Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Specialist | Kabul, Afghanistan | 2024

Chemonics seeks candidates for a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Specialist for the LIVE proposal, a five-year, USAID-funded initiative focused on Afghanistan Women and Men in Agriculture Activity (WAMA) in Afghanistan. This $60 million activity aims to enhance food security, build household and community resilience to climate change shocks, particularly water stress, and generate income for households. The activity places a strong emphasis on women’s participation, especially women-headed households, farmers, and women-owned and led businesses, ensuring they benefit from the agriculture sector. Additionally, the activity will support farmers and communities transitioning away from poppy cultivation to sustainable, USAID-supported value chains, as well as recent returnees seeking livelihood opportunities in the agriculture sector.

The fundamental objectives of this activity include:

  • Objective I: Food Security Improved through Increased and Inclusive Resilience, Productivity, Diversification and Stability of Agricultural Value Chains
  • Objective II: Enhanced Communities’ Resilience to Climate Change-induced Shocks, specifically Water Stress
  • Objective III: Women’s Economic Empowerment strengthened, and
  • Objective IV: Selected Emerging Agricultural or Economic Growth Issues and Challenges are Addressed Across Afghanistan

This position will be based at Kabul, Afghanistan.

Responsibilities:

  • Coordinate preparation and implementation of the WAMA activity’s Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan (MEL Plan) of all MEL components undertaken by the prime and all WAMA partners.
  • Oversee and assure effective environmental compliance for WAMA’s activities.
  • Apprise COP and DCOP of program monitoring and evaluation issues while providing recommendations for adaptive management as needed.
  • Design and manage processes for tracking achievement of the MEL Plan in collaboration with any WAMA field offices.
  • Provide leadership in the compilation and consolidation of information and data from site-based activities that address key drivers and threats to Agriculture in targeted areas.

Qualifications:

  • Master’s degree in relevant field including, monitoring and evaluation, international development/social studies, business administration or economics, or closely related field. An additional 5 years of relevant technical experience can substitute a Master’s Degree.
  • Minimum eight (8) years of professional-level experience with MEL systems.
  • Minimum (5) years of demonstrated experience in MEL program development and management for international development assistance programs.
  • Excellent understanding and interpretation of environmental, economic and social indicators.
  • Experience facilitating improved capacity of local partners to implement, report and comply with MEL systems.
  • Proven ability to plan and carry out baseline and periodic programmatic assessments to track performance and make necessary adjustments to enhance program performance and reorient MEL systems.
  • Proven ability to interact with multidisciplinary team of professionals on large and complex international development programs.
  • Experience managing and mentoring a multicultural team of MEL staff.
  • Experience building and maintaining relationships with host country professionals working on MEL systems, including implementing partners and grantees.
  • Preference will be given to Afghan nationals.

Specialized Knowledge/Skills:

  • Excellent verbal communication skills, strong writing and analytical skills are required. This includes ability to obtain, organize, and draft clear and concise reports; analyze and evaluate data and reports, and provide accurate assessments.
  • Conversant with basic techniques in statistical, biophysical, political economy and econometric analysis.
  • Strong computer skills are required. Knowledge of relevant statistical packages (e.g., SPSS, STATA, R-programming, etc.)
  • Able to create and maintain MEL databases.

Application Submission Instructions:

If you are interested in this opportunity, or know of someone who might be, kindly submit your EOI and/or recommendations to AfghanistanWAGrecruit@chemonics.com by COB Monday, July 08, 2024.

Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.

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