Job Summary: The Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Learning (MERL) Manager will manage the MERL activities of the USAID Kuza and reports to the Chief of Party.
The position holder will be based in Nairobi.
USAID Kuza was issued under USAID/Kenya’s Feed the Future Leader with Associates (LWA) award as Associate Award 4 (AA4) to develop and support economic opportunities in northern Kenya.
The activity works in in ten arid and semi-arid counties of northern Kenya (Garissa, Isiolo, Lamu, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana, Wajir and West Pokot).
The goal of this activity is to improve the enabling environment for economic opportunities, accelerate public-private investment, expand, and deepen county-level capacity to build resilience, foster self-reliance, and reduce the need for humanitarian assistance.
The activity is implemented by ACDI/VOCA, in close collaboration with Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC) and is supported by an investment manager and select financial institution partners.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Project monitoring and evaluation
Oversees implementation of USAID Kuza MERL, develop performance monitoring indicators, AMEL Plan, indicators, measures, methods, and tools to ensure the collection of reliable, robust, and verifiable data on numbers of individuals, institutions, and Financial Institutions (FIs) benefitting from USAID Kuza activities – to capture indirect impacts of USAID Kuza, and ensure accurate data capture into ACDI/VOCA M&E LEAP system.
Establishes and manages, in collaboration with A/V HQ and Regional M&E expertise, the USAID Kuza Social Network Analysis tool, incorporating data from Financial Institutions.
Recruits and supervises the work of interns, enumerators, on a need-basis, to assist with Data Quality Assurance (DQA), data collection/analysis, Operational Performance Index measurement for USAID Kuza partners and beneficiaries.
Leads data collection efforts in collaboration with key stakeholders to ensure a process of evidence-based learning that improves understanding while strengthening local capacity, institutional development, and sustainability of livestock market system activities.
Under the direction of the USAID Kuza COP, coordinates with the LMS MERL Director and USAID Kuza program staff to
undertake regular, routine monitoring and DQA of program activities,
design and oversee assessments/studies/desk review exercises.
coordinate an end line survey,
lead the Annual Results Survey process on behalf of USAID Kuza and
conduct collaborative learning and adaption (CLA) activities for USAID Kuza, participates in donor led program evaluation (mid -term) exercises as required by the donor.
Ensures data on gender and resource utilization are tracked, monitored, analyzed, and reported via the USAID Kuza M&E system; disaggregate all baseline and monitoring data by sex (and any other level of disaggregation as outlined in the indicator reference sheets) in data collection forms, databases, and data collection processes.
Works with Leader staff to monitor the impact of USAID Kuza SLI with donor activities, and monitors learning, results, and adaptations using GIS data. Responsible for training project staff on GIS applications and geo-mapping data management.
Designs surveys ensuring that appropriate data collection methodologies are used, data quality mechanisms are adhered to, and analyzes data using PowerBI on USAID Kuza LEAP Page.
Collaborates with Leader Award and USAID to select USAID Kuza Performance indicators, document PIRS and to synthesize and analyze M&E data.
Manages ongoing data collection process at the FCDC county governments and FIs. Where applicable, train staff on survey design, questionnaires and ODK applications to collect, store and analyze data collected.
Coordinate with Partners to ensure all project-related data is entered into the USAID Kuza LEAP database on SharePoint with sex and other level of disaggregation to ensure that quarterly and annual reports reflect the same. S/he will ensure that project data are regularly backed up and secured.
Manages USAID Kuza’s annual results survey design and roll-out in all ten FCDC counties (and NRBI, where necessary); provides strategic advice and support to the drafting and data verification process associated with monthly, quarterly, and annual reports for submission to the donor.
Develop data quality standards and implement standard operating procedures to mitigate risk. Conduct periodic internal Routine Data Quality Assessments (RDQA) to assess the validity, reliability, integrity, and timeliness of reported data and, where necessary, to adjust as per the data audit findings. Ensure accuracy and timely data reporting by working closely with partners and data enumerators by putting in place data collection and management procedures.
Implement routine data quality spot check field visits to check the accuracy of reported data and the correct use of data collection tools. Through these visits, provides informal/refresher training to those involved in data collection. Also, verify all USAID Kuza M&E collected data including provision of additional documentation for data verification will be added on a case-by-case basis, to assess consistency between the original data and that entered in the database.
Recruits and manages Research Assistants and Data Entry clerks in support of surveys and other data collection activities.
Reporting
Directly reports to the USAID Kuza COP
Works in close collaboration with the Leader MERL Director in the preparation and finalization of project performance reports by proving analytical data in line with project performance indicators.
Reviews USAID Kuza staff, Nairobi technical team, and implementing partners’ reports and extracts and synthesizes performance data, lessons learned, adaptations for dissemination to USAID Kuza and other audiences, as per Corporate and USAID mandated reports, briefs, updates, and plans.
Learning
Guide the process for identifying key learning questions and parameters for monitoring project performance and comparing with targets and spearhead the overall project learning agenda through quarterly reviews, reflection, and planning sessions.
In line with USAID Kuza’s CLA objectives for CLA, facilitate the project team to document lessons learned through case studies and other methods such as most significant change.
Provide leadership in sharing lessons learned through workshops, seminars, and other forums.
Promote best practices as well as contribute to regional (Nairobi) and headquarters (Washington) efforts to build effective learning systems as well as contribute to knowledge transfer during communities of practice.
Coordination and compliance
Liaise and coordinate with USAID Kuza Partners, USAID Kuza Program staff at ACDI/VOCA, LWA MEL Managers and ACDI/VOCA’s project management, M&E staff based in the regional office and ACDI/VOCA home office in Washington DC.
Coordinate with other stakeholders and organizations working in ACDI/VOCA’s implementation area, to share data management tools, project activity data and lessons learned, as well as to maximize cost effectiveness of data collection, ensure use of existing information and avoid duplication of results tracking.
Represent ACDI/VOCA on external M&E-related working groups at USAID, Other PREG partners, task forces, conferences, publications, and panels.
Ensure compliance with USAID policies and procedures, as well as ACDI/VOCA’s corporate M&E policy and procedures.
The MERL Manager will carry out other roles and responsibilities in accordance with ACDI/VOCA policy and the applicable laws of Kenya.
Qualifications:
Master’s degree in social sciences, Environmental science, development, or any related field, and with relevant training in monitoring and evaluation.
Five (5) years’ experience in monitoring and evaluation in complex organizational set-ups, experience working with USAID is strongly preferred.
Experience working in arid and semi-arid areas as well as working with pastoral communities.
Experience working in an Investment project is preferred.
Strengths in GIS and design of data collection tools
Fluency in English and Kiswahili is required
Please submit a resume to HRKenya@acdivoca.org no later than April 16, 2021.In the subject line, please include the position title.Only those candidates considered for an interview will be contacted.ACDI/VOCA is an equal opportunity employer.Women, minorities, and people from diverse groups are encouraged to apply.EOE
Apply via :
HRKenya@acdivoca.org
