Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Manager, Africa Agriculture

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of business 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:

The Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Manager supports TechnoServe's portfolio of agriculture-related projects across Africa by backstopping and training project-based MEL staff and developing a community of practice within the region. The role provides technical assistance to projects for MEL systems development, evaluation oversight, and capacity building across TechnoServe’s Agriculture portfolio in Africa. The MEL Manager ensures that the foundational building blocks for managing to impact are in place within program, country and regional teams. This includes 20+ projects, ranging from small pilots with lightweight MEL approaches, to large scale (> $20M) value chain projects with multiple MEL staff across several countries.

This position sits within TechnoServe’s Global Impact team and reports to the Senior Manager, Global Impact. The MEL Manager, Africa Agriculture position requires strong technical MEL expertise, but also critically requires effective communication with senior staff such as country and program directors, an ability to build and manage relationships remotely, and strong project management, capacity building, and strategic thinking skills. The manager will collaborate closely with regional backstopping and program development teams, and have an indirect reporting relationship to the West Africa Regional Director. The MEL Manager, Africa Agriculture will directly supervise a Data Scientist.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

Execute the core functions of the Global Impact Team, including (35% LOE):

Promote TechnoServe’s Global MEL standards through staff training, conducting diagnostics, and developing MEL improvement plans within the region. Support or lead annual/semi-annual corporate initiatives in the region, including Corporate Measurement and the Program Quality Survey. Support hiring process and lead onboarding for country- and project-level MEL staff Promote knowledge sharing across the agriculture portfolio in Africa. Work with the Senior Manager, Global Impact to drive collaboration across all agriculture projects globally.

Provide direct technical assistance to projects (50% LOE):

Provide direct project support on all core MEL functions including drafting MEL Plans, designing surveys, writing donor reports, conducting analysis, managing MEL operations, etc. Lead internal evaluations or special studies. Manage external evaluators. Provide support and technical oversight to junior MEL staff (e.g. regular check-ins and sign-off on deliverables on projects that only have junior MEL Associates). Provide advisory and direct technical assistance on specific deliverables.

Provide Regional and Practice Area MEL leadership (10% LOE):

Identify any areas for improvement in MEL design, management structures, technology, staff capacity, or implementation plans that may hinder MEL quality. Work proactively with the Senior Manager, Global Impact and regional leadership to think strategically on how to improve. Keep the Regional Director informed of any critical issues related to MEL quality or impact. In collaboration with the Senior Manager, Global Impact, keep the High Margin Agriculture practice informed about MEL developments across the portfolio. Help coordinate learning activities across projects to advance a global learning agenda. Oversee the build-out of data management systems. Support the exchange of information and knowledge to improve project implementation by participating and contributing to internal and external fora. Work with Regional Teams to have coordinated management systems at the project level for the planning of MEL activities, the storing of MEL data and documents, and the tracking of MEL deliverables.

Supervise a Data Specialist (5% LOE):

The MEL Manager, Africa Agriculture directly supervises a Data Scientist who builds databases and sets up all technology at the start of a project, then monitors data integrity and provides ongoing backstopping to ensure data protocols are followed.

Basic Qualifications:

Soft skills, including the ability to influence and build capacity, are as important to the success of this role as quantitative and analytical skills.

A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as economics, business administration, statistics, evaluation, data science, or other; and a minimum of 7 years of experience designing, managing and implementing multidisciplinary and results-based MEL systems in an international context. Or a master's degree and 5 years of similar experience. Experience with project management systems that allow for effectively planning, tracking, and ensuring quality for complex projects. Verbal and written fluency in English. French language skills are highly preferred. Background in a range of monitoring and evaluation methodologies, including both quantitative and qualitative research approaches Proven ability to translate research, methodologies, and data into accessible formats for colleagues with non-technical backgrounds Experience demonstrating the value of integrating gender into project approach Comfort delegating responsibility and thinking creatively about how to use the available resources to achieve the best results for the region. Hands-on capacity-building experience, including development of training materials, as well as delivering actual training sessions.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

A commitment to developing and promoting MEL staff skills. Outstanding written and oral communication skills and a demonstrated track record of producing high quality, well-written deliverables. A demonstrated ability to effectively multi-task and manage projects, including staffing, work plans, deliverables, timelines and budgets. A demonstrated ability to coordinate and communicate effectively and diplomatically with a range of external and internal colleagues including donors, partners and senior and junior team members across diverse cultures. An ability to value and respect voices of staff at all levels, external stakeholders, and the men and women we work with.

This is a remote position based in one of the . TechnoServe will not provide sponsorship or work authorization for this position, and all applicants must have work authorization in the country from which they are applying.

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 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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