Senior MEL Specialist

Job Title: Senior Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Specialist

Project: Building a Resilient Local Dairy Supply Chain in Nigeria

Location: Oyo state, Nigeria

Reporting to: Senior Program Manager

TechnoServe Background:

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe's work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of businesses and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.

The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development. But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty. The results are amazing… when incomes increase, and living conditions for families get better, they are able to access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off. 

Job Summary:

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Senior Program Manager with oversight from the MEL Manager, the Senior MEL Specialist will lead the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning strategy of the Danone project within TechnoServe Nigeria, including planning and implementing efficient systems and procedures that generate timely, high-quality data and analysis that enable decision-making and adaptive management. He/she will perform the technical activities related to monitoring & evaluation for the project and serve as the primary point of contact for data collection and aggregation that supports reporting and will provide inputs to inform decision-making for the project. 

The Senior MEL Specialist will remain responsible for delivering the Program's M&E activities and reporting. S/he will define the MEL calendar of activities, support the project team in its delivery, and ensure that clear learning objectives are defined. The Senior MEL Specialist will be responsible for quarterly and annual data collection, storage and analysis, baselining, and quarterly and annual reporting on the project's indicators. This position will also be responsible for supporting other similar projects, specifically around Dairy production and supply chain within the Nigerian market.

Program Overview:

TechnoServe's Building a Resilient Local Dairy Supply Chain in Nigeria aims to build a precision, sustainable, and productive local dairy value chain in Nigeria within 4 years in a way that increases the incomes, resilience, and carbon footprint of dairy farmers in Nigeria.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

Program Monitoring and Evaluation

• Establish systems for gathering and analyzing performance data, and reporting in compliance with donor and TechnoServe guidelines and best practices.
• Monitor progress against targets and contribute to quality reports; such as annual work plans and performance monitoring reports.
• Create a learning agenda and implement a system designed to capture learnings, best practices, and case studies.
• Document best practices and lessons learned and use data and regular learning sessions to drive program design, adaptation, and decision-making, working closely with the project leadership team.
• Undertake regular visits to the field to support the implementation of MEL activities.
• Work with the HQ Impact Team to identify and integrate corporate impact indicators into Global MEL systems.

Data Management and Analysis

• Oversee and maintain a program tracking database, regularly review data collection processes and conduct routine data quality assurance checks.
• Implement systems to safeguard the collection, management, and quality control of program data.
• Run ad-hoc analyses and produce graphics and reports.
• Support technical team in making timely adaptations
• Maintain high levels of confidentiality in relation to sensitive and confidential program implementation data and information.

Capacity Building

• Provide orientation to project staff on the project's MEL Plan as well as for other similar projects involved in Dairy Production and Supply Chain.
• Build capacity of project staff and partners on data collection and data use for learning.

Overseeing the implementation of MEL systems:

• Develop and execute work plans for data capture and reporting against project performance indicators and emergent project information needs.
• Identify and implement the appropriate information-gathering approach to inform emergent knowledge gaps that are relevant for project decision-making such as stakeholder engagement mapping, and tracking of project objectives.
• Develop and manage regular data quality assessments, data cleaning and data analysis to produce data visualization sets for reporting and presentations.
• Provide technical assistance and training to responsible staff on their role in performing data collection.
• Build and maintain a dynamic project level dashboard that demonstrates progress on all KPIs and responds to project management's needs.

Contribute to the Adaptive Management Approach:

• Support relevant program team members to ensure comprehensive understanding of the role of MEL in adaptive management.
• In collaboration with the Senior Program Manager for the Danone project, regularly support review and revise the projects' logical framework, ensuring it is updated in accordance with knowledge gained during implementation.
• Ensure information flows across the project teams through the sharing and analysis of new information.
• Support knowledge management initiatives to systematically capture, share, and apply learning across the project, fostering a culture of evidence-based decision-making.

Required skill and experience:

• Bachelor's Degree + 5 years' experience, Master's Degree + 3 years' experience 
• Experience managing MEL systems in the Dairy value chain.
• Knowledge of international development donor reporting requirements.
• Experience utilizing M&E methods and methodologies (including qualitative, quantitative, and participatory methods as well as the use of causal logic in designing, planning, implementing, and evaluating projects).

 Preferred Qualifications:

• B.Sc. in Mathematics, statistics, Computer Science or a relevant field with 5 years of experience or Master's Degree with at least 3 years' experience 
• Extensive M&E experience with agricultural projects, particularly in dairy/livestock.
• Private sector, consulting or INGO experience.
• 5 years of experience with MEL methods and approaches in an international development context, including designing, planning, and implementing MEL systems, analyzing, and reporting using a logical framework, and other strategic planning approaches.

Required Languages: Proficiency in English. Strong written and oral communication skills and experience producing clear and concise reports. Capacity to translate research, methodologies, and data into accessible formats for colleagues with non-technical backgrounds.

Travel: Moderate

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of or the capacity to learn data collection and analytical software (e.g. Commcare, Looker Studio, Excel, or others).
• Expertise in data management, analysis, and interpretation; should be skilled at data visualisation.
• Takes the initiative and has an inquisitive and creative approach to problem-solving.
• Outstanding communication skills, with the ability to translate complex data and technical concepts into clear, actionable insights for various audiences. This includes developing compelling presentations, writing clear reports, and facilitating engaging workshops.
• Active listening skills and emotional intelligence to understand stakeholder needs, concerns, and feedback, incorporating these insights into MEL system improvements and program adaptations.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Anticipates, supervises and ensures timely and high quality service delivery, resolving quality issues through research and networking with others 
• Good communication skills with ability to share ideas and positions.
• Ability to embrace complex challenges and opportunities for getting work done for timely delivery.
• Supervisory skills as well as the willingness and availability to undertake field visits.

Supervisory Responsibilities- None directly

Closing Statements:

We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe's vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.

With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability and all other protected classes.

We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.

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