Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning/Collaboration, Learning, and Adapting (MEL/CLA) Director

Anglican Development Services Eastern (ADSE) is recruiting for a MEL/CLA Director for the anticipated USAID Kenya Feed the Future Scaling Inclusive Food Systems Activity. This project, which will be led by a local Kenyan organization, will:

• Promote inclusive agricultural-led growth with a focus on climate smart approaches that leverages the resources of the private sector, to create jobs, especially for youth, and catalyze investments in agricultural market systems development;
• Strengthen the resilience of people and systems by expanding economic opportunities, diversifying livelihoods, and building social capital and social safety nets;
• Improve nutrition, especially of women and children by expanding incomes, increasing the availability of diverse and nutrient-rich foods, empowering women and adolescent girls; and
• Integrate important cross cutting issues such as the empowerment of women and adolescent girls, youth unemployment, access to water and sanitation services, access to energy including productive use of energy, climate change adaptation and mitigation, recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic’s long-term effects, as well as conflict mitigation, peacebuilding, and social cohesion to improve food security, nutrition, and resilience.

The MEL/CLA Director will lead the monitoring, evaluation, and learning/collaboration, learning and adapting components of the project. S/he will be responsible for designing the MEL system in alignment with the USAID results framework; leading the project data collection; conducting data analysis to inform the project implementation; and producing timely, accurate, and complete reporting. S/he will be responsible for building the capacity of project staff, local partners, and other stakeholders in the collection, utilization, and dissemination of data. S/he will also lead quarterly CLA pause-and-reflect working group meetings and other CLA activities.

Qualifications

• Minimum of eight (8) years of experience designing and implementing MEL and CLA systems for international development projects. Prior experience in a MEL leadership position required.
• Strong track record of working on projects of similar scope (agriculture, resilience, food security, nutrition, etc.), complexity, and size. Experience in MEL for a USAID Feed the Future activity is desirable.
• Ability to communicate findings to a range of external and internal stakeholders and apply MEL results to project implementation strategies.
• Experience mentoring staff in MEL techniques. Experience strengthening the capacity of local organizations in knowledge management and learning.
• Prior experience leading, designing, managing, and/or commissioning performance evaluations and other types of research.
• Previous experience in Kenya or another East African country strongly preferred.
• Master’s degree in Statistics, Public Policy, International Development, or a related field.
• Proficiency in statistical software such as STATA, SPSS, or a similar package.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Fluency in English required.
• Local candidates are strongly encouraged to apply