Monitoring and Evaluation Officer- Metu

JOB TITLE: Monitoring and Evaluation Officer

REPORTS TO: Project Coordinator

REPORTING TO POST HOLDER: None

PROJECT: Ecosystem based Solution for Biodiversity Conservation and Resilient Livelihoods in the Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere and its Surrounding (ECOR)

LOCATION: Metu Field office, Ilu Ababor, Oromiya regional state

DURATION: One years with possibility of extension based on 60 days probation performance.

SALARY: GBP 654 per Month

 

ORGANISATIONAL BACKGROUND

Farm Africa, founded in 1985, has been working in Ethiopia since 1988. We drive agricultural and environmental change to improve lives. Our strategy has three pillars: agricultural expertise, management and preservation of ecosystems, and the power of business to drive prosperity. We believe Africa has the power to feed itself and are helping make this happen by establishing and spreading the best farming and forestry techniques so that poor farmers and herders have more food to feed their families and to sell. We help smallholders manage their natural resources sustainably so that they can withstand climate change challenges and shocks and ensure their families have enough food in the future as well as now. Farm Africa works in partnership with communities, government, local and international organisations, and the private sector to innovate, learn and share best practices for the maximum impact of our projects

 

PROJECT BACKGROUND, PURPOSE & ROLE

Farm Africa has a long-standing experience in implementing development projects in the areas of agriculture, environment, and Business development, as one of the pioneers of this approach in Ethiopia. Farm Africa and Environment and Coffee Forest Forum (ECFF) are implementing a Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA) funded project titled “Ecosystem based Solution for Biodiversity Conservation and Resilient Livelihoods in the Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere and its Surrounding (ECOR” executed in four woredas of Yayu coffee forest biosphere reserve area.

The project will improve the effectiveness of development policies and strategies around ecosystem, natural resources, biodiversity conservation, coffee forest biosphere reserve, food security, climate adaptation and mitigation, livelihood development, climate resilience and sustainable land management and inclusive green growth through integrated landscape management approach.

The project implementation requires collaboration with multiple stakeholders including the agricultural office, the cooperative promotion office, the finance and economic development office, local communities and others at Federal, Regional, Zonal, Woreda, and kebele levels.

The overall high-level strategic leadership of the project is managed by the Programme Manager based in Addis Ababa, while the zonal and woreda level leadership, execution of operations as per the project design document, strategic direction given by the Programme manager. The day to day planning and implementation of the project activities on the ground will be facilitated by the project coordinator, who will be based in Metu Field office, Ilu Ababor zone of Oromiya region.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

 

The Monitoring and Evaluation Officer is a technical post responsible for ensuring consistent and high quality collection, use and reporting of results data in the programme. The post holder will ensure that all projects within the programme develop and implement appropriate MEL plans, based on robust logical frameworks, and adhering to Farm Africa’s core standards and approaches, including the global indicators.

Within the programme, the MEL Officer will work with the Project Coordinator to ensure management decision making is evidence based. The M&E Officer will also work with the Project Officers and Community Development staffs to ensure a clear understanding of the programme’s MEL framework at the field level, with all methods and tools clearly understood and communicated. The post holder will develop appropriate tools, systems and training to support field teams to understand and use robust evidence of project results as a vital input to management decision making. The M&E Officer will provide technical as well as capacity building support to partner organisations to ensure use of relevant FA’s standard data collection tools; provide critical analysis and technical input to project evaluation processes, ensuring Farm Africa can maximise the learning potential of all studies, assessments and evaluations undertaken within the projects. The role is required to work closely with country office MEL coordinator and the Programme Manager to ensure continual improvement of organisational systems and processes.

 

KEY TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES

 

Key areas of responsibility are:

Planning

• Coordinate and facilitate the development and use of appropriate MEL systems and plans and provide technical guidance to the technical programme staffs and partners in implementing them.
• Take responsibility for ensuring donor’s MEL systems are fully achieved for reporting results , and ensure project teams are familiar with these.
• At start-up, work with field teams and PM to ensure that the indicators and targets are SMART, and the methods for collection and analysis are clearly understood and will fulfil reporting requirements at all levels.
• Coordinate the development of integrated work plans that help to facilitate the implementation of projects with shared responsibilities and joint efforts.
• In consultation with the PC, PM and consortium partners. review and prepare the project’s work plan and budget during the annual planning process each year.
• Liaise with the PC and PM to adequately budget for and utilise resources to undertake MEL activities.

Implementation

• Coordinate and implement baseline surveys, assessments/studies and evaluation exercises.
• Build the capacity of field staff and local partner staff on data collection, management, analysis and results-based monitoring principles and ensure understanding of Farm Africa’s core standards and approaches.
• Work to ensure project team are able to disaggregate data by gender and age, where appropriate, by devising and disseminating simple data collection methods.
• Provide a ‘quality assurance’ function to ensure that data reported by projects within the programme is relevant, accurate and verifiable.
• Undertake regular monitoring and assist the team of all consortia partners at field level that program activities are implemented and outputs achieved as planned.
• Ensure the project’s log-frame and data collection plans are regularly reviewed and refreshed, and the project is collecting the breadth of indicators required at a frequency and timing in line with reporting purposes.
• Ensure that the project is regularly (at least quarterly) conducting beneficiary surveys, collecting basic data as per the data collection plan from relevant sources, developing case studies and collating photos
• Ensure data reported by projects feeds back and is used for programme management and decision making.
• Provide technical and capacity building support to project implementing partners;
• Work closely with relevant staff of partners to ensure regular data collection, analysis and reporting;
• Facilitate assessments, surveys or studies requested any time.
• Facilitate bi-annual data collection mainly community feedback for bi-annual PPR session,
• Facilitate the annual outcome surveys including field level data collection, analysis of findings and reporting, and preparation of PPR documents
• Participate in project quarterly review meetings and biannual Project Performance review (PPR) workshops;
• Identify learning questions, document and disseminate learnings

