MEL Specialist- WAFPUR at TechnoServe

Job Summary:

Under the overall guidance of the Project Manager, the Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Specialist will perform activities related to monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) for the project, including organizing and implementing data collection and analysis for the project. He/she will serve as a point of contact for data collection and aggregation that supports project reporting and will provide inputs to inform project decision-making and adaptive management.

Program/Practice/Department Overview:

The West African Fortified Parboiled Unpolished Rice (WAFPUR) project aims to transform Nigeria’s nutritional landscape by increasing the production, availability, and consumption of whole grain, fortified, and nutritious foods. This 18-month initiative leverages institutional feeding programs such as school feeding, to promote the consumption of Parboiled Unpolished Rice (PUR), commonly known as whole grain brown rice as a nutritious alternative, while also enhancing the livelihoods of local rice millers in Kano and Ogun States. The project seeks to subsequently introduce and scale its fortified variety, Fortified Parboiled Unpolished Rice (FPUR) towards enhancing the nutritional well-being of school children. The initial rollout will be through the School Feeding Programs in both states.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

The MEL specialist will support MEL implementation for the project, including:

• Coordinate data collection from primary data sources to final reporting and reporting against project performance indicators and emergent project information needs
• Support application of qualitative and quantitative methods to inform knowledge gaps
• Contribute to the design of forms, surveys, and indices as well as the data management system
• Work with the impact team to develop new database while maintaining existing database structures and conducting routine data hygiene.
• Perform regular data quality assessments, data cleaning, and data analysis
• Conduct field visits to understand the context and identify additional data needs
• Provide ongoing technical assistance and training to project technical staff on their role in performing data collection, basic analysis, and data review and use
• Coordinate the project’s learning agenda through data collection, analysis and reporting and in the mobilization of consultants and other experts for specific learning questions
• Ensure that project’s monitoring system captures impact of project activities on women and other disadvantaged groups
• Become familiarized with the applicable donor rules and regulations, including the donor’s evaluation guidelines and indicator handbook
• Understand the specific MEL deliverables that the project is contractually responsible for, and manage their development

Provide inputs to data-driven decision-making:

• Assist in the process of adaptive management in the project using project MEL data
• Support the documentation of best practices and production of information to capture and share lessons learned
• Support information flows across the implementation team and the sharing and analysis of new information
• Actively engage with project staff on areas for course correction, serving as a collaborative and reflective source of information to inform project progress.
• Assist in the development of all project reports.

Participate in the broader MEL ecosystem at TechnoServe:

• Attend capacity building meetings and other relevant events related to MEL as directed
• Collaborate with the Global MEL teams to ensure organizational standards and annual impact reporting are met

Basic Qualifications:

These are the requirements that any qualified candidate must meet. Typically includes

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Management, Agribusiness, project management, social sciences or related discipline with 3 years’ experience (alternatively Master's Degree + 1 year’s experience) in monitoring and evaluation and also donor-funded
• Experience utilizing M&E methods and methodologies (including qualitative, quantitative, and participatory methods as well as the use of causal logic in designing, planning, implementing, and evaluating projects) Technical skills required to do this job.
• Competence in managing and analyzing datasets

Preferred Qualifications:

Additional qualifications that would make a candidate more desirable.

• Experience working in Nigeria
• Experience working with an INGO
• Experience working on an entrepreneurship donor funded projects

Required Languages Excellent written and spoken English

Travel Willingness to travel to field locations

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

This section should highlight the competencies that would make a candidate successful in the role such as

• Strong interpersonal skill
• Expertise in data management, analysis, and interpretation, skilled at data visualization
• Ability to work in a multicultural context as a flexible and respectful team player.
• Proficiency in working with Comcare is an advantage.
• Proficient in MS Office: MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Excel.
• Demonstrable critical skills in data collection, analysis and reporting, and performance monitoring of donor funded projects.
• In-depth knowledge and understanding of the enterprise development landscape in Nigeria Minimum years of experience.