Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

Location: Kigali                     

Closing date: 30^th April 2020

Background:

Land O’Lakes Venture37 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit helping communities around the world build economies by strengthening agriculture from farm-to-fork, helping businesses grow, and linking farmers to markets. Since our start in 1981, we have been leveraging nearly 100 years of expertise in dairy, animal nutrition, crop inputs and agricultural insights from our close affiliate, Land O’Lakes, Inc., a farmer-owned agribusiness committed to fulfilling its purpose of feeding human progress.

Our team is made up of nearly 350 employees who are committed to market-led approaches, and passionate about collaborating locally to create lasting inclusive economic growth. By unlocking the potential of agriculture for the last 39 years, the lives of more than 3 million people have been transformed through nearly 300 programs in more than 80 countries.

Project Description:

USAID Feed the Future Orora Wihaze Activity aims to transform the poultry, fish, pig and goat value chains while cultivating local demand for animal source foods. Venture37 leads a consortium of four firms that operate as project teams to deliver results using innovative market systems development (MSD) approach and empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises. The Activity will use and offer grants or other contractual mechanisms to create incentives for private businesses and supporting organizations to address gaps and barriers or to seize opportunities in the marketplace for animal source foods. Orora Wihaze will solicit concept notes on a rolling basis for innovative and impactful ideas that contribute to the achievement of Activity Objectives. After evaluation of the concept notes and where appropriate a grant or contract will be awarded to successful applicants to address high priority issues; target smallholder households, women, youth and PWD in target districts; be highly feasible; and have the potential for scale and replication by other market actors.

Position Summary:

The Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist is responsible and accountable for all monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) activities for the Orora Wihaze Activity. With support from Venture37’s Global MEL team and in coordination with expert MSD advisors, the M&E Specialist will implement a robust MEL system that meets the requirements of USAID Feed the Future and utilizes both traditional and market systems measurement approaches.

Specifically, the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist will develop data collection tools and processes as defined in the Orora Wihaze MEL plan; train staff and partners in MEL system implementation; coordinate data collection efforts; ensure data quality; and process and analyze data for use in reporting, adaptive management, and learning purposes.  Additionally, the M&E Specialist will support the development and roll-out of a tablet-based data collection system that allows field users to capture and enter data and to review and track results against indicators. The M&E Specialist will participate in and, on occasion, lead learning and work planning meetings with the Orora Wihaze team and animal source food industry stakeholders. S/he will develop tools and processes for receiving feedback and for communicating with partners and USAID to demonstrate and apply the best practices in adaptive management and learning, i.e., analyzing critical inputs, feedback, and assessments to inform changes in program approaches and to scale sub-activities and interventions. The M&E Specialist is classified as key personnel and the incumbent will be approved by USAID.  The M&E Specialist reports to the Orora Wihaze Chief of Party and receives technical oversight and support from Venture37 Global MEL director.

Primary Responsibilities:

Primary responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Lead the development of the data collection tools and the updating of tools and the MEL Plan as necessary throughout the life of the Orora Wihaze activity, integrating innovative approaches to measuring systems change in collaboration with the Market Systems Advisor.
• Execute and manage the IMPACTS system (a tablet-user based on-line database and M&E reporting portal) for Orora Wihaze, training field users, supervising and overseeing all data entry. Utilize SharePoint document management software to store key documents and share key project and country related information with other staff.
• Regularly review data collection processes, perform data quality assessments, and adjust MEL processes as needed.  Undertake regular visits to district offices and partner locations to support the implementation of MEL activities and to identify where adaptations and improvements might be needed.
• Provide regular analysis and interpretation of data for key metrics and contribute to, or prepare Excel schedules and written explanations for inclusion in quarterly progress reports, presentations, impact and success stories, work planning sessions, learning events, and/or other ad hoc reports.  Responsible for maintaining and updating a Performance Results Indicator Table and Venture37’s Practice Area Indicators (PAIs) and related performance results in indictors sheets (PIRS).
• Participate and facilitate sharing and learning from the findings of quantitative and qualitative data with staff and partners. Lead meetings and make presentations about results and findings.
• Conduct internal surveys and support project evaluations, partner site visits, and research missions as required. Participate in the process of selecting and managing appropriate consultants and firms to complete surveys, studies, and required evaluations.  Supervise or monitor these activities, overseeing quality control and timelines, and review and comment on the content of evaluation reports.
• Demonstrate the highest degree of integrity throughout all activities.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in statistics, public policy, applied economics, or related area of study.
• At least five (5) years of relevant and progressive professional experience designing and implementing MEL systems. Evidence of specialized training in MEL systems and experience designing and overseeing rigorous evaluation methods, applying analysis tools, and reporting results for agriculture and/or food security development projects.  
• Experience working with the private sector, civil society, and government sectors on monitoring and evaluation programs, as well as building the capacity of local organizations.
• Proven ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrated ability to implement, operationalize, and manage information collection and assessment systems, and experience using, managing, and trouble-shooting databases using appropriate software applications for data entry, analysis, and storage of quantitative data.
• High-level of competency in the use of Microsoft Office software and skilled competency in quantitative data analysis software (preferably SPSS or Stata).
• Well-developed conceptual, analytical and innovative problem-solving capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate, and monitor tasks.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently with minimal oversight and proactively and collaboratively as a team member, requiring skills to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate, and monitor task completion and achievements.
• Excellent diplomacy skills and proven ability to establish and maintain interpersonal and professional relationships internally and externally with USAID, partners and other key stakeholders.
• Professional proficiency in written and spoken English and Kinyarwanda languages.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience managing MEL systems for USAID-funded programs; experience on USAID Feed the Future programs and the related reporting requirements is highly beneficial.
• Experience in Market System Development project implementation and in measuring systemic change highly desired.
• Experience conducting learning events and facilitating conversations to enable and encourage problem-solving and adaptive management.
• Experience training staff and teams in data collection and monitoring-related techniques and methods is desirable.
• Experience with tablet-based data and storage collection system or other similar information databases or software applications.

Application Link:

https://lol.avature.net/Careers/JobDetail/Kigali-Rwanda-Monitoring-and-Evaluation-Specialist/1444