Monitoring and Performance Manager at International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)

Are you interested in gender in agriculture? Would you be willing to support more research on gender in agriculture? Are you interested in monitoring and evaluation? If so, this is a great opportunity for you.

The CGIAR GENDER Platform, hosted by International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to recruit a Monitoring and Performance Manager to establish and maintain a framework of planned outcomes of gender research within the CGIAR and the Platform, against which progress can be credibly monitored and robustly evidenced.  This position will contribute to incremental learning based on gender insights from monitoring and evaluating progress towards outcomes. This position will take a lead in reporting and planning processes for the GENDER Platform.

CGIAR (www.cgiar.org) is a global partnership that unites organizations engaged in research for a food-secure future. Our research is carried out by 15 Research Centers who are members of CGIAR and is dedicated to reducing rural poverty, increasing food security, improving human health and nutrition, and ensuring more sustainable management of natural resources.

Impactful gender research within CGIAR is a precondition to achieving its mission of enabling people, especially women, to better nourish their families, while improving food system productivity and resilience. In the face of climate change and demographic shifts, such research has become more important than ever before, and is now essential for shared economic growth, manage natural resources and improve the lives of women and men.

Key Responsibilities:

Monitoring, and Evaluation

The Monitoring and Performance Manager will ensure the Platform has robust, functional and harmonized monitoring, evaluation and learning systems and structures. Duties include:

• Develop, maintain and monitor Platform Theories of Change
• Set up and maintain of impact pathways, including regular review of milestones
• Ensure effective systems are in place for tracking and reporting on planned results, including case study development for important outcomes
• Ensure that the Platform results framework is appropriately adapted to feed into the One CGIAR performance and results management system
• Actively participate in CGIAR-wide monitoring, evaluation and learning efforts, including as a member of the CGIAR MEL Community of Practice (MELCOP)
• Ensure effective systems are in place for evaluating progress towards planned outcomes
• Coordinate internally- and externally- commissioned evaluations and reviews

Learning

• Develop a learning strategy for the Platform, whereby monitoring and evaluation results enable incremental learning, and foster a learning culture within the Platform and the CGIAR
• Streamline learning from monitoring and evaluation into planning, including proposal writing and resource mobilization
• Facilitate cross CGIAR exchange and learning
• Manage the collection of outcome and impact stories on gender research, across the CGIAR

Planning and Reporting

The Monitoring and Performance Manager is responsible for all Platform work planning and reporting on results, which involves extensive coordination of contributions from module leaders and gender researchers. Duties include:

• Coordinate CGIAR Annual Plan of Work and Budget (POWB) and Annual Report (AR) processes for the Platform
• Manage platform level planning and reporting commitments to donors
• Ensure that funds are allocated in accordance with approved annual plans
• Maintain accurate and up to date program level data, via the CGIAR online platform ‘managing agricultural research for learning and outcomes’ (MARLO) and its successor under One CGIAR
• Actively participate in MARLO Steering Committee and other CGIAR wide initiatives on planning and reporting

Management, Governance and Operations

The Monitoring and Performance Manager will engage with the governance and management bodies of the platform on relevant and emerging performance and monitoring matters, providing an effective enabling environment for them to be able to lead, guide and advise the Platform. He/she will also support the Platform Director with oversight on Program Management Unit operations as required. Duties include:

• Report to the management and governance bodies on platform results, plans and other issues related to monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) and impact assessment (IA)
• Hiring of specialist consultants as required
• Participate in proposal writing and resource mobilization efforts
• Responding to internal/external project information requests
• Perform any other related duties as may be required

Requirements

• Master’s degree in agricultural, environmental or social sciences, an MBA or another relevant field and a minimum of 12 years of relevant professional experience monitoring and evaluation and/or program or research management
• Excellent understanding of how monitoring, evaluation and learning concepts can be applied in the research-for-development arena
• Demonstrated experience of designing and working with monitoring, evaluation and learning systems in complex, multi-faceted programs
• Excellent computer skills, including experience with monitoring, evaluation and learning and project management software
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to work with researchers across the globe
• Demonstrated experience working in an international, multi-cultural environment
• Fluency in written and spoken English

Desirable qualifications and experience

• Ability to understand and communicate on research on gender
• Experience of the CGIAR
• Exposure to Africa, Asia, and/or Latin America
• Experience in the management and monitoring of research

Post location: The position will be based in Nairobi, Kenya

Terms of Appointment

This is position is at job level HG 19 and it is open to both national and international applicants. The position is a 3-year contract, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funding. ILRI offers a competitive salary and benefits package which includes; pension, medical and other insurances