THE OPPORTUNITY

Abt Global is a mission-driven international development company that seeks to improve the economic and social wellbeing of people and communities across the Indo-Pacific region and globally. Promoting equity is core to Abt’s work, in the international development programs we design and deliver, the research and evaluations we undertake, and in our corporate policies and practices.
Abt manages a portfolio of development programs across the Pacific and Southeast Asia spanning public sector governance, economic growth, health, education, climate change, gender equality, disability equity and social protection. We see strong Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, Learning and Adaptative Management (MERLA) as central to program strategy and effectiveness.
This role is an exciting opportunity for a mid-career professional to work with / as part of our in-house team of technical specialists to guide and support the technical quality of MERLA in Abt-managed programs across the region, provide technical input to proposals for new work, and contribute to publications on cutting edge MERLA practice.
Our MERLA Technical Advisers sit within the company’s international technical practice (ITP). The ITP combines deep technical expertise in MERLA, gender and social inclusion, governance, climate change, health and education in interdisciplinary ways to tackle complex development problems.

Our MERLA Technical Advisers provide a range of advisory services to Abt-managed programs, as well as directly advising clients such as DFAT. These services include:

• Business growth: Contribute to expanding Abt’s portfolio of programs in the Asia-Pacific region by providing technical input into proposals for new work, in close collaboration with the Business Development and International Technical Practice teams.
• Technical tasks: Design and advise on MERLA systems, frameworks and tools for Abt-held projects and consulting tasks. Quality assure MERLA products.
• Knowledge sharing and learning: Contribute to company MERLA guidance and standards. Support partners and country teams to embed good practice and innovation in programs by providing technical support that aligns with client standards,
• Relationships and market positioning: Establish and maintain strong networks with key stakeholders (donors, governments, civil society, academia, private sector) and represent Abt in external forums on MERLA-related issues.

The Associate will work under the guidance of Abt’s MERLA Senior Technical Adviser.
Abt Australia is committed to diversity and inclusion and encourages candidates of diverse backgrounds to apply for this role.
Abt Australia has a culture of workplace flexibility, and all employees are afforded the opportunity to request to work flexibly to achieve a positive work life balance.

Knowledge sharing and learning

• Develop and deliver MERLA training for program teams and provide coaching and mentoring to program staff across the region on effective implementation of MERLA systems.
• Support program teams with development or strengthening of MERL components, which may include MIS development, baseline studies, reflection workshops and/or research studies
• Facilitate global and regional communities of practice bringing together program staff to share insights, good practices and lessons.
• Develop and publish articles and conference papers contributing to literature and practitioner debates

The MERLA Associate will provide technical support and/or business development inputs for discrete opportunities.

Business growth

• Contribute to technical brainstorming sessions and writing quality MERLA sections in technical proposals
• Collaborate with a diverse technical team to design solutions with a multi-disciplinary lens
• Ability to translate lessons from complex existing MERLA systems into clear approaches, written in plain English, for technical proposals

Technical tasks

• Design MERLA solutions for complex, large programs in the climate change, governance, health and education sectors
• Support or quality assure the development of program MERLA strategies and plans aligned with client frameworks and standards and support their implementation and review.

Knowledge sharing and learning

• Develop and deliver MERLA training for program teams and provide coaching and mentoring to program staff across the region on effective implementation of MERLA systems.
• Support program teams with development or strengthening of MERL components, which may include MIS development, baseline studies, reflection workshops and/or research studies
• Facilitate global and regional communities of practice bringing together program staff to share insights, good practices and lessons.
• Develop and publish articles and conference papers contributing to literature and practitioner debates.

Relationships and market positioning

• Contribute to determining client needs and undertaking competitor analysis as required.
• Other duties as directed by the Senior Technical Advisor - MERLA