Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture Feed the Future Hinga Weze Activity : Deadline: 10-11-2020

Feed the Future Rwanda Hinga Weze

District Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer

1. About Cultivating New frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA)

Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in designing sustainable, market-led agricultural, agribusiness, and livestock initiatives. CNFA builds strong local and global partnerships, incorporates innovative approaches in its programs, and fosters inclusive development to offer enhanced opportunities to underserved groups. CNFA has managed more than $600 million in donor-funded agriculture development programs and has worked in 44 countries in Africa, Eastern Europe, Latina America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and South and Central Asia.

2. About Feed the Future Rwanda Hinga Weze Activity

The objective of the five-year USAID Feeds the Future Rwanda Hinga Weze Activity is to sustainably increase smallholder farmers’ income, improve the nutritional status of Rwandan women and children, and increase the resilience of agriculture and food systems to the changing climate.  To achieve the goals of the Hinga Weze Activity, five value chains will be specifically targeted: high-iron beans, orange flesh sweet potato (OFSP), Irish potato, maize, and horticulture. The Activity is being implemented in the following ten districts of Rwanda: Gatsibo, Kayonza, Kirehe, Ngoma (Eastern Province); Nyabihu, Rutsiro, Ngororero Nyamasheke, Karongi (Western Province); and Nyamagabe (Southern Province).

3. Assignment Background Information

Hinga Weze operates and interfaces with beneficiaries from the districts mentioned above, and the monitoring data is often collected through routine project records and beneficiary tracking data, such as attendance lists for training sessions, farmer/producer records, and association records. However, there are some of the Feed the Future performance indicators that can be achieved through beneficiary-based surveys (i.e. surveys conducted with a census or sample of the beneficiary population).

 Based on the aforementioned background, Hinga Weze intends to recruit Districts Monitoring and Evaluation officers who will on regular basis perform the work of monitoring, tracking, and measuring the project progress from the grass-root level (District level).

4. Assignment Objective(s) and Purpose

The objective of this assignment is to strengthen the development and implementation of the MEL strategy (per the approved MEL Plan) at the district level by ensuring a functional M&E system for data collection, targeting and tracking routine monitoring activity data, knowledge management, impact assessments, learning activities and reporting in compliance with the requirements provided in the Activity contract, USAID regulations, and CNFA standards;

5. Period and Place of Performance

This assignment will tentatively commence on or about November 21^st, 2020 and the recruited MEL Officer will be based in Nyamasheke District.

Duties and Responsibilities

The post holders will report to the MEL Manager and will oversee the planning, monitoring, and evaluation and the functionality and performance of the Project management information system (MIS) at the district level. And will perform the following duties:

• Implement the project monitoring and evaluation strategy per the approved MEL plan, and recommend any possible changes based on the lessons learned at the district level;
• Participate in the design of the M&E tracking tools and ensure that they are adhered to by the district field staff;
• Ensure that the data flowchart at the district level is respected and that meets the clear reporting channels.
• Identify information requirements of field staff concerning planning, monitoring, and evaluation;
• Maintain and administer the M&E database; analyze and aggregate findings and ensure data integrity, consistency, and reliability.
• Preform data reviews, undertake spot-checks and clean-ups of the data generated from the field by community volunteers and field staff and highlight any gap and provide feedback;
• Assist in improving communication and information sharing between field staff and community volunteers and different district project stakeholders.
• Work closely with the outreach, productivity, BMFD, and nutrition officers and community volunteers to ensure that the monitoring and evaluation data from the field are of high quality, free from errors of omission, commission, and transcription, and that are meeting the five USAID data quality standards.
• Ensure that the data entry process is free from any kind of error and that the process is cost-effective.
• Work with District Manager and other field staff to ensure timely preparation and submission of bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual progress reports and assist in the preparation of the annual work plans and district action plans; as per the set timelines and contractual obligations.
• Assess, at the district level, training needs relevant to monitoring, evaluation, and management information systems and provide, if required, training to field staff or seek support from the country office.
• Identify areas where technical support to project partners is required. Organize refresher training on M&E for partners as required.
• Prepare TORs for special studies when necessary (e.g. Impact monitoring and evaluation studies)
• Undertake field visits to a sample of activities, on a periodic basis, to ensure that the implementation adheres to the district action plan, annual work plan, and assess progress against the monthly and quarterly targets.
• Ensure proper documentation, filing of project progress including good illustration/ photos of project achievements (before and after photos) and improve learning and communication of the most significant changes ranging from lessons learned, success stories, case studies, etc.
• Ensure compliance with all USAID, CNFA, government reporting requirements.
• Perform any other task as deemed necessary by the district manager and/or M&E Manager.

5. Mode of Applications

All interested and qualified candidates are invited to send their applications with an application letter together with a detailed curriculum vitae, a copy of degrees and certificates, sent in PDF or Word format to hingaweze@cnfarwanda.org with the subject: APPLICATION for District Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer, not later than November 10^th, 2020 at 05:30 PM.

ONLY ONLINE APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.