ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION INSTITUTE

 Position:                            Planning, Monitoring, Evaluations and Reporting (PMER) Director (Re-advert)

Term of Employment:   One year with the possibility of extension

Duty Station(s):              Addis Ababa

Required Number:         One

Application Deadline:    February 27, 2023

 BACKGROUND:

The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) is a strategy and delivery-oriented government Institute created to help accelerate the growth and transformation of the country’s agriculture sector. The ATI envisions to be the leading center of innovative solutions for the transformation of Ethiopian Agriculture by 2030.

The Institute focuses on two primary national approaches to catalyze agricultural transformation. First, we support the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), its affiliate institutions, and other partners to identify and address systemic bottlenecks within an Agricultural Transformation Agenda. Second, we support Regional Governments to accelerate the development of high-priority commodity value chains in clearly defined geographic clusters, through the Agricultural Commercialization Clusters (ACC) Initiative.

Our major activities include conducting strategic and analytical studies, providing technical implementation support, coordinating platforms to better integrate partners and projects, and designing and directly leading a number of implementation projects. Our headquarters are in Addis Ababa, and we have regional offices in Amhara, Oromia, SNNP, Sidama, South-West, and Tigray regional offices, allowing us to work closely with a wide range of public, private and development sector partners across the country.

Our Culture

We have an exceptional team of highly competent employees with a proven track record of success in managing complex activities and achieving transformational results.  Our culture is one where talented, dedicated and adaptable individuals are committed to doing their best and exhibit great teamwork to achieve excellent results. 

At ATI, we provide an exceptional platform for people who want to achieve their highest potential and make a meaningful contribution in changing the country’s agricultural sector.  We offer rewarding work in a young, fast-paced growing organization with passionate, committed, motivated colleagues and excellent career development and training.  We recognize our most valuable assets are our staff and are committed to providing our employees with the tools, training and mentorships necessary to achieve their career goals.

 POSITION SUMMARY:

The Director of the Planning, Monitoring, Evaluations and Reporting (PMER) will lead the Monitoring & Evaluation, Data Service & Tools, Planning & Reporting and Learning team. The director will provide leadership and oversight support to design, conduct baseline, evaluation and learning studies; planning & reporting; Learning & Knowledge Management and provide capacity building. The Director will work closely with senior management and leaders across the organization, in addition to a variety of high-profile stakeholders and partners. The Director will lead the PMER team to generate significant learning and insights to improve the design and operation of current and future interventions, both at the ATI and with our partners to transform the agriculture sector.

The PMER Director provides leadership and direction to Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and operational research frameworks that contribute to program excellence and achievement of ATI’s program/project outcomes.  Under the supervision of the Senior Director of Operations, the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluations and Reporting Director is accountable for:

• Planning, tracking, and reporting of ATI programs, projects and operations for different stakeholders.

• Program/project Monitoring & Evaluation processes, standards and tools are defined.

• Lead in generating, documenting, sharing and application of project/program learning from programs/ projects implemented by Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute

• Data management systems, protocols, tool, and policies are well-defined and followed.

• Generating, documenting, sharing and application of project/program learning from programs/ projects implemented by Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute.

This position will report directly to the Chief of Operations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

1.       Support enhanced quality Monitoring & Evaluation throughout the project cycle.

•  Provided support in defining the monitoring process, approaches and tools; monitor outcomes and results.

• Act as a thought partner to help project teams develop meaningful results frameworks and monitoring & evaluation plans.

• Lead the M&E team to achieve maximum impact through actionable, insightful and collaborative project design, baseline and evaluation studies.

• Lead the M&E team to produce high-quality and timely baselines and evaluations of the ATI’s work with smallholder farmers, including partnering with a variety of consultants and research organizations.

• Work closely with research to move from individual project evaluations to cross-project meta-analysis and modeling to understand the drivers of change in agriculture.

2.       Lead in generating, documenting, sharing and application of project/program learning from programs/ projects implemented by Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute

•  Synthesize and communicate learnings from evaluations and progress reviews to ensure continuous improvement of policy development, project planning and implementation, both within the ATI and with our partners.

• Lead operations research within the framework of projects being implemented by ATI for generating and applying learning.

 3.       Ensure planning, tracking and reporting of ATI programs, projects and operations for different stakeholders.

•  Lead organizational planning processes, develop result frameworks as well as M&E plans for programs/projects and maintain compendium of organizational indicators.

• Provide leadership and oversight to the planning & reporting of project teams of the organization, Partners, and stakeholders.

• Lead the development of standard data collection processes, tools and requirements, ensure data quality and consistency, automate data aggregation and ensure interoperability.

 4.       Ensure Data management systems, protocols, tools, and policies are well-defined and followed. 

•  Provided oversight to organizational Data service management, Data collation and aggregation and Data analysis and visualization.

• Lead the ATI data management plan that is consistent with ATI guidelines.

 5.       Tailored capacity building and mentor in planning, monitoring, evaluation and learning to build the expertise of staff. 

• Work with Project and portfolio management unit to create systems and capacity building initiatives for the effective and efficient management of projects in ATI

• Proactively coach and develop PMER staff and independent contractors (ICs)

• Design and facilitate capacity building to project leadership in the areas of Monitoring and Evaluation using optimal means of delivery, such as group trainings, individual advisory or mentorships, external trainings, PMP certification, etc.

• Assess the effectiveness of the capacity building initiatives against the identified core competencies and make revisions when necessary.

6.       Manage the performance of all PMER staff and conduct operational activities.

• Coaching for Performance: Manage performance review of PMER staff

• Reporting: Director of PMER reports to the Chief of Operations

• Approvals: Review/approve leaves, PMER’s plan, performance goals/targets, budgets, reports, procurement, travel, etc.

7.       Miscellaneous

Undertake other duties as assigned by the Chief of Operations

Job Requirements

• Master’s degree in Monitoring and Evaluation, Development Economics, Economics, Agricultural Economics, Development Studies, Management, MIS, Statistics, or another relevant field.

• Minimum of 12 years of hands-on experience in managing a monitoring and evaluation system and/or impact evaluation, based on planning frameworks such as logical framework, result framework, and outcome mapping preferably in the fields of agriculture or rural development out of which 6 years should be in a managerial role.

• Deep understanding of the theory and application of performance evaluation as well as impact evaluation, including best-practice tools and approaches.

• Hands-on experience with data management and analytical software such as SPSS/Stata/Kobo Tool, R.

• An understanding of Ethiopia’s agricultural system, with a broad perspective on how the entire system operates and how public, private, NGO and informal actors interact.

• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and data gathering and analysis skills.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving, start-up environment, with an emphasis on high performance, teamwork, accountability and results.

• Strong set of personal values including integrity, honesty and desire to be of service.

• Fluency in English is essential. 

  How to Apply

We invite all candidates meeting the required qualifications to submit (i) a cover letter and (ii) CV (maximum 3 pages) to THIS LINK

It is mandatory to mention the position title in the subject line of your application email

Please DO NOT submit scans of educational and experience certificates with your application.

Women are highly encouraged to apply.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.