The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is a public international organization addressing critical issues such as international food security, the alleviation of global hunger and poverty, environmental protection and the promotion of economic development and self-sufficiency. IFDC focuses on increasing productivity across the agricultural value chain in developing countries. This is achieved by the creation and transfer of effective and environmentally sound crop nutrient technology and agribusiness expertise.

The organization’s collaborative partnerships combine cutting-edge research and development with on-site training and education. IFDC has contributed to the development of institutional capacity building in 150 countries through more than 700 formal training programs, primarily as part of IFDC’s long-term agricultural development projects. Demonstration plots, farmer field schools and in-field trainings have assisted millions of farmers in developing countries.

The Dutch-funded project entitled “Toward Sustainable Clusters in Agribusiness through Learning in Entrepreneurship” (2SCALE) aims at improving rural livelihoods and food security in Africa.

M&E under 2SCALE will aim to demonstrate the project s contribution to cluster development, value chain development and links to consumer markets on one hand and its relation to changes in rural livelihoods and food security on the other hand. M&E will be conducted in accordance with a Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP).

Position Summary
The Regional Project Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Specialist for 2SCALE in West Africa is responsible for leading the execution of the overall project PME and coordinating related activities within the project and via partners in West African 2SCALE target countries (i.e., Benin, Ghana, and Nigeria).

S/he will design and orchestrate efforts that monitor outcomes against targets; enable management, donors and partners to gain feedback and deduce lessons; S/he is also responsible for providing timely and relevant information to project managers, partners and donors. The M&E Specialist will contribute to the development of institutional capacity and M&E initiatives of divisional and global scope.

Supervision
The Regional Project M&E Specialist for 2SCALE in West Africa will be supervised by and report directly to the 2SCALE Chief of Party. Outside the West African project team, the M&E Specialist will collaborate closely with his/her counterpart in East/Southern Africa and with Division-level M&E Specialists.

Duties
Refresh the PMP

•   Identify the core information needs of the project management, the advisory committees, the main donor, private-sector contributors and other cooperating institutions.
•   Refine the key indicators for each component and fine-tune the project indicators matrix based on lessons learnt
•   Guide the process for identifying the key performance questions to assess the effectiveness of interventions
•   Make annual adjustments to refresh the PMP each year in agreement with management: adjust the conceptual framework to incorporate new learning; define and operationalize indicators; elucidate the approach, methodology, and tools for data acquisition; describe the roles and responsibilities of partners involved; set targets for each year; and outline the supporting operations and procedures for data collection, quality control, analysis and reporting functions.
•   Scope out activities that will complement the PMP (for example, annual project reviews, participatory impact assessments, and lessons-learned workshops). Identify, recruit, guide and supervise organizations or consultants that are contracted to implement special surveys and studies required for evaluating project outcomes and impacts.
•   Ensure that all service provider contracts include specifications for the internal monitoring required of them, the reporting systems and the penalties for failure to report as specified.

Execute the PMP

•   Steer and craft the installation of the M&E system to realize a balance of credibility and practicality.
•   Work with Cluster Advisors to develop guidelines and survey instruments in line with the PMP, including databases or tally sheets for collecting routine data.
•   Undertake regular visits to the field to support implementation of M&E and to identify where adaptations may be needed.
•   Orchestrate the active involvement of country-level Cluster Advisors, Coaches, independent research or consulting firms, and external consultants and students to assure that the data are collected in a reliable fashion and that M&E has been effectively integrated into each country’s interventions.
•   Design, organize and undertake a training system for participatory capacity-building on 2SCALE M&E, particularly for the BSS/Coaches who conduct the function of data collection in clusters.
•   Incorporate mixed methods to capture information on cluster members and value chain performance including private sector partners, traders and consumers and methods to assess effectiveness of project interventions and capture indirect effects for understanding dynamics of cluster facilitation.
•   Support the design of periodic impact studies to 1) provide an analysis of whether project objectives (outcomes and impacts) were achieved and can be attributed to project operations 2) demonstrate that the observed changes would not have occurred naturally in the absence of project interventions.

Coordinate and support the project internal and external evaluations.

•   Join in external evaluation and supervision missions—of funding and other agencies—by screening and analyzing monitoring reports as well as furnishing direct personal knowledge of the field situation.
•   Ensure that project monitoring arrangements comply with the donor’s requirements and expectations.
•   Analyze data collected in terms of impact evaluation and identify the causes of potential bottlenecks in project implementation.
•   Work with project management and the independent M&E firm to design and roll out experimental pilots that can demonstrate incremental effects of changes in service mode or absence/presence of interventions and/or with/without comparisons.

Reporting/Communication

•   Design the format for performance reports.
•   Support staff and implementing partners in preparing progress reports. Assess and provide feedback on reports in terms of problems and actions needed. Prepare consolidated progress reports for project management, in accordance with approved reporting formats and timing.
•   Make regular reports to the Chief of Party (and the Regional Agribusiness Coordinator) highlighting areas of concern and preparing the documentation for review at meetings.
•   Plan for and execute regular occasions to share M&E findings, identify lessons learned and elicit ideas on the implications for the project and local development partners’ next steps. Make sure that time-sensitive findings from monitoring are shared in the appropriate forum and in a responsive fashion.
•   Work closely with the project Communications Specialist to identify results and success stories that should be highlighted in public relations materials.

Any other assignment that the supervisor deems necessary for the success of the project or contribution to the work of IFDC as a global institution.

Qualification Required & Experience

•   Bachelor’s Degree in Statistics, Agricultural Economics or other related fields
•   Minimum three years’ experience with participatory monitoring and evaluation which may include designing and conducting survey exercises, data collection (key stakeholder interviews, focus groups, surveys, and secondary data analysis techniques) and data management
•   Experience in private sector, economic  and/or agricultural donor-funded projects
•   Demonstrable experience in performing statistical analysis and interpreting results correctly
•   Excellent command of computers and statistical software. Ability to manipulate large data sets.
•   Ability to work independently and to take initiative
•   Service-oriented attitude towards work-- providing positive and timely feedback to colleagues and staff of partner institutions
•   Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, including the ability to present materials in meetings and at conferences and to write project documents (including evaluation design plans, results frameworks, data collection and data analysis plans, and progress reports)
Proficiency in additional languages spoken in Eastern and Southern Africa is highly desirable

Place of Work
The Regional Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist will be based in Accra but should be available to travel within the country and in Africa when called upon to.

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Interested applicants are kindly requested to send their applications in English in the form of a one page letter and current CV describing their experience, qualifications and three reference contacts by email.

Emails should be sent to the Regional HR Officer at lbello@ifdc.org with copy to barthur@ifdc.org

Closing Date: 08 May, 2014

•   Only short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview scheduled in Accra. No telephone queries will be responded to.
•   Applicants should indicate in the subject line of the email: M&E Specislist Position.