Monitoring and Evaluation Director

This position will lead the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) component of the C4D Project. This area is responsible for monitoring activities and measuring progress during project implementation, according to the Work Plan, indicators and their corresponding goals, objectives, changes, effects, and expected impact. M&E guides and ensures compliance with quality standards during the processes of capture, processing, analysis, and reporting, contributing useful and timely information for strategic decision-making of the project.

The M&E Director will lead the collection, processing, verification, and reporting of information on the implementation of project activities, integrating Partners’ best M&E practices. This professional will lead the processes of data collection and processing, internal and external reporting, monitoring of activities and indicators, and evaluation of activities and impact during the life of the project. This position reports directly to the Chief of Party and will work closely with the Sr. Technical Director of the project. The M&E Director will be based in Nouakchott, Mauritania.

The M&E Director will have the following main objectives:

• Formulate MEL plan and systems for capturing data and pertinent information on project activities, beneficiaries, outputs, outcomes, and impact.
• Provide leadership, training, and mentoring to carry out MEL activities, including designing tools, conducting data collection and analysis, and sharing and utilizing data to evaluate and enhance program impact.
• Effectively implement data collection and reporting systems to all staff and partners through training, site visits, manuals, and other necessary technical support.
• Collaborate across the project to ensure programmutilizedgnment to targets and indicators contained in the project proposal and utilize information from the MEL systems (Activityinfo) and tools to enhance program effectiveness.
• Facilitate the collection and use of qualitative data and implementation learning to facilitate collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA), including participating in special studies to answer learning agenda.
• Coordinate and support baseline, mid-term, and final evaluations.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Direct and provide the day-to-day management of the M&E activities for the project and its partners.
• Lead the development, update, and implementation of the project’s M&E Plan, including the approach to collecting, evaluating, and validating data to measure overall progress toward project outcomes and objectives.
• Proactively participate in project evaluations, including the baseline, mid-term and final evaluation, collaborating, and coordinating closely with USDA and the external consultant.
• Monitor and update project indicators and their progress toward established goals in coordination with the technical team.
• Develop and ensure adequate performance of M&E platforms, data integrity, and accuracy in project-relevant reporting.
• Contribute to the elaboration of Requests for Proposals for relevant consultancies assessing project progress, such as annual, intermediate, final, and others as required.
• Manage the renewal of the licenses of the required software tools.
• Support the development of project progress reports, annual work plans, and other documents as required by USDA, by providing accurate and reliable data.
• Collaborate and regularly meet with the project’s technical team to update the Work Plan, activities and analyses lessons learned accordingly.
• Stay up to date on USDA Mauritania and USDA Washington M&E guidance and opportunities, including but not limited to revised standard indicators and opportunities to give feedback or highlight project achievements.
• Regularly improve project M&E systems and empower local staff, stakeholders, and partners to use quality data to drive meaningful changes related to project interventions.
• Work closely with project staff and partners to develop mechanisms for the FFPr Mauritania Work Plan to actively incorporate lessons and modify approaches in implementation as needed.
• Create, organize, and submit M&E deliverables as required by USDA.
• Develop learning, knowledge, and results management materials for internal and external audiences.
• Design and monitor the proper and responsive management of data collection instruments (e.g. surveys, focus groups, evaluations) with project beneficiaries and target populations.
• Coordinate closely with POA communications team members and partners in the preparation and delivery of inputs for the development of FFPr Mauritania project success stories to ensure project achievements are widely shared and reported to USDA and key stakeholders.
• Work closely with all project units, technical teams at POA, and partners to ensure that M&E is aligned with the project.
• Design and maintain project dashboards updated for timely and relevant decision-making.
• Use relevant secondary research for M&E purposes, including context and a better understanding of project performance.
• Support the development and implementation of partners’ organizational development and monitor the progress of project activities to strengthen their capacity.
• Other relevant tasks that are assigned by the Chief of Party.

Team Management

• Develop team capacity, deepen understanding of their roles and responsibilities, and assist in career development.
• Assist team members with information, tools, and resources to improve performance and achieve goals.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback formally and informally with regular one-on-one meetings and performance reviews.
• Create and maintain a mutually respectful work environment where team members strive for excellence. Hire, mentor, and direct team members as needed.
• Proactively ensure that team members participate in the activities and attend to the responsibilities of the OHS-OHS (Occupational Health and Safety Management System).

Responsibilities of All Partners’ Team Members

• Have a clear and deep understanding of POA and donor policies and standards to comply with programmatic, financial, administrative, procurement, logistics, human resources, and security processes.
• Actively participate in the activities and fulfill the responsibilities as an employee with the SG-OSH (Occupational Health and Safety Management System

Qualifications

• Minimum of eight (8) years of professional experience in management and leadership positions, or equivalent, executing monitoring and evaluation activities for international development projects, specifically projects focused on rural development and food security in Mauritania.
• Professional with an advanced degree (preferably a master’s degree) in statistics, demography, public policy, international development, economics, or related field.
• Experience in the design, implementation, and operation of monitoring and evaluation systems from project inception to the closeout stages.
• Desirable familiarity with indicators from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food For Progress Program or other U.S. Government-funded programs.
• Experience working with Colombian producer associations, trade unions, or other civil society organizations.
• Experience in strategic planning and performance measurement, including indicator selection, goal setting, reporting, database management, and development of monitoring and evaluation plans and implementation of monitoring plans.
• Knowledge of main evaluation methodologies (qualitative, quantitative, mixed method, and impact) and data collection and analysis of the methodologies.
• Experience in planning and managing surveys and developing and refining data collection tools.
• Experience guiding impact evaluations for international development projects
• Desirable understanding of the main problems of agricultural value chains, including market access, collection and processing of products, and provision of inputs and services to producers.
• Advanced proficiency in English, native in French; written and oral communication.
• Desirable knowledge of project management tools such as Smartsheet and other applications for data management such as KoboToolbox and Power BI.