CABI Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist recruitment Vacancy in Nairobi Kenya 2013
Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist – The Optimizing Fertilizer
Recommendations in Africa (OFRA) project
CABI – Nairobi, Kenya
The Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist will support overall coordination of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and gender mainstreaming within the OFRA project and CABI.
Established over 100 years ago, CABI is an intergovernmental not – for – profit science – based development and information organization.
CABI improves people’s lives by providing information and applying scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment.
Our mission and direction is influenced by our member countries who help guide the activities undertaken.
These include scientific publishing, development projects and research, and microbial services.
Our activities are based principally in 2 major sites in the UK and 5 scientific centres globally.
Please see our website www.cabi.org for further details about our organisation.
OFRA is funded by AGRA and coordinated by CABI, through the Africa Soil Health Consortium (ASHC) in collaboration with the project partner, the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL).
The project aims to develop and fine-tune fertiliser recommendations within an integrated soil fertility management framework to help improve the productivity and profitability of smallholder farmers in Africa.
It is run in 13 sub-Saharan countries in Africa – Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
National agriculture research and extension systems will be working with CABI and UNL to conduct field research to obtain information needed to optimize on-farm profitability of fertilizer use and enabling advisors to assist farmers in applying this information.
The fertilizer optimization recommendations will cover the main cereal legume cropping systems.
The cereal crops will include maize, sorghum, pearl and finger millet, teff and rice.
The legumes covered will include beans, groundnuts, soybean, pigeonpea, chickpea, and cowpea.
Working closely with other OFRA staff, the successful candidate will:
- develop methods & tools for monitoring key indicators;
- ensure country level monitoring and reporting procedures are in place and effective;
- ensure that National KPIs are aligned to the regional KPIs & that M&E plans are closely integrated with the regional Project Implementation Plan (PIP) and research strategies;
- support regional team members and sub-grantees mainstream gender perspectives in in-country activities;
- participate in development of appropriate methodologies/protocols for monitoring and evaluation studies;
- lead/backstop studies to sub-grantees and other partners in implementation of baseline and other surveys;
- support M&E capacity building activities with sub-grantees;
- contribute to documenting and sharing experiences and using lessons learned to improve effectiveness and sustainability of plant health systems;
- contribute writings and publications of reports, articles, scientific papers, internal communications and external media on projects and CABI and its projects.
He/she will have a higher university degree in Agricultural Economics or Economics, with strong empirical skills or strength in applied economics or equivalent.
Relevant skills and demonstrated experience in-design and use of quantitative, qualitative and participatory M&E methods and approaches and the ability to coach and train others in their use; Monitoring and Evaluation of capacity building programmes with a wide range of stakeholders – local communities, NGOs, government officials & researchers; operating on a global or a regional and multi-cultural multi-disciplinary set up; influencing partners and stakeholders, and of co-ordinating teams. Knowledge of French/or Portuguese and ability to use multiple ICT systems and software is desirable.
The candidate shall have excellent administrative and communication skills with ability to prioritise and manage diverse workloads, use initiative and proactive thinking and pay attention to details.
A good level of project management skills is essential with high level of confidentiality and ability to cope well with changing environment.
Salary: Negotiable but commensurate with skills, abilities and experience
Position Type: 24 months initial appointment with a possibility of renewal.
The successful applicant will be based in our CABI office in Nairobi – Kenya.
Applications in writing by cover letter stating how you meet the requirements above together with the names and contact details of three referees and a full current should be sent to recruitment@cabi.org.
Closing date for receipt of applications is midnight GMT 30th September 2013.