Research Triangle Institute International (RTI) has more than 60 years’ experience assisting governments, communities, and the private sector. As a non-for-profit, independent research institute based in North Carolina, USA, RTI has roughly 5,000 employees with global experience implementing international development projects in energy and other disciplines. Around the globe, RTI works to develop and implement low emission energy technology alternatives, raise private financing for energy infrastructure, bring efficiency to utilities, work with governments on legal and regulatory reforms to alleviate bottlenecks in energy generation and consumption, and increase access to green energy to sustain economic growth and reduce poverty. We serve as a chosen partner for USAID’s Power Africa programs in sub-Sahara Africa and have a growing international energy portfolio value at more than $200 million across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific Islands.

Project Description

The purpose of the USAID Caribbean Energy Sector Modernization project is to provide technical assistance for energy reform to utilities, ministries, and regulators in the host countries to develop policies, laws, regulations, tools, and processes to design and operate more resilient and modern energy systems. By supporting the development, reform, and promotion of sustainable policies in the energy sector, this project will facilitate the harmonization of islands’ policies therefore creating a larger market for the expansion of cleaner and renewable energy generation.  The anticipated project will be based in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and include programming in Haiti, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, 10 Eastern/Southern Caribbean nations (Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Suriname).

Position Description

RTI seeks a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Specialist for the awarded USAID Caribbean Energy Sector Modernization project. The MEL Specialist will be responsible for overseeing project results and learning events. This position will draft and finalize the MEL Plan and coordinate MEL activities with home office support. The MEL Specialist will report to the Chief of Party and will be based in the Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic or Bridgetown, Barbados.

Responsibilities:

• Leads data collection and integration of our adaptive management and collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA) approach throughout the life of the project, with guidance from RTI’s Home Office and Knowledge Management Expert.
• Leads workshops and planning sessions during program start-up to create work and performance plans, including the program theory of change and performance indicators and targets.
• Identifies and guides priority benchmarking assessments that will inform future program activity design and contribute to the project’s MEL process.
• Oversees all MEL efforts under this project including tracking indicators as defined in the project’s approved MEL Plan and ensuring there is proper documentation to support it.
• Initiates development of project’s quarterly and annual performance reports.
• Facilitates annual reviews of problem analysis, theory of change, work planning and learning activities.
• Conducts periodic data quality analysis to ensure both the efficiency and accuracy of MEL processes.
• Coordinates and provides quality control in developing all required USAID programming documents such as the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, and Gender and Inclusive Development Action Plan, and any other cross-cutting issues that may emerge
• Supports knowledge management and learning product creation and accessibility.