JOB TITLE:  Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Expert

REPORTS TO:  Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Coordinator,

MATRIX RELATIONSHIP: Programme Manager

REPORTING TO POSTHOLDER: None

LOCATION: Addis Ababa with frequent field travel

DURATION & HOURS: Until 31st December 2026BACKGROUND

Farm Africa is an innovative charity organization that reduces poverty in rural eastern Africa by helping farmers grow more, sell more, and sell for more: we help farmers not only to boost yields, but also to gain access to markets, and add value to their produce. We place a high priority on environmental sustainability and develop approaches that help farmers to improve their yields and incomes without degrading their natural resources. Our programs vary hugely, ranging from helping crop farmers to boost harvests, livestock keepers to improve animal health, and forest coffee growers to reach export markets, but core to all of them is a focus on the financial sustainability of the farmers’ businesses and environmental sustainability. We currently work in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia.

 Sida funded Nature based Solution for Sustainable and Inclusive Development (NSSID) Programme aims to contribute to environmental sustainability, climate resilience and inclusive development in Ethiopia. The programme will deliver a holistic approach to addressing the complex and interlinked challenges in three eco-regional clusters across Ethiopia, (Eastern and south-eastern cluster, Rift Valley cluster, Western and south-western clusters). It is executed in 8 regions & 1 city administration and 35 woredas.  The programme has five reinforcing objectives. Its duration is three years and seven months from June 1, 2023 – 31st December 2026. It is implemented through nine consortium partners lead by Farm Africa.PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Expert is a technical post responsible for ensuring consistent and high quality collection, use and reporting of results data in the programme. The post holder will ensure that all projects within the programme develop and implement appropriate MEL plans, based on robust logical frameworks, and adhering to Farm Africa’s core standards and approaches, including the global indicators.

 Within the programme, the MEL expert will work with the Programme Manager and Project Coordinator, to ensure management decision making is evidence based. The MEL expert will also work with the Project Officers and Community Development staffs to ensure a clear understanding of the programme’s MEL framework at the field level, with all methods and tools clearly understood and communicated. The post holder will develop appropriate tools, systems and training to support field teams to understand and use robust evidence of project results as a vital input to management decision making. The MEL expert will provide technical as well as capacity building support to partner organisations to ensure use of relevant FA’s standard data collection tools; provide critical analysis and technical input to project evaluation processes, ensuring Farm Africa can maximise the learning potential of all studies, assessments and evaluations undertaken within the projects.

The role is required to work closely with country office MEL coordinator and the Programme Manager to ensure continual improvement of organisational systems and processes.

 KEY TASKS AND RESPONISBILITES

Key areas of responsibilities are:

Planning

•  Coordinate and facilitate the development and use of appropriate MEL systems and plans and provide technical guidance to the technical programme staffs and partners in implementing them.

• Take responsibility for ensuring donor’s MEL systems are fully achieved for reporting results. Ensure project teams are familiar with these.

• At start-up, work with field teams and PM to ensure that the indicators and targets are SMART, and the methods for collection and analysis are clearly understood and will fulfil reporting requirements at all levels.

• Coordinate the development of integrated work plans that help to facilitate the implementation of projects with shared responsibilities and joint efforts.

• In consultation with the PM and consortium partners. review and prepare the project’s work plan and budget during the annual planning process each year.

• Liaise with the PC and PM to adequately budget for and utilise resources to undertake MEL activities.

Implementation

• Coordinate and implement baseline surveys, assessments/studies and evaluation exercises.

• Build the capacity of field staff and local partner staff on data collection, management, analysis and results-based monitoring principles and ensure understanding of Farm Africa’s core standards and approaches.

• Work to ensure project team are able to disaggregate data by gender and age, where appropriate, by devising and disseminating simple data collection methods.

• Provide a ‘quality assurance’ function to ensure that data reported by projects within the programme is relevant, accurate and verifiable.

• Undertake regular monitoring and assist the team of all consortia partners at field level that program activities are implemented and outputs achieved as planned.

• Ensure the project’s log-frame and data collection plans are regularly reviewed and refreshed, and the project is collecting the breadth of indicators required at a frequency and timing in line with reporting purposes.

