Job description
Collaboration, Learning, and Adaptation (CLA) Director, Kenya
ACDI/VOCA is seeking a Collaboration, Learning, and Adaptation Director for an anticipated USAID-funded research and learning opportunity in Kenya, broadly in the areas of agricultural development, market systems, and resilience. The CLA Director will be primarily responsible for leading project learning internally, as well as supporting collaborative design and dissemination processes that enhance application of project-sponsored research and learning externally – e.g. by implementing partners, donors, government staff, and market actors. S/he will provide project leadership as the centralized point for analysis, strategic planning, and support to improve technical implementation, effective use of resources, and sustainability. The CLA Director will also oversee the development and implementation of capturing lessons learned to inform the activity’s technical approach.
Manage the process of project learning to ensure knowledge and learning from a range of sources – pilot and intervention experiences, performance monitoring data, staff and partner observations, research studies, contextual trends, etc. – is effectively analyzed, shared and applied to improve practice and enhance the scalability, efficiency, and sustainability of project impact. Plan, design, and/or manage processes, tools, and team skills that enable this.
Provide technical support to project collaborators (e.g. other implementers, government or donor stakeholders, etc) in the areas of learning design and implementation, analysis and reflection, and facilitating adaptive management processes to ensure learning is applied.
Lead development of the project’s internal learning agenda, collaboratively with stakeholders and cross-functional staff. Update and adjust learning agenda as needed.
Support development of the project’s external learning agenda, through hosting stakeholder feedback sessions with the project’s research partners to enhance relevancy and practical application of research questions and learning plans. In addition, co-design creative and user-focused ways to disseminate and communicate research findings to maximize absorption and application of information for partners. (e.g. infographics and other graphics, use of social media, well- facilitated in-person meetings, email bursts, web presence, webinar, trainings, etc.).
Assist the Chief of Party in identifying areas that may require adaptive management which will allow the project to review activities, pilot where relevant, and abandon, modify, or scale them to achieve the desired outcomes. Seek out ways to cultivate skills and behaviors by team members that support behaviors collaboration, learning, and adapting.
Organize and facilitate regular staff and partner meetings to share experiences and lessons, and brainstorm ways to apply new learning in day-to-day as well as strategic plans.
Work with the M&E Manager to support research selected activities by providing the necessary program and organizational support.
Leverage a mix of informational sources and research methods – project M&E and other partner data, observations from staff and partners, primary and secondary market research – to (i) analyze project progress towards goals and learning objectives, (ii) communicate those findings externally (e.g. to donor, external partners) and internally (e.g. to project staff), and (iii) apply that learning into improved work-planning and project activities.
Participate in regular senior management planning meetings and provide analytical feedback and support to inform technical decisions by senior management and the technical component leads.
Coordinate regularly with ACDI/VOCA’s headquarters office in Washington, DC, including the program management, M&E, and technical learning and application teams.
Requirement
At least 10 years’ experience in international development, preferably working in agriculture, markets, and/or food security programming. Of this, at least 5 years of practical experience in performance monitoring and results management, collaboration and learning. Knowledge of USAID’s CLA approach and/or trends in market development M&E (e.g. measuring systemic change, indirect impact, resilience) desired.
Bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as in business, organizational learning, or economics. .
Experience with USAID programs and knowledge of USAID rules and regulations desired.
Previous experience working in Kenya or East Africa strongly preferred.
Proven experience leading project teams in the process of regularly capturing and analyzing information, reflecting on its implications for current practice, and adapting accordingly to support and improve development outcomes strongly
Demonstrated ability to inspire cross-functional teams to collaborate effectively and efficiently.
Excellent oral, written (especially analytical skills to inform high quality reports), and interpersonal skills.
Fluency in English required.
