The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a not-for-profit institution that generates agricultural innovations to meet Africa’s most pressing challenges of hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and natural resource degradation. Working with various partners across sub-Saharan Africa, we improve livelihoods, enhance food and nutrition security, increase employment, and preserve natural resource integrity. IITA is a member of CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future.
Duties Successful candidate will among other things perform the following duties:
Programme Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning:
Coordinate the implementation of M&E activities across programme life cycle and ensure minimum standards are adhered to.
Conduct baseline studies to establish baseline values for selected indicators.
Coordinate the design and implementation of outcome monitoring sample surveys.
Facilitate the execution of impact assessments and evaluations; oversee the scope of work, deliverables,and overall quality of work of other external led operational research and studies.
Coordinate data collection activities across the various functions and implementing partners, analyse and share results within the country programme to increase learning and for global reporting.
Organize M&E technical meetings to ensure regular programme planning across consortium partners, review progress, and document lessons/address challenges encountered.
Undertake regular field visits to all project sites to support implementation of M&E and to identify where adaptations might be needed.
Document processes and achievements to ensure best practices are captured and disseminated; this will contribute to continual reevaluation of programme activities and information, with resulting activity adjustments in keeping with new insights2.
Adapt and implement global M&E data quality guidelines to ensure that data generated in-country meets the required dataquality criteria.
Ensure programme data and analysis is used for learning by facilitating progress review and lesson learning reflection platforms with programme partners.
M&E System Design and Calibration:
Design and implement a gender sensitive and results based MELA system and strategy.
Develop and regularly review country programme’s Theory of Change (ToC) to ensure alignment with programme delivery strategy and changing realities.
Develop country specific MELA system instruments including MELA operational manual, MELA plan, monitoring survey protocol, data quality assessment guidelines, reporting templates, technical data collection tools.
Work with programme specialists and unit Heads to align M&E with programme objectives, develop monitoring tools and integrate M&E in work plans and across all programme components.
Develop guidance materials that clearly indicate staff responsible for specific M&E products, orienting programme staff to their M&E roles and responsibilities as necessary.
Coordinate the design, development and operationalisation of the country programme databases and mobile data collection applications.
Management Information Systems and Reporting:
Advance the use of innovative ICT tools to simplify data collection and transmission to country and global programme database.
Prepare consolidated progress and periodic reports to meet management and donor reporting requirements in accordance with approved reporting formats and timelines.
Document achievements/impact of innovative programme components, produce written reports on activities, capturing the impacts of activities; Work with team members to generate practical information and analysis for use in decision-making while also capturing results at the impact level.
Contribute to setting the overall programme direction by prioritizing and organizing actions and resources to achieve set objectives, in close coordination with the Country Manager.
Contribute to the development of annual business plans and strategic work-plans for the country programme.
Provide support functions in monitoring adherence to contractual agreement, HarvestPlus policies and procedures and relevant external rules and regulations.
Provide support functions in ensuring programme activities align with donor and HarvestPlus standard policies and procedures.
Participate in meetings -government, donors, national and international workshops and other relevant events.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Country Manager.
Qualifications
Masters in Agricultural Economics, Economics, Statistics, Social Science,or related field with minimum offour(4) years’ experience performing monitoring and evaluation ina well-structured environment or donor funded organization.
Competencies The ideal candidate must:
Technical expertise in managing and developing M&E systems; theoretical and practical background in M&E.
Knowledge of biofortification value chains, programming,and results chains.
Experience in the use of mobile data collection platforms including CSPro and CAPI tools.Excellent quantitative skills, including advanced proficiency in the use of Microsoft
Excel, and at least one statistical data analysis software.
Ability to effectively convey programme goals, enlist partnerships, and work with a range of internal and external stakeholders.
High degree of motivation, initiative, independence, reliability, adaptability, and professional maturity.
Highly developed conceptual, analytical, and innovative problem-solving ability.
Demonstrated leadership skills and ability to mentor colleagues.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Working experience with DFID, BMGF and USAID funded programmes.
Remuneration
We offer highly competitive salary with equally attractive benefits and excellent working conditions in a pleasant campus environment.
Interested applicants should complete the online application attaching detailed Cover Letter and Curriculum Vitae saved with their names in Microsoft word format to IITA.
The application must include the Names and e-mail addresses of three professional referees (which must include the applicant’s current or previous direct Supervisor, professional colleague and evidence of current remuneration package).
IITA is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse workforce, particularly welcoming applications from women.
While all applications will be acknowledged, please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.