• Ensure that the project is regularly (at least quarterly) conducting beneficiary surveys, collecting basic data as per the data collection plan from relevant sources, developing case studies and collating photos

• Ensure data reported by projects feeds back and is used for programme management and decision making.

• Provide technical and capacity building support to project implementing partners;

• Work closely with relevant staff of partners to ensure regular data collection, analysis and reporting;

• Participate in project quarterly review meetings and biannual Project Performance review (PPR) workshops;

• Identify learning questions, document and disseminate learnings

Reporting

• Ensure regular and sufficient communication with programme staffs and partners on the overall MEL development and coordinate and cascade any learning that will enhance MEL activities at the country Office and programme level.

• Work with the MEL coordinator and programme manager to develop tools and methods for capturing and documenting lessons learned from the programme’s implementation, and ensure that they are shared with the communities, partners and across the organisation.

• Ensure that the quarterly reports produced by the projects have case studies, success stories and lessons learnt so that there is continuous information that will feed into the overall learning process.

• Collate monthly, quarterly and annual reports from all consortium partners - ensuring required quality, and report to the PM with specified deadlines.

• Prepare progress reports quarterly, outlining progress, issues and actions being taken in the standard format to the PM.

• Together with the PM participate in quarterly project progress review sessions: in-depth review of financial spend/burn rate; achievement against activity and output plan, and a forward look on whether the project is achieving against its objectives. 

• Support the PM in ensuring the timely submission of narrative and financial reports to the donor as per the reporting requirements.

Capacity building

• Provide technical as well as capacity building support to partner organisations, ensure use of relevant FA’s standard data collection tools

• Provide critical analysis and technical input to project evaluation processes,

• Ensuring Farm Africa can maximise the learning potential of all studies and evaluations undertaken within the project

• Prepare different training documents on the area of MEL, project management and coordination and deliver for FA and other partner staffs

• Facilitate different capacity building trainings and workshops 

These essential functions are not to be interpreted as a complete statement of all duties performed. Employees will be required to perform other job related duties as required. All work responsibilities are subject to having performance goals and/or targets established.

Job Requirements

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

Desirable

Education, qualifications & other knowledge

BA/BSc ORMSc./MA in Economics, Statistics, Project Management, Development studies, Sociology or related fields.

Academic qualification relevant to Farm Africa’s areas of operation (preferably agriculture and climate change)

Demonstrable knowledge project cycle management

Awareness of broader trends in international donor landscape, relating to PCM and MEL and results-monitoring

Knowledge of the development and policy environment in Ethiopia

Knowledge of value chain development and climate smart agricultural practices

Experience

Demonstrable understanding of monitoring, evaluation and learning principles and practices, including the application of the log frame approach

Previous NGO work experience in rural development

A minimum of 6 years for BA/BSc holders and 4 years for MSc/ MA holders with proven experience of conducting quantitative and qualitative field research and analysis for large, multi-purpose projects

Experience conducting field research in a rural context

Experience in synthesising data and drafting clear written reports/briefings

Communicating technical information to non-technical, ‘lay’, audiences

Proven experience in training and capacity building in MEL practices

Skills & abilities

Strong communication skills (verbal and written)

Strong partner relationship management

Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively as part of a team

Using evidence for impact communication

Ability to ensure quality standards are adhered to and understood

 Strong management skills, with good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issues.

 Ability to provide challenge and critique others in a constructive and open manner

 Fluency in written and spoken English and Amharic

 Firm belief in teamwork and gender equality

 Very good facilitation and coordination skills

 Methodological, thorough approach with attention to detail           

 Excellent record keeping and report writing skills

Ability of data base creating and data management

Proficiency in MS Office packages

Proficient in Advanced Excel, Word, and ability to programming and statistical/data analysis/ software

Ability to work in a multi partner environment

 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.

 How to Apply

Those who meet the above requirements should submit their short CV (maximum of 3 pages) and a cover letter (maximum 1 page) to THIS LINK  by February 10 , 2024

Documents cannot be returned and due to large number of applications, only short listed candidates will be contacted. Applications are especially welcomed from female applicants.