Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD)

The Federal Government of Nigeria has secured a loan from the African Development Bank (AFDB) for the implementation of Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme Phase-I (ATASP-I), The ATASP-I will contribute to the objectives of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of the Federal Government by addressing the constraints of Rice, Sorghum and Cassava value ehai:ris in four staple crop processing zones of Adani-Omor, Bida-Badeggi, Kano-Jigawa and Kebbi-Sokoto. The Programme comprises three complementary and mutually reinforcing components viz: Infrastructure Development; Commodity Value Chain Development; and Programme Management, The specific objective of the programme is to contri1ute to food and nutrition security, employment generation, and wealth creation along the priority commodity value chains.

For effective programme take-off, the FMARD is constituting a National Programme Coordination Team (NPCT) at the Programme Headquarters in Abuja. Consequently, part of the proceeds of the ATASP-I loan will be applied to engage the services of the following officers at the Programme Headquarters, Abuja.

Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) is recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Monitoring and Evaluation Officer

Location: Abuja

Main Responsibilities
Reporting to the National Programme Coordinator, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer will establish and operate the overall Project Monitoring and Evaluation System.

Specific Duties

• The M&E Officer will generally ensure the effective monitoring of project processes activities, outputs, outcomes/impacts by undertaking the following specific responsibilities, among others:
• Develop and manage the project MIS to ensure a proper flow of information to and from the operational level of the PCT, and, especially the provision of timely and adequate information for decision-making by Project Management and the Executing Agency (FMARD);
• Work in close liaison with all PCT staff and M&E staff of FMARD, the PRS M&E Unit of the Ministry of National Planning and the National Bureau of Statistics as well as other project stakeholder agencies.
• Organize and undertake the baseline survey, ensuring gender disaggregated data of oil relevant project indicators.
• Ensure that appropriate M&E procedures are prepared, established and implemented so as to provide sufficient basis for review of programme progress and for recommendation for any changes that maybe found to be necessarily.
• Review on a regular basis the status of Project implementation to identify corrective measures, bringing to the attention of Project management any problems/issues arising there from which may hinder Project implementation.
• Lead the process of preparing Annual ‘and. Quarterly Work Programmer in liaison with the Project Accountant and with the support and inputs from other technical specialists, for the consolidation and preparation of the Work Plans and Budgets. The Annual Work Plan and Budget must be prepared and submitted to After by the end of October of every year.
• The Specialist will also be responsible for the timely preparation of quarterly and annual project implementation reports, which will contain evaluation of project progress in relation to ‘project objectives and outcomes, and planned outputs and activities, he/she will have similar responsibility with regard, to project Mid-Term Review and Project Completion Reports.
• Participate AfDB missions including prior mission arrangements and providing all M&E information required by the missions in accordance with mission requirements, especially reports related to the project's M&E.
• Harmonize the Project’s M&E with the PRS deliverables framework in general and the FMARD M&E system in particular by putting in place and developing a FMARD-driven process. This will entail ‘effective establisher of the M&E system at the Community, Local government, Clan and farmer group levels, using participatory methods.
• Prepare result-focused quarterly Monitoring Reports on all aspects of project implementation and progress, especially cross cutting issues of gender, poverty environment and c-innate change.
• Draft TORs for project results surveys, where necessary and supervise the recruitment of the necessary service providers in liaison with the procurement specialist. Provide relevant backstopping to project implementers, In collaboration with the Gender and Social Development Specialist; ensure effective gender obtain streaming its project activities by identifying and accounting ‘for gender issues in planning, monitoring and evaluation. Coordinate and consolidate periodic reports from various collaborating and/or facilitating agencies on the implementation of community activities as well as those f Implementation Partners anti Service Providers.
• Design, organize and conduct the Project Start-up Workshop, the Annual Review Workshop, and other such relevant activities aimed at assessing project progress.
• Assist in providing coordination between various programme components to ensure achievement of overall programme objectives
• Catty out any other activities that are assigned by the National Project Coordinator.

