I.                    About TechnoServe

TechnoServe is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty. A nonprofit organization operating in 29 countries, we work with hard working men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. By linking people to information, capital, and markets, we have helped millions to create lasting prosperity for their families and communities. Our work is rooted in the idea that given the opportunity, hardworking men and women in even the poorest places can generate income, jobs and wealth for their families and communities. In East Africa, we operate in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.  Across the region, we implement a range of large-scale value chain interventions, agribusiness Project s and entrepreneurship/economic empowerment projects. With more than four decades of proven results, we believe in the power of private enterprise to transform lives.

II.                  About the Project

TechnoServe and GreenPath propose an ambitious, three-year project to catalyze the growth of Ethiopia’s export sector through efficient, inclusive, and regenerative market systems with Ethiopian small-scale farmers. Through sustainable, smallholder-sourced high-value exports, Ethiopian small-scale farmers will access higher income generating opportunities and lucrative, premium export markets, contributing to more resilient and improved farming livelihoods, particularly for women and youth. We envision a climate-resilient and inclusive horticulture export sector that strengthens partnerships between small-scale farmers and export enterprises, allows small-scale farmers to produce high-value export crops with access to climate-smart irrigation technology, and responds to end-market consumer demand for regeneratively grown products. Although small-scale farmers have the potential to supply growing global consumer demand for sustainable products, Ethiopia’s business climate excludes small-scale producers from meaningfully participating in export value chains even when this is central to the mission of an export enterprise due to limited incentives for commercial exporters to overcome the various framework impediments to smallholder sourcing. These include limited enterprise knowledge on successfully identifying and engaging small-scale farmers, limited small-scale farmer access to affordable irrigation, unregistered high-value export seeds only allowed for production on commercial farms, promotion of environmentally damaging conventional horticulture practices to smallholders, expensive and costly certifications that discourage smallholder expansion.

III.                Position Description

The MEL officer in collaboration with the MEL Manager will coordinate manage base line survey, mid term evaluation and end line survey implementation. Collect project data and provide technical support to the NORAD and GreenPath project team by making sure data are timely, quality and analyze Data. Monitor smallholder farmers (irrigation export crop out-grower farmers) horticultural crop production, input access, financial option creation and application of appropriate irrigation technologies. Prepare and share M&E plan, success stories, learning agendas and case studies; irrigation technology adoption, out-grower group household income, Horticultural crops seed registration, access to financial linkages. Promote learning by sharing key learning issues related to Project and advance gender equity.

IV.                Duties and Responsibilities

Manage survey implementation: oversee Data Collection Ensure Data Quality & Analyze Data

ü  Implement monitoring data, gathering data from all partners; review and analyze data.

ü  Assists field staff particularly BA (front line staff) in developing regular data collection format, analysis and demonstrate forward accountability to stakeholder

ü  Organizing field monitoring and evaluation and provide evidence based feedback for decision making and follow-up

ü  Assists the project staff in understanding and report based on activity, output and outcome project-level data

ü  Develop standardized output and outcome progress collection monitoring tools according to the project success indicators. Regular data collection, analysis and disseminate key MEL deliverables;

ü  Compiles regular field monitoring report including lessons and provide feedback for the Project and his/her supervisor;

ü  Assist the design of all surveys including baseline survey, learning agendas and final evaluations and coordinate its implementation

ü  Synthesize high quality narrative reports for internal and external stakeholders from the monitoring data;

ü  Review and analyze reports for impact evaluation;

ü  Assist MEL manager, develop or update MEL plan and log frame for NORAD project to guide result based MEL activities

ü  Provide training, coaching and feedback on data collection tools to ensure that field-based staff understand/ know how to accurately collect data

ü  Assist and ensure the collection and synthesizing of data from Business Advisors for data verification, including regular visits to the field to support implementation of Project activities;

ü  Data cleaning using STATA/SPSS other statistical package

ü  Work with the MEL manager to assess the indicator against the result level and develop strategies what, how, when and who collect the data

ü  Any other assignment given by the PM and MEL Manager

            Monitor out-growers’ Irrigation Production

ü  In collaboration with technical team, the MEL officer will support the technical team in design activity progress tracking mechanisms. Such as; providing ongoing feedback on irrigation export crop production, check and BA’S report regular visit to field

             Support evidence-based management and decision-making

ü  Provide Monitoring and Evaluation data periodically to the Project team for planning and to see the status of implementation

ü  Provide evidence for the Project team on the activities working well and for those lagging behind

ü  Work closely with the Project Managers, Senior Business Advisor, and all other direct project staff to help ensure that Project work plans are on target to meet deliverables in a timely and effective manner;

ü  Work with Project management staff to identify M&E needs and provide training, as appropriate

ü  Ensure results are shared and flows transparently within the project team and to other organizational levels, as appropriate;

          Promote learning by sharing key learning issues related to Project and advance gender equity

ü  Capture case and success stories to be share for the large audience

ü  Prepare workshops/briefings, PSR meeting on lessons learned

ü  Participate in TechnoServe learning networks

ü  Network with other relevant actors to promote knowledge exchange

          Field Work

ü  Field testing of survey and other materials to ensure accuracy, fidelity of translations and regional and cultural relevance.

ü  Field supervision and quality coaching to ensure compliance and fidelity of survey and implementation activities against operating procedures and work plans.

ü  Qualifications MSc/BSc in Economics, business administration/Management, Agriculture, economics, statistics or international development-related studies required;

ü  At least 3 to 5 years of professional experience with development research, M&E methods and approaches, including designing, planning, and implementing M&E systems

ü  Demonstrated experience in both qualitative and quantitative research

ü  Analytical skills, including analysis using STATA/SPSS software and a working familiarity with other relevant software applications

ü  Demonstrated strong problem-solving skills

ü  Very strong attention to details and commitment to high quality, error-free end products

ü  Online survey Project Ming using SurveyCTO will be advantageous.

ü  Ability to develop well written, cohesive analyses and reports quickly and efficiently;

ü  Strong analytical and financial analysis skills;

ü  Strong planning skills and experience working to strict time-guidelines;

ü  Excellent oral and written communication skills and project reporting skills a must; Fluency in Amharic and English required;

ü  Willingness to be based and/or frequently travel to Butajira

Attributes:

ü  Strong and very detailed oriented when planning and preparing documents

ü  Problem solver, structured thinker with high attention to detail

ü  Innovative mindset; learning attitude

ü  Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills; effective negotiation skills

ü  Flexibility and ability to adjust to rapidly changing circumstances

ü  Committed to quality and achieving impact; motivated; high level of integrity and honesty

Preferred Qualifications and Capabilities

ü  Fluency in at least one SNNPR language besides Amharic

ü  Fluency in data management/client management software (i.e. SurveyCTO)