Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Specialist (MEL Specialist)

JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION

JOB TITLE: Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Specialist (MEL Specialist)

REPORTS TO: Project Manager (Direct report); Country MEL coordinator; Regional MEL team

REPORTING TO POSTHOLDER: None

LOCATION: Kisumu (with frequent travel to project sites in Kakamega, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Busia, Siaya, Kilifi and country office in Nairobi)

DURATION & HOURS: Fixed term, full-time, renewable based on performance and availability of funds.

SALARY: KES 1,922,400 – 2,538,000 per annum.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The purpose of the role is to provide monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) support in Empowering Youth in Sustainable Aquaculture Markets and Jobs creation program implemented by Farm Africa in partnership with Mastercard Foundation. The project aims to tap the potential offered by the aquaculture sector for entrepreneurship and employment, building knowledge and capacity so that young people, especially women, are attracted by the opportunities and growth potential offered by working in aquaculture and mariculture. The project covers Kakamega, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Busia, Siaya, Kilifi (including Mombasa)

The Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist will be responsible for providing strategic direction, overall coordination, and support on all project MEL needs. The individual will be responsible for ensuring that the project is fulfilling MEL minimum standards on a quarterly basis. He or she will lead in the development of essential MEL tools that support effective monitoring and reporting of results in a consortium. The post holder will provide ongoing capacity building to the project team and consortium partners, and ensure they are sufficiently skilled to deliver on project MEL activities to the required quality. The MEL specialist will coordinate flow of data from multiple sources and ensure consistency, accuracy, timeliness, and relevance of the data gathered, including collation and analysis of the data to inform project results. He or she will also drive the knowledge and learning objectives of the project, by ensuring that the project team and consortium partners are sufficiently equipped with required tools and skills that enable them to gather project learnings on an ongoing basis, including adaptive management.

KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Lead in the design and development of essential MEL tools for the project and consortium partners, in alignment with MEL minimum standards (40%):

  Work with the project team to set up and update MEL minimum standards checklist during the project startup phase.

  Lead in the development of the project monitoring and learning plan (MLP), ensuring all the key components of the MLP are fully defined and align to project activities. This includes ensuring all indicators have practical targets.

  Lead the project delivery team and consortium partners to conduct a stakeholder mapping that enables reporting of beneficiaries in line with the project activities (counting reach). 

  Ensure that the partners and project team are sufficiently equipped with necessary data collection and reporting tools in line with the indicators outlined in the project monitoring and learning plan (MLP).

  Support the project team and partners to establish effective mechanisms and approaches for gathering community feedback, in line with the MEL minimum standards.

  Provide oversight on data collection activities and ensure that data collection tools are digitized on Open Data Kit (ODK) and uploaded to the ONA platform.

  Provide capacity trainings to project team and consortium partners on MEL tools and MEL minimum standards.

2. Coordinate, plan, and support project delivery team to undertake routine and periodic data collection, analysis and reporting in line with the project indicators (40%):

  Coordinate data collection activities by the project delivery team – and in particular support the delivery team and consortium partners to integrate regular data collection into their routine activities. 

  Undertake regular travel to project sites to carry out monitoring and verification assessments, lead surveys, data collection, and other MEL efforts.

  Provide overall leadership in the planning, design, and collection of ongoing routine monitoring data, including gathering feedback from target communities through active community feedback sessions.

  Ensure that the monitoring and learning plan (MLP) is updated with project results against the indicators on an ongoing basis.

  Collate, consolidate, and store key evidence that inform project results.

  Lead in planning and rollout of key evaluation pieces, particularly the baseline, midterm and endterm evaluations.

  Lead in the development of periodic progress reports. 

3. Coordinate collation and dissemination of key project learnings on an ongoing basis, including support towards development of knowledge and learning products (10%)

  Provide guidance and support to the project team and partners in gathering key lessons emanating from project activities, while ensuring that they are well evidenced.

  Ensure the project lessons log is updated on a quarterly basis, and key learnings are effectively used to inform adaptive management. 

  Support the project team and partners in fulfilling deliverables for the mini and annual project performance reviews (PPRs)

  Participate in the annual project performance reviews (PPRs) and work with the project team and consortium partners to address identified gaps or actions.

  Support the communications team in gathering evidence for development of knowledge and learning products, such as case studies, success stories, etc.

4. Provide targeted capacity trainings to project team and consortium partners on MEL (5%).

  Identify MEL related knowledge and skill gaps among consortium partners and project team on an ongoing basis.

  Consult with the country MEL coordinator and regional MEL on identified capacity gaps and execute a plan for addressing such gaps.

  Deliver targeted trainings to project team and consortium partners on identified MEL capacity gaps.

5. Manage communication between the project team and consortium partners on MEL related deliverables (5%).

  Ensure MEL deliverables and expectations are clearly shared with the project team and consortium partners on a timely basis.

  Collate feedback from consortium partners on any gaps or challenges related to delivery of core MEL activities for the project, and ensure identified actions are clearly communicated.

  Take charge in managing the relationship between consortium partners and project teams as far as MEL activities and MEL related communication is concerned.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential 

Education, qualifications & another knowledge

o Graduate degree or equivalent in numerate discipline (e.g., economics, statistics, applied social sciences, monitoring and evaluation, etc)

o Demonstrable understanding of monitoring and evaluation tools, principles, and best practices

Desirable
o Academic training in statistical analysis

o Demonstrate understanding of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods and best practice

Experience

Esssential

o 3-5 years’ experience supporting monitoring, evaluation, learning and research at an organisational level, or in a consortium

o Experience in drafting clear written reports/ briefings for both internal and external audiences

o Experience in development of data collection tools, data analysis and interpretation.

Desirable
o Experience working in market systems development projects, value chain projects, private sector development or related

o Experience working in aquaculture/mariculture projects

Skills & abilities

Essential

o Fluency in Microsoft Office tools, particularly MS Excel, MS Word, and MS PowerPoint

o Possess Strong written and verbal communications skills.

o Skilled in scripting data collection tools in Open Data Kit (ODK) and ONA

o Fluency in written and spoken English

o Future orientated, thinks strategically.

Desirable
o Highly numerate, confident in synthesising data (both quantitative and qualitative) to draw and explain evidence-based conclusions.

o Ability to communicate technical information clearly to a wide range of audiences

o Ability to multi-task and work well under pressure, with a methodical approach and attention to detail. Highly driven and able to work with minimal supervision

o Confident, flexible and initiative taking, with the ability to be proactive in working with others

o Willingness to learn on the job and take strategic direction

o Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves.

Our Values 

Investing in smallholder farming is the number one way to combat poverty in rural Africa. Farm Africa is a leading NGO specialising in growing agriculture, protecting the environment and developing businesses in rural Africa. 

• EXPERT:  Deep expertise and insightful evidence-based solutions are at the heart of everything Farm Africa does.

• GROUNDED:  Positive change starts with Africa’s people, so our experts work closely with local communities, engaging them in every level of decision-making.

• IMPACTFUL: We take a long-term view so we can deliver lasting changes for farmers and their families.

• BOLD:  We model innovative new approaches and are not afraid to challenge strategies that are failing.