Job Description
JOB TITLE: Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Specialist (MEL Specialist)
REPORTS TO: Programme Manager
STAFF REPORTING TO POSTHOLDER: MEL Officer
LOCATION: Nairobi with frequent field travel as the programme requires
DURATION & HOURS: Fixed term, full-time, renewable based on performance and
availability of funds.
PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
The purpose of the role is to provide monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) support in
the Empowering Youth in Sustainable Aquaculture Markets and Jobs creation
program implemented by Farm Africa in partnership with Mastercard Foundation. The
programme aims to tap the potential offered by the aquaculture sector for entrepreneurship
and employment, building knowledge and capacity so that young people, especially women,
are attracted by the opportunities and growth potential offered by working in aquaculture
and mariculture. The programme will cover Kakamega, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Busia, Siaya
and Kilifi
The Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist will be responsible for providing
strategic direction, overall coordination, and support on all project MEL needs. The individual
will be responsible for ensuring that the project is fulfilling MEL minimum standards on a
quarterly basis. He or she will lead in the development of essential MEL tools that support
effective monitoring and reporting of results in a consortium. The post holder will provide
ongoing capacity building to the project team and consortium partners, and ensure they are
sufficiently skilled to deliver on project MEL activities to the required quality. The MEL
specialist will coordinate flow of data from multiple sources and ensure consistency,
accuracy, timeliness, and relevance of the data gathered, including collation and analysis of
the data to inform project results. He or she will also drive the knowledge and learning
objectives of the project, by ensuring that the project team and consortium partners are
sufficiently equipped with required tools and skills that enable them to gather project
learnings on an ongoing basis, including adaptive management.
KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Lead in the design and development of essential MEL tools for the project and
consortium partners, in alignment with MEL minimum standards (40%):
Work with the project team to set up and update MEL minimum standards checklist
during the project startup phase.
Lead in the development of the project monitoring and learning plan (MLP), ensuring
all the key components of the MLP are fully defined and align to project activities.
This includes ensuring all indicators have practical targets.
Lead the project delivery team and consortium partners to conduct a stakeholder
mapping that enables reporting of beneficiaries inline with the project activities
(counting reach).
Ensure that the partners and project team are sufficiently equipped with necessary
data collection and reporting tools inline with the indicators outlined in the project
monitoring and learning plan (MLP).
Support the project team and partners to establish effective mechanisms and
approaches for gathering community feedback, inline with the MEL minimum
standards.
Provide oversight on data collection activities and ensure that data collection tools
are digitized on Open Data Kit (ODK) and uploaded to the ONA platform.
Provide capacity trainings to project team and consortium partners on MEL tools and
MEL minimum standards.
2. Coordinate, plan, and support project delivery team to undertake routine and
periodic data collection, analysis and reporting inline with the project indicators
(40%):
Coordinate data collection activities by the project delivery team – and in particular
support the delivery team and consortium partners to integrate regular data collection
into their routine activities.
Undertake regular travel to project sites to carry out monitoring and verification
assessments, lead surveys, data collection, and other MEL efforts.
Provide overall leadership in the planning, design, and collection of ongoing routine
monitoring data, including gathering feedback from target communities through active
community feedback sessions.
Ensure that the monitoring and learning plan (MLP) is updated with project results
against the indicators on an ongoing basis.
Collate, consolidate, and store key evidence that inform project results.
Lead in planning and rollout of key evaluation pieces, particularly the baseline,
midterm and endterm evaluations.
Lead in the development of periodic progress reports.
3. Coordinate collation and dissemination of key project learnings on an ongoing
basis, including support towards development of knowledge and learning
products (10%)
Provide guidance and support to the project team and partners in gathering key
lessons emanating from project activities, while ensuring that they are well
evidenced.
Ensure the project lessons log is updated on a quarterly basis, and key learnings
are effectively used to inform adaptive management.
Support the project team and partners in fulfilling deliverables for the mini and
annual project performance reviews (PPRs)
Participate in the annual project performance reviews (PPRs) and work with the
project team and consortium partners to address identified gaps or actions.
Support the communications team in gathering evidence for development of
knowledge and learning products, such as case studies, success stories, etc.
4. Provide targeted capacity trainings to project team and consortium partners on
MEL (5%).
Identify MEL related knowledge and skill gaps among consortium partners and
project team on an ongoing basis.
Consult with the country MEL coordinator and regional MEL on identified capacity
gaps and execute a plan for addressing such gaps.
Deliver targeted trainings to project team and consortium partners on identified MEL
capacity gaps.
5. Manage communication between the project team and consortium partners on
MEL related deliverables (5%).
Ensure MEL deliverables and expectations are clearly shared with the project team
and consortium partners on a timely basis.
Collate feedback from consortium partners on any gaps or challenges related to
delivery of core MEL activities for the project, and ensure identified actions are
clearly communicated.
Take charge in managing the relationship between consortium partners and project
teams as far as MEL activities and MEL related communication is concerned.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Desirable
Education qualifications
Graduate degree or equivalent in numerate discipline (e.g., economics, statistics, applied
social sciences, monitoring and evaluation, etc)
Academic training in statistical analysis
Demonstrable understanding of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods and
best practice
Demonstrable understanding of monitoring and evaluation tools, principles, and best
practices
Experience
3 - 5 years’ experience supporting monitoring, evaluation, learning and research at an
organisational level, or in a consortium
Demonstrated experience in drafting clear written reports/ briefings for both internal and
external audiences
Demonstrated experience in development of data collection tools, data analysis and
interpretation.
Demonstrated experience working in market systems development projects, value chain
projects, private sector development or related
Desirable experience working in employment focussed projects, particularly youth
employment.
Desirable experience working in aquaculture/mariculture projects
Skills & abilities
Fluency in Microsoft Office tools, particularly MS Excel, MS Word, and MS PowerPoint
Highly numerate, confident in synthesising data (both quantitative and qualitative) to draw
and explain evidence-based conclusions
Strong written and verbal communications skills, particularly ability to communicate
technical information clearly to a wide range of audiences
Ability to multi-task and work well under pressure, with a methodical approach and
attention to detail. Highly driven and able to work with minimal supervision
Confident, flexible and initiative-taking, with the ability to be proactive in working with
others
Skilled in scripting data collection tools in Open Data Kit (ODK) and ONA
Willingness to learn on the job and take strategic direction
Fluency in written and spoken English
Behaviours
Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves.
Future orientated, thinks strategically.
Our Values
Investing in smallholder farming is the number one way to combat poverty in rural Africa. Farm
Africa is a leading NGO specialising in growing agriculture, protecting the environment and
developing businesses in rural Africa.
EXPERT: Deep expertise and insightful evidence-based solutions are at the heart of
everything Farm Africa does.
GROUNDED: Positive change starts with Africa’s people, so our experts work closely with
local communities, engaging them in every level of decision-making.
IMPACTFUL: We take a long-term view so we can deliver lasting changes for farmers and
their families.
BOLD: We model innovative new approaches and are not afraid to challenge strategies
that are failing.