Qualification and Experience

• At least an MSc in Social Science, Agricultural Economics. Statistics, or related discipline.
• Specialized post graduate in project management/M&E will be added advantage
• Minimum of 10 years work experience in Literal or multilateral donor-fund project programme With at least 5 years of specific responsibility as M&E specialist with adequate working knowledge of project logical framework to track inputs process, output and impacts.
• Demonstrated ability to establish priorities and plan, co-ordinate with colleagues across operating limits.
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines.
• Results focused and self motivated professional with proven ability to work under minimum guidance.
• Computer literate with excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, especially Microsoft Project, Excel, Word, in addition to relevant AUTOCad engineering design software.
• Excellent interpersonal, writing and presentation skills
• Proficiency in English language with excellent communication skills and sound attention to detail.

Personal Criteria

• Baseline survey is completed and report submitted to the AfDB. Baseline indicators are improved and, validated in gender disaggregated manner within the first 6 month assumption of duty Project M&E system set-up in accordance with project appraisal report and fully operational until the end of the project. Stakeholders and a Stakeholder M&E obligations and responsibilities at FMARD, Ministry of National Planning, state and local government levels, as well as other implementing agencies, are clearly defined and included in the Project implementation Manual, together with all relevant M&BE tools.
• Annual Work Plan arid Budget (AWPB) consultation with activity specialists, beneficiaries and stakeholders completed within the agreed time after assumption of duty and there after by 15 October every year. Responses to Bank’s recommendations for revising AWPB, within a maximum of five (5) days of notice of there commendations.
• Quarterly implementation progress targets and milestones are clearly defined and distributed to staff by the beginning of each quarter (i,e by 1” day of January, April, July and October).
• Result focused monthly progress reports dispatched to FMARD senior management within five (5) days of the end of the reporting month. Early warning of potential delays in inspect of all planned activities and causes there-of clearly documented and included in the report.
• Result focused quarterly, Progress Reports including the quarterly work plan, in Bank’s recommended format, dispatched to the bank and other stakeholders within a maximum of 20 days of the cod of the reporting quarter or year. Early winning of potential delays in respect of all planned activities and causes there-of clearly documented included in the reports.
• Result focused project reports in accordance with Bail’s format provided to Bank supervision missions within a maximum of two (2) days of arrival of the mission in the country. Banks supervision recommendations relating to M&E are implemented in
• Project results and impact study undertaken and Mid-Term review report prepared in accordance with
• Field visit reports on drop production, productivity and marketing improvement activities submitted to management within a maximum of two(2) days of returning from the field visit.
• Crop production, productivity and marketing improvement activities Progress Reports prepared in recommended/agreed format; (i) Quarterly and Annual report within five(5) days of the end of the quarter or year; (ii)monthly report for management within two (2) days of the end of the month; (iii) Reports for Bank supervision missions within a Maximum of two (2) days of arrival of the mission.
• Management/or bank queries on crop production, productivity and marketing improvement activities responded to within a maximum of two (2) days of notification.
• Clear and measurable quarterly performance targets/milestones agreed with the National Project Coordinator at the beginning of each quarter.
• Performance appraisal form completed and submitted to Project Coordinator by 5th of June and 5th of January every year.

Failure to satisfy agreed quarterly progress criteria and subsequent failure to satisfy above global criteria and/or non conformity to the prescribed plans, rules and standards, without documentary evidence for reasons thereof shall disqualify the  Monitoring and Evaluation Officer from the post and lead to the cessation of the contract.

Terms of Appointment
Maximum of five years, renewable every year subject to satisfactory performance. The performance criteria will be the indicators for assessing every officer.

Application Closing Date
29th September, 2014

Method of Application
Applications are invited from suitable qualified candidates. Each candidate should submit ten (16) copies of his/her application.
Qualified Women candidates are highly encouraged to apply. All application should be addressed to;

The Honorable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development

Attention:
The Director,
Department of Rural Development
No. 1 Capital Drive, FCDA Secretariat,
Area 11, Gerki, Abuja

Note: All applications must be addressed and delivered to the above address.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted, Applicants should ensure that the positions applied for are clearly written on the top right hand side of the envelopes.