This position is open to Ghana nationals only.

A local NGO is currently recruiting for two Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officers for a new project in northern Ghana. One incumbent will work out of the regional project office in Wa, Upper West Region, while the second incumbent will work out of the Bolgatanga regional office, Upper East Region.

Project Overview:
The ultimate outcome of this 6-year project is to enhance food security and resilience for poor male and female smallholder farmers (35% male/65% female) and their households in the three northern regions. This ultimate outcome is to be achieved through increased, diversified and more equitable agricultural production; and increased, diversified and more equitable incomes and assets.

Position Summary:
The M&E Officer is directly answerable to the Regional Coordinator. The M&E officer plays a key role in knowledge management at the regional level of the project. This includes working in close collaboration with other project officers based at the regional office (including crop and livestock/poultry officers, marketing and income generating officers and gender officers) and specialists based at the project’s Tamale head office, especially the monitoring and evaluation specialist, to ensure a holistic approach is used within the project.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:
Scope of work

• Under the guidance of the project’s monitoring and evaluation specialist (based in Tamale), implement baseline data collection, data entry and data analysis, and ensure regular monitoring of indicators;
• Liaise with project staff to collect data on project activities, outputs, outcomes and impact in accordance with the project’s performance management framework and data collection procedures;
• Provide technical support to field staff on the use of project progress tracking forms;
• Enter monitoring data into project database;
• Undertake preliminary analysis of data on a monthly and quarterly basis to identify trends, whether targets are being met or not, etc.;
• Perform regular data quality checks and take necessary corrective action to ensure that data input into the database is accurate;
• Undertake field visits and participate in project events to directly observe project progress and to interact with beneficiaries to gain a better understanding of the picture presented from monitoring data collected, noting changes not explicitly covered in project performance monitoring plan;
• Liaise with government institutions for collection of secondary data as and when needed;
• In collaboration with the crop, livestock and marketing and income generating activities officers, maintain accurate records of distribution of inputs;
• Establish and maintain a good rapport with project beneficiaries, as well as local government officials and community leaders;
• Provide input into the development of annual work plans and budgets, including annual milestones;
• Prepare regular progress reports that will be incorporated into reports to the donor; and
• Ensure efficient use of project resources.

Qualification Required & Experience

• Degree in Sociology, Development Studies, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, Statistics or other related subject.
• Minimum of 3 years work experience (over and above national service) in quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, preferably in northern Ghana.
• Demonstrated experience with SPSS, Access and/or Epi-Info. Knowledge of other data analysis and program software considered an asset.
• Environmental knowledge/work experience is considered an asset.

Requisite Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong facilitation and interpersonal skills with colleagues and farmers.
• Demonstrated capacity to work in teams with colleagues.
• Strong computer skills (word-processing, spread-sheets).
• Basic level of gender awareness and commitment to effective integration of gender equality in project implementation.
• Ability to speak at least one language commonly spoken in the region of posting.
• Good oral and written communication skills in English.
• Willingness to spend 25% of time doing field work in the region of posting.

Location: Wa And Bolgatanga

How To Apply For The Job

Suitably qualified persons are invited to submit their cover letter detailing how their work experience and academic/professional qualifications meet the requirements described above, CV, and 3 professional references no later than February 8th, 2013 via e-mail to:

jobsapplications@yahoo.com

Closing Date: 08 February 2013

Please indicate in the subject line of the email which position is being applied for.

The principles of employment equity are adhered to. Suitably qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. While all applicants are thanked for their interest, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.