Impact Assessment and Shared Learning Manager at ActionAid Nigeria

Overall Purpose

• The post holder will be a part of the Country Management Team.
• S/he will lead and coordinate the operationalisation of effective and appropriate systems and processes for planning, measuring progress and impact, learning and reporting across the organisation.
• S/he will also provide leadership in meeting Accountability, Learning and Planning System (ALPS) requirements at all levels.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities
Technical:
Planning and Reporting:

• Promote and support AAI’s Accountability, Learning and Planning (Alps) system and domestication within AAN, partner organisations and communities
• Lead the process of development and review of strategic documents such as country and programme strategy papers and translate these into departmental/unit plans for operational delivery
• Coordinate the overall planning processes across the organisation including analysing organisation-wide plans (three-year and operational) to ensure delivery of strategic objectives and prepare gap analysis and gap closure recommendations for review at Country Management Team meetings.
• Lead on the development of organisation-wide report, management updates and other reports as necessary to ensure accountability across Local Rights Programme (LRP) to other donor funded projects
• Coordinate the project steering committee meetings convened by the Director of Programmes

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning:

• Work collaboratively with unit Leads to develop systems for monitoring progress against country strategy papers and other strategies
• Develop standards and tools as well as provide technical advice – guidance, coaching, training - to local and national programme teams and implementing partners on M&E
• Take a lead on LRP monitoring and evaluation system
• Coordinate the annual Participatory Review and Reflection process (PRRP) with programme partners and development of Annual Progress Document
• Responsible for quality control of evaluations, partnership appraisals and peer reviews
• Ensure that feminist lens, power analysis and rights perspectives are fully incorporated into ActionAid’s planning, monitoring and evaluation processes
• Ensure implementing partners’ compliance with agreed programme standards including meeting reporting requirements
• Co-ordinate the operationalization of action research to elicit issues impacting on power, poverty, gender and vulnerability especially from the perspective of the poor and excluded people
• Actively engage in applied research to increase capacity in the organisation to test theories of change and promote innovation leading to increase impact

Management Information Systems

• Provide oversight to the management of the Impact Assessment and Shared Learning unit and the Knowledge Management working group
• Position Data Management System (DMS) as a core part of meeting the information needs of the organisation in an efficient and cost-effective way
• Participate in the development and implementation of programme and organisation learning activities of ActionAid Nigeria (AAN)
• Develop and support the operationalisation of management information systems (MIS) for capturing and managing data including baseline and coverage information, emanating from programme work in the communities

Human Resources:

• Ensure performance management and staff development of both direct reports and staff in extended matrix teams
• Monitor the team’s performance against the agreed organisational standards and ensure that problems are identified and resolved
• Foster the necessary consultation, communications and good relation with other departments and the entire organisation

Others:

• Responsible for Impact Assessment and Shared Learning budget
• Support the various themes in the development of funding proposals for programme work, especially in definition of progress and impact assessment processes
• Build and sustain networks with organisations and practitioners working in the areas of impact assessment and shared learning with a view to influencing and learning from approaches and practices beyond AAN
• Assume any other responsibilities relevant to the position as assigned by line manager.

Representation:

• Represent AAN and ensure the maintenance of optimum relations at all levels with Government agencies, Private Organisations, as well as Non-Governmental
• Organisation in Nigeria.
• Represent AAN at meetings within ActionAid Federation and platforms relevant to the role.

Key Relationships:

• Internal Relationships: Entire AAN staff, AAI team
• External Relationships: Partners, Networks & Donors

Person Specification
Education/Qualifications:
Essential:

• First Degree in Social Sciences or Arts / Humanities
• Master's Degree in a related field

Desirable:

• Membership of relevant professional Institute.

Experience:
Essential:

• Minimum of 8 years work experience, 5 of which should be in a similar role in the development
• Excellent quantitative and qualitative monitoring and evaluation skills and familiarity with the range of approaches and methods currently being deployed in the development sector
• Human Rights Based Approach programming and monitoring  experience, including working with partners and social movements
• Experience designing and monitoring campaigns

Desirable:

• Deep understanding of and commitment to human rights based approach including women’s rights, with knowledge of methodologies that are effective in monitoring and evaluation

Skill Abilities:

• Strong writing skills
• Strong analytical/problem solving skills
• Ability to influence and encourage others to new concepts and ways of working within an environment of change
• Excellent planning and prioritization skills
• Demonstrable IT skills
• Highly numerate
• Excellent skills in policy analysis and interpretation

Personal Qualities:

• A person of integrity
• Creative and takes initiative
• Ability to work effectively in a diverse team environment
• Willing to work additional hours at crucial times
• Self motivated person able to work without close supervision
• Proven Leadership Qualities
• Effectively promote AAN’s mission, values and objectives.