Position Description

EnCompass LLC is seeking a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Director who has strategic, management, and technical responsibility for the MEL team’s portfolio, including personnel management, client and contract oversight, and quality assurance, in collaboration with the MEL leadership team. The Director brings thought leadership, management oversight, and innovative approaches to active project and business development work and represents EnCompass to clients, partners, and technical communities.

EnCompass Directors have responsibility at multiple levels – as individual technical contributors on complex work, as leaders of staff teams, and jointly as members of the Senior Management Group (SMG). As a member of the SMG, Directors embody the EnCompass values, ensure open and inclusive communication, and integrate expertise, knowledge, and support throughout the company.

This is a full-time position located at the EnCompass principal office in Silver Spring, Maryland, and follows the EnCompass flexible hybrid work model with split time between telework and the office. This individual may also be expected to work from client sites in the Washington, DC metro area, as needed.

Candidates residing in the DC metro area will be given first consideration. Remote applicants might be considered, but only if the candidate resides in a state where EnCompass is currently registered.

For US-based positions: Must be legally authorized to work in the US for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

Essential functions:

Technical Management

• Plays a key oversight role in the performance and results of complex MEL international program activities within the practice including ensuring technical work aligns to client need, contract parameters, budget, and team capacity.
• Serves in an oversight role as “Corporate Officer” for MEL programs, including overseas, in-country MEL projects. This is a high-level role at the company that provides senior financial, administrative, technical, and advisory support to enable project team success for large MEL contracts.
• Cultivates, develops, and maintains relationships with clients and partners
• Builds networks and partnerships for innovation across public and private sectors
• Provides strategic planning, organization, and direction to large/complex work in the MEL team portfolio
• Ensures quality and standards are met and supports teams to develop systems that ensure consistent, high-quality work that is aligned to client need
• Plays a leadership role in ensuring allocation and alignment of resources, including staff/consultant technical expertise, with budgets and contract requirements
• In collaboration with the MEL leadership team and other teams across the company, supports contract compliance, budget management, and personnel on projects of varying size and complexity.
• Stays informed of latest developments in the field to ensure that EnCompass is able to adapt to market demands
• Contributes to thought leadership including publishing and presenting significant work with technical resources, white papers and blogs, and in relevant journals, trade publications, and conferences
• Develops best practice operating strategies and provides overall strategic and programmatic direction for the team

Personnel Management

• Identifies and makes recommendations to senior leadership for staffing needs and team structure given current and projected growth.
• Hires and supervises staff (including senior practice and/or in-country staff, including project leads/Chiefs of Party for USG-funded projects) and consultants for the Evaluation team, ensuring team and individual performance by technical mentoring, setting objectives and quality standards
• Collaborates with team members and strategically leverages the strength and knowledge of the team to determine how to best meet EnCompass and client needs
• Advises and supports supervisors who are navigating sensitive and/or complex personnel matters, (such as providing feedback)
• In collaboration with the MEL Vice President and Senior Director, engages to resolve personnel issues among the team, including engaging in corrective action processes in line with the EnCompass personnel manual.
• Models all EnCompass approaches with respect to effective personnel management

Business Development

• In collaboration with the TA/Eval leadership team, supports the development of the TA/EVAL Practice’s growth strategy which includes broadening and deepening our MEL portfolio across USG, international bi- and multi-lateral donors, foundations, and private sector clients.
• Leads analysis of client and competitive landscape, identification and tracking of business, client and technical sector trends to inform critical new business development opportunities, and strategic positioning and growth aligned with the EnCompass strategic plan, Vision 2026.
• Manages implementation and operationalization of strategic framework goal to explore opportunities for expanded work with current/new clients and countries.
• Leads and/or contributes to proposal development in collaboration with other staff and consultants, including serving as Technical Lead or Lead Writer, leading proposal and teaming strategy, strategic budgeting, developing technical approaches, writing technical sections of proposals, and reviewing proposal drafts
• Mentors and guides MEL staff to engage in supporting all aspects of business development
• Identifies new partners and sources of new business and leads relevant discussions with potential partners and EnCompass staff members
• Contributes to the expansion of EnCompass’ Global Consultant Network by engaging in professional fora and identifying potential consultants for proposals and contracts.

Company Management Support

• As a member of the SMG, provides input, feedback, and communicate on company policies, strategies and activities
• Collaborates and coordinates with other EnCompass teams to support integration of expertise and knowledge across the company
• Fosters an appreciative work culture of collaboration and teamwork for knowledge sharing and learning

• Engages fully as a member of the EnCompass staff team, including participating in staff meetings and other EnCompass events, and providing support to other team members as needed

Position Requirements

Qualifications

Academic Qualifications

• High School Diploma and 18 years of experience; Associate’s degree and 16 years of experience; Bachelor’s degree and 14 years of experience; Master’s degree and 12 years of experience; or PhD and 10 years of experience

