Research, Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist

About Heartland Alliance International: Heartland Alliance International (HAI) implements programs on a broad range of human rights issues globally, as well as the Chicago-based Marjorie Kovler Center, which serves individuals from more than 60 countries. HAI has significant expertise in the fields of trauma-informed mental health care and access to justice for survivors of rights abuses. It is also an industry leader in access to high quality and stigma-free health care. Across all its programs, HAI promotes progressive, innovative approaches to human rights protections and gender equality.

Summary:  The Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation Specialist, in collaboration with the Associate Director, Research and Evaluation, oversees all aspects of the research and evaluation process for two major programs at the Marjorie Kovler Center (MKC): the Survivors of Torture (SOT) Program and the Afghan Program (AP). This position will work closely with the team to ensure all of the data necessary for grant reporting, as required by existing or potential donors, is current and readily accessible through the data management system. In addition to providing overall evaluation support, the position's primary responsibilities revolve around collecting primary data, pulling secondary data, and being able to analyze, synthesize, and report on both. The Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation Specialist also supports culture development and management efforts and works in collaboration with the MKC leadership team. The Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation Specialist leverages industry knowledge and best practices to promote the mission and vision of the Marjorie Kovler Center and the institution.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation

·         Works closely with the Associate Director, Research and Evaluation in all aspects of the research and evaluation process for the SOT and Afghan programs.

·         Conducts follow-up interviews with clients, collects, and reports feedback/data using several different instruments.

·         Enters data, runs reports, and serves as the lead point of contact for data management system.

·         Conducts data analyses and supports writing for presentations, reports, and manuscripts (requires a knowledge of basic statistics).

·         Assists the Associate Director, Research and Evaluation, in developing new ways to evaluate the overall merit of the programs beyond outcomes.

·         Conducts literature reviews and investigates research literature as necessary to support forthcoming presentations and publications and to keep abreast of the field of torture treatment and trauma.

Data Coordination and Grant Reporting   

·         Works closely with the team to prepare data and narratives for reports and grant applications, including creating timelines and ensuring due dates are met.

·         Works closely with the Office of Refugee and Resettlement (ORR) and other stakeholders to determine reporting needs and requirements, waiver amendments and renewals, and other documents as required.

·         Produces data, reports, and statistical summaries for internal and external needs of the programs/departments as directed by the Associate Director, Research and Evaluation.

·         Participates in periodic evaluative reviews and/or in-house and external staff training to ensure a current understanding and continued adherence to policies and procedures. 

·         Other relevant duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:

·         Bachelor's Degree in a related field (social sciences, data and statistics, planning, development, or other field of sciences) required.

·         Minimum three (3) years of extensive qualifying work experience directly related to this role required.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities (K/S/A):

·         Demonstrated computer proficiency, including knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet software, and statistical packages such as SPSS, SAS, or R.

·         Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including phone etiquette. Ability to read and interpret documents, instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine correspondence.

·         Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

·         Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

·         Strong organizational skills.

·         Demonstrate accuracy and thoroughness.

·         Applicants should be mature, well-spoken, and comfortable interacting with a wide range of individuals and diverse populations, including all our participants, clinicians, and other professionals.

·         Adherence to organizational ethics and confidentiality standards.

Work Arrangement:

·         This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. It is expected that this person would be able to meet for in-person meetings when needed or at the request of others. In-person meetings may be required on a weekly or monthly basis.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here represent those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

·         The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

·         Employees may be required to remain on Organization premises during breaks and/or meal periods and may be required to stay on Organization premises until their replacement arrives.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

·         While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.

·         While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, use hands to handle or feel and reach with hands and arms.

·         While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, climb, or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

·         The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:

Heartland Alliance makes all hiring and employment decisions, and operates all programs, services, and functions without regard to race, receipt of an order of protection, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, amnesty, physical or mental disability, protected veterans status, genetic information, sexual orientation, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, use of FMLA, VESSA, military, and family military rights, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, height, weight, or HIV infection, in accord with the organization's AIDS Policy Statement of September 1987.