Reporting

• Ensure regular and sufficient communication with programme staffs and partners on the overall MEL development and coordinate and cascade any learning that will enhance MEL activities at the country Office and programme level.
• Work with the MEL coordinator and programme manager to develop tools and methods for capturing and documenting lessons learned from the programme’s implementation, and ensure that they are shared with the communities, partners and across the organisation.
• Ensure that the quarterly reports produced by the projects have case studies, success stories and lessons learnt so that there is continuous information that will feed into the overall learning process.
• Collate monthly, quarterly and annual reports from all consortium partners – ensuring required quality, and report to the PM with specified deadlines.
• Prepare progress reports quarterly, outlining progress, issues and actions being taken in the standard format to the PC.
• Together with the PC participate in quarterly project progress review sessions: in-depth review of financial spend/burn rate; achievement against activity and output plan, and a forward look on whether the project is achieving against its objectives.
• Support the PC in ensuring the timely submission of narrative and financial reports to the donor as per the reporting requirements.

Capacity building

• Provide technical as well as capacity building support to partner organisations, ensure use of relevant FA’s standard data collection tools,
• Provide critical analysis and technical input to project evaluation processes,
• Ensuring Farm Africa can maximise the learning potential of all studies and evaluations undertaken within the project
• Prepare different training documents on the area of MEL, project management and coordination and deliver for FA and other partner staffs
• Facilitate different capacity building trainings and workshops

Safeguarding & Code of Conduct Responsibilities:

• Comply with and uphold Farm Africa’s Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct, and related policies at all times.
• Treat all individuals and communities with dignity, respect, and fairness, promoting a safe and inclusive working environment.
• Ensure that personal and professional conduct does not put beneficiaries, colleagues, or partners at risk of harm or abuse.
• Recognize and report any safeguarding concerns, suspicions, or incidents in accordance with Farm Africa’s safeguarding and reporting procedures.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with beneficiaries, community members, and colleagues.
• Ensure that communications, images, and information about beneficiaries are used responsibly and with informed consent.
• Support the organization’s commitment to preventing sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment, and any form of discrimination.
• Participate in safeguarding training and awareness activities as required.
• Contribute to creating and maintaining a safe working environment for all staff

These essential functions are not to be interpreted as a complete statement of all duties performed. Employees will be required to perform other job related duties as required. All work responsibilities are subject to having performance goals and/or targets established.

PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential	Desirable

Education, qualifications & other knowledge
MA/BA in Economics, Statistics, Project Management, Development studies or related fields.	Academic qualification relevant to Farm Africa’s areas of operation (preferably agriculture and climate change)
Demonstrable knowledge project cycle management	Awareness of broader trends in international donor landscape, relating to PCM and MEL and results-monitoring
Knowledge of the development and policy environment in Ethiopia	Knowledge of value chain development and climate smart agricultural practices
Experience
Demonstrable understanding of monitoring, evaluation and learning principles and practices, including the application of the log frame approach	Previous NGO work experience in rural development
A minimum of 4 years proven experience in conducting quantitative and qualitative field research and analysis for large, multi-purpose projects	Experience conducting field research in a rural context
Experience in synthesising data and drafting clear written reports/briefings	Communicating technical information to non-technical, ‘lay’, audiences
Proven experience in training and capacity building in MEL practices
Skills & abilities
Strong communication skills (verbal and written)	Strong partner relationship management
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively as part of a team	Using evidence for impact communication
Ability to ensure quality standards are adhered to and understood
Strong management skills, with good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issues.
Ability to provide challenge and critique others in a constructive and open manner
Fluency in written and spoken English and Amharic
Firm belief in teamwork and gender equality
Very good facilitation and coordination skills
Methodological, thorough approach with attention to detail
Excellent record keeping and report writing skills	Ability of data base creating and data management
Proficiency in MS Office packages	Proficient in Advanced Excel, Word, and ability to programming and statistical/data analysis/ software
Ability to work in a multi partner environment

Our Values

Investing in smallholder farming is the number one way to combat poverty in rural Africa. Farm Africa is a leading NGO specialising in growing agriculture, protecting the environment and developing businesses in rural Africa.

• EXPERT: Expertise and insightful evidence-based solutions are at the heart of everything Farm Africa does.
• GROUNDED: Our teams and partners work closely with local communities, engaging them in every level of decision-making.
• IMPACTFUL: We deliver long lasting change for farmers, their families, and the environments they live in.
• BOLD: We model innovative approaches and are not afraid to challenge strategies that are failing.