The SPLC is seeking a Director of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning who is committed to developing community-driven solutions! 

The Southern Poverty Law Center is looking for an evaluator with a culturally responsive and equitable evaluation (CREE) approach, as well as an experienced professional with exceptional interpersonal skills to help develop and implement an approach to monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) that drives stronger impact on organizational priorities. The Director of MEAL will be a thought partner for staff and will cultivate staff capacity for effective project planning, monitoring and evaluation. The person will be a key contributor in building an organizational culture that utilizes data, learning and innovation to help deliver meaningful outcomes. Additionally, the Director plays a key role in ensuring accountability, particularly to communities we seek to partner with, is built into the way we design, deliver, monitor and evaluate our programs. 

Who You Are

Experienced. Proven experience in program evaluation and research related to advocacy, policy, activism, human rights, litigation, or countering violent extremism is desirable. Experience providing MEAL support across all stages of the project life cycle and designing and delivering MEAL training to teams and fostering a MEAL culture within an organization. People management experience. 

Community Driven. Experienced working closely with communities and ability to build exceptional, collaborative relationships across a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders to uplift SPLC's work in the five states in which we have offices. 

Diplomatic. Ability to listen to the needs and concerns of community members and SPLC staff, while maintaining honest, transparent, and diplomatic communications. 

Analytical. Highly proficient in MEAL concepts and tools to enhance program effectiveness, with up-to-date knowledge of best practices in learning, evaluation, and impact assessment. Culturally competent in engaging with diverse people and stakeholders.

Solutions Oriented. Experienced with supporting the design of community-based solutions across various departments, programming beneficiaries and other stakeholders to uplift the voices of the communities SPLC serves. 

Detail & Data Driven. Skilled in developing qualitative solutions for programs and issues that cannot be measured quantitatively. Highly organized, with strong attention to detail, consistency, and accuracy.

Credible & Trusted. Skilled in building credibility and trust within the organization through active listening and a solutions-oriented approach. Expertise in fostering strong relationships with internal staff to align their work with organizational goals.

Mission, Vision & Culture Alignment. Demonstrated awareness for SPLC's mission and vision; and a commitment to ideals of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion and fostering an anti-racist work culture and antiracist principles and learning.

What You'll Do

Assess the Center’s capacity and needs in monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL), and work with the Chief Strategy Officer, and other key stakeholders to develop a MEAL strategy and framework that advances SPLC’s impact. 

Build the commitment and capacity of staff to design plans that are aligned with SPLC’s strategic objectives and are informed by evidence about actions with greatest potential to achieve positive change.

Lead the design and implementation of systems that advance assessment of project impact.

Partner with key stakeholders to design annual planning and reporting processes. 

Support cross-departmental planning and cultivate collaborative relationships with other members of the Leadership Team as well as members of the Executive Team. 

Support organization-wide learning by sharing data-driven insights and partnering with subject matter experts to translate them into new practices.  

Design and conduct internal evaluations of SPLC projects, and oversee evaluations conducted by external researchers, partners, or consultants. 

Monitor MEAL advancements in the NGO sector so that SPLC’s performance systems benefit from proven best practices.

Manage a team, monitor staff performance and development goals, assign duties and conduct performance reviews as well as provide mentoring and coaching to support staff member’s professional growth. 

Manage other projects and any other duties that are assigned, as needed.

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