Since 1963 and in 148 countries, ACDI/VOCA has empowered people in developing and transitional nations to succeed in the global economy. Based in Washington, D.C., ACDI/VOCA is a nonprofit international development organization that designs and delivers technical and management solutions in agriculture, economic growth, and resilience to promote economic prosperity and social inclusion.

Monitoring, Evaluating, and Learning (MEL) and Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) Team Lead, Madagascar Feed the Future

ACDI/VOCA is seeking a Monitoring, Evaluating, and Learning (MEL) and Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) Team Lead for an upcoming Feed the Future activity in Madagascar funded by USAID. The anticipated program will improve and sustain the food and nutrition security of vulnerable populations through sustainable, climate resilient agricultural and natural resource management practices in a to-be-determined region of Madagascar. These activities will work at the household, community, and institutional levels to address the underlying causes of food insecurity and malnutrition and strengthen sustainable livelihoods and agriculture productivity.

The MEL and CLA Team Lead will co-develop and facilitate learning workshops with MEL and technical leads, engaging partners in identifying evidence-based ways to adapt and scale interventions. They will design and manage the CLA and MEL plan and learning agenda on technical and management processes. They will supervise the MEL, KM, and reporting functions to systematically generate, synthesize, share, and apply learning, effective, and adaptive management. The program is anticipated to start in 2024 and this position will be based in a to be determined region of Madagascar.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of and manage the MEL framework and plan that incorporates CLA principles and components for the program
• Lead the baseline data collection process, develop the MEL plan, and perform other related monitoring and evaluation efforts for the program, including leading the MEL team
• Ensure effective reporting, data collection, and monitoring systems are in place
• Develop and test instruments for data collection; collect, analyze, and summarize field visit reports from program technical staff and implementing partners
• Evaluate the integration of project design with the program strategy and the impact of business and technical processes to the program
• Provide strategic leadership for MEL learning and knowledge exchange
• Create, share, and manage relevant knowledge assets that support program outcomes
• Ensure that programmatic learning and results are fully documented, shared, and used to drive adaptive management processes
• Lead the collection, analysis, documentation, dissemination, and use of best practices and lessons learned
• Design and implement internal and external knowledge exchange and learning events to improve peer-to-peer learning, knowledge sharing and application
• Develop and/or maintain strategic relationships with relevant stakeholders to promote effective coordination, collaboration, and dissemination of program learning
• Provide technical assistance to ACDI/VOCA staff members and partner organization staff in the utilization and management of monitoring and impact assessment tools
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative program impact surveys to ensure that project goals are met and that the team constantly improves program implementation quality
• Conduct data quality reviews to ensure that all information required for submission to donor is collected in a valid, reliable, and timely manner
• Complete impact assessment, baseline, midline, and end line surveys to assess the impact of the project
• Design learning approaches that enable analysis of data, context, and emerging experience, as well as iterative adaptive management for the program’s technical approaches

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in evaluation, development studies, economics, statistics, or relevant field is required; master’s degree is desired.
• Minimum 7 years of experience managing the M&E component of a donor-funded project, USAID preferred.
• Proven experience in quantitative and qualitative research methods, survey design and implementation, and statistical data analysis is required.
• Excellent written communication skills required, with a demonstrated ability to write reports in a clear, concise manner.
• Experience evaluating integrated, market-systems programs greatly preferred.
• Familiarity with applying the CLA approach to management is desired.
• Experience working in Madagascar required.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Fluency in French and/or Malagasy is required.

Malagasy nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.