and implements corrective action plans to improve performance against standards.

•            Responsible for ensuring that programs reflect on and incorporate evaluation recommendations and findings in new program design and adaptation.

•            Works with the Country Directors, PMU leads and Division leadership to ensures program has appropriate capacity and tools to conduct effective monitoring.

•            Assists in identifying best practices derived from lessons learned, works closely with MEL staff to prepare and implement tools that track program impact, including assessments, research, and evaluation terms of reference and DevResults.

•            Develops strategic partnerships and establishes and enhances effective collaboration and relationships with program donors, local entities and other partners (e.g., academics, practitioners, researchers, universities, etc.) to fulfill program MEL objectives within cost constraints.

•            Oversees staff, provides leadership, coaching, counseling, feedback, performance appraisal, and, where appropriate, applies corrective actions to an assigned staff.

•            Contributes to thought leadership, facilitating cross-regional pollination and provides regular briefings and analysis for CGP and ABA leadership. Represents ABA Center for Global Programs in briefings to donors, government officials, communities of practice and other public fora. 

•            Performs other related duties as required.

Required Education, Qualifications, Experience

•            Juris Doctorate from an ABA-accredited law school or master’s degree and at least eight (8) years of program management experience, NOTE:  If law degree is from a non-U.S. law school, the degree program may not be required to be from an ABA-accredited law school.

•            At least 5 years of MEL experience in international development field.

•            Previous experience managing U.S. Government or other similarly funded international programs which must have included  responsibilities for supervision of a team, financial management, and compliance.

•            Relevant experience, knowledge, and understanding of budgeting and financial principles and performance monitoring of international development programs.

•            At least 4 years of previous supervisory experience which must have included providing performance feedback to direct reports.

Preferred Education, Qualifications, Experience

•            Strong time management skills and ability to work under tight deadlines and to prioritize/manage multiple tasks simultaneously.

•            Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with a diverse group of stakeholders.

•            Ability to lead by example, positively motivate others and be an effective team player.

•            The ideal candidate will combine strong management skills and rigorous quantitative/qualitative expertise with an ability to summarize                    complex data and tell a story.

•            Previous experience working for an international non-governmental organization.

•            Proficiency, if not fluency, in one or more of the ROLI region’s official languages.