The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Manager will be responsible for the development and oversight of all monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) activities taking place in the East Africa Community. This will include developing and implementing a robust MEL system that meets the requirements of USDA and Land O’Lakes’ MEL policies. Specifically, the M&E Manager will be responsible for creating quantitative and qualitative data collection tools and processes documented in a monitoring, evaluation and learning plan (MELP), train staff and partners in MEL system implementation, coordinate all data collection efforts, ensure data quality, process and analyze the data for donor reporting, adaptive management, and learning purposes, and provide oversight support to external evaluators. Additionally, the M&E Manager will support the development and roll-out of an electronic, tablet-based data collection system that will assist in tracking indicators. The M&E Manager will also take an active role in adaptive management through active participation in stakeholder, learning and work planning meetings. This individual will be provided technical support from the headquarters Global MEL staff.
The position shall report to the TRASE project chief of party
Responsibilities
- Lead the development of the MELP and update as necessary throughout the life of the project.
- Implement appropriate mechanisms for monitoring and tracking of program activities and results
- Train all project staff in project monitoring and learning
- Manage an electronic, tablet-based data collection platform, including training staff and ensuring timely data entry
- Select and manage appropriate consultants for required evaluations and monitor these activities, including the following:
- Review survey design and tools in consultation with Global MEL Team and/or appropriate consultant
- Assist with selection of consultant with skills appropriate to conduct study,
- Oversee quality control/monitor progress of the consultant’s work, and
- Review and comment on content of evaluation reports.
- Regularly review data collection processes, perform data quality assessments, and adjust as needed
- Undertake regular visits to the field to support implementation of MEL and to identify where adaptations and improvements might be needed
- Provide regular updates on project progress against key metrics to the Chief of Party for inclusion in donor reports, work planning and learning events
- Lead the regular sharing and learning from the findings of M&E data with program staff and partners.
- Assist project staff to use project data to report and disseminate evidence of project work to the wider community, USDA, Land O’Lakes, Host Government, and other external stakeholders.
- Demonstrate the highest degree of integrity throughout all activities, and raise any concerns with implementation quality immediately with the Chief of Party
- Utilize established SharePoint system to store key documents and share key project and country related information with other staff.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in economics, statistics, or related field; Master’s preferred
- At least five (5) years of experience designing and implementing MEL systems, specific to the roles above. Experience with MEL on agricultural programs preferred.
- Experience managing a MEL system for US government-funded projects; experience on a USDA-funded projects preferred
- Experience overseeing rigorous mixed methods evaluations for agricultural and/or trade programs
- Experience in implementing electronic, mobile, or tablet-based data-collection systems for data entry, analysis and storage of quantitative data
- Professional proficiency in English required
- Computer literacy and competency in use of Microsoft Office software
- Competency in quantitative data analysis software (ex: SPSS or Stata)
- Highly developed conceptual, analytical, and innovative problem-solving ability
- Ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor tasks
- Good time management and willingness to work occasional long hours and travel to the field as required
- Ability to work as a team member independently and proactively with minimum day-to-day oversight
- Strong interpersonal skills, self-motivated and result-driven, with ability to effectively build and manage networks and relationships for program promotion and issue-resolution