General Qualifications

• Demonstrated technical, contract, and budget leadership on large/complex international MEL programs, including having served in a senior home office backstop role on USAID funded overseas prime activities
• Extensive experience supervising staff and teams, including prior experience supervising senior staff (e.g. Chief of Party, Project Director)
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to interact with individuals at all levels. Experience leading sensitive dialogs with clients on complex issues.
• Strong communication skills, including writing and public speaking
• Experience working in multiple sectors in the international development space.
• Flexibility and ability to travel; experience working or living overseas preferred
• Ability to work sensitively in multi-cultural environments and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues
• Well-developed professional networks

Technical Qualifications

• Extensive experience providing senior level technical oversight and quality assurance on complex monitoring and evaluation contracts. This includes at least four years overseeing Project Leads, Project Directors or Chiefs of Party or similar senior level positions who in turn are managing large teams in-country.
• Significant experience in capacity building, training design, and facilitation
• High level of competence in writing high quality and concise reports, analyses, proposals or other technical and organizational communications
• Experience with MS Office suite of applications.
• Experience in quantitative methods highly desirable
• Fluency in language(s) other than English highly desirable

Management Qualifications

• Strong strategic planning, organization, and problem-solving skills on complex work/teams
• Excellent team building and interpersonal communications skills and successful experience in managing and motivating diverse teams of staff and consultants
• Ability to develop and manage client relationships
• Ability to manage time and prioritize tasks across a team, while overseeing the production of quality products within time and budget constraints
• Proven track record of managing complex contracts and large budgets
• Ability to serve as direct supervisor of staff, including senior professionals

Experience and Skills

• Experience contributing to and leading MEL business development strategy efforts on large opportunities.
• Direct experience managing the opportunity identification, capture, and proposal process and authoring sections of successful proposals for large/complex USAID opportunities
• Proven ability to develop original text and also to re-purpose and edit written materials
• Extensive experience working in international development programs
• Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation, technical assistance, and training and capacity building methods and activities
• Experience in any of the following technical sectors: health, education, democracy and governance, gender and youth, among others
• Exceptional ability to understand and communicate complex information, and to conceptualize and produce strong, clean and compelling written materials
• Demonstrated managerial, administrative, analytical, and decision-making abilities
• Demonstrated ability to identify priority actions and generate and complete work plans within short timeframes
• Strong interpersonal communication skills and ability to work effectively in teams
• Must be innovative in problem solving and resourceful in finding information
• Ability to work under pressure and manage competing priorities and deadlines
• Attention to detail, accuracy and strong time management skills
• Ability to rapidly create text, spreadsheets, and other types of documents to meet specific proposal and reporting requirements
• Ability to work in an appreciative, strengths-based environment and to guide others in using an appreciative approach

How to Apply

Please submit CV and cover letter, and complete the application on the Careers & Consulting page of https://encompassworld.com.

The pay range for this role allows for the wide variety of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, certifications, and other business and organizational needs. At EnCompass, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is $145,000 - $165,000.

EnCompass LLC is a progressive Equal Opportunity Employer. We promote, celebrate, and support a diverse and inclusive organizational culture and workforce. We are committed to providing all of our employees with an environment free from discrimination and harassment, where all are treated with dignity and respect. We do not tolerate, and explicitly prohibit, discrimination or harassment of any kind, at any time, in all aspects of employment. This includes recruitment, hiring, promotions, disciplinary measures, terminations, compensation, benefits, social and recreational programs, and training. EnCompass also does not tolerate retaliation against individuals who report discrimination or harassment. Our continuing commitment to the principle of Equal Opportunity Employment for all means all employment decisions are based only on the job requirements, the candidate’s qualifications, and the needs of EnCompass as a business—not on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, belief, sex (including pregnancy and related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability status, veteran status, genetic information, HIV status, family/marital/parental status, or any other status protected by the laws and regulations in the jurisdictions where we work.

For US based positions: The employer will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required of personnel so classified.

The incumbent must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle and prioritize multiple, competing tasks and demands and to seek supervisory assistance as appropriate.

If you require accommodations in line with the Americans with Disabilities Act to complete your application, please call 301-287-8700, provide your contact information and a description of your accessibility issue. We will make a determination on your request for reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case-basis, and we will call you back within approximately 3 business days.

EEO is the Law & EEO is the Law Supplement, Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision

VEVRAA Notice

At EnCompass, our internal motto is "work that fits your life". Among other things, we offer the following Total Rewards Benefits* to eligible US Staff:

• Multiple options on Healthcare insurance
• Company paid Dental & Vision coverage
• Company paid term life insurance, AD&D Insurance, and Disability insurance
• Supplemental life insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (Health care and Dependent care FSA)
• 401K with an Employer match
• Hybrid/Remote work privileges
• Flexible work schedules
• Free EAP & ERP
• Paid Parental Leave
• Training and Professional Development resources and funds
• Generous PTO, increases with years of service
• 11 paid Holidays (2 of which are floating), including Juneteenth
• Paid Bereavement Leave
• Charitable Donation Match
• Pet insurance
• Equity & Belonging support
• Commuter Benefits

*Certain benefits are subject to restrictions depending on location, job requirements and employment status