Senior M&E Officer at Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association (MMWCA)

Reporting to: Chief Programs Officer
Job Location: Aitong, Maasai Mara, Narok County

Overall Purpose:

The Senior M&E Officer will work on a full time basis under the direction of the Chief Programs Officer towards effective implementation of M&E Plan. The holder of the position will play a major role in providing technical support to the Programs team, especially in tracking deliverables using the appropriate M&E tools and processes, and building capacity for Monitoring & Evaluation among staff. Senior M&E Officer will be expected to assist staff in ensuring sound project planning, monitoring and evaluation of progress and technical reporting. The position will also offer leadership in program evaluations, action planning and performance reporting to MMWCA’s Senior Management Team.

The Senior M&E Officer shall:

• Take lead in the design and implementation of a monitoring framework to track delivery against MMWCA Projects’ goals and objectives.
• Take lead in the analysis of data collected under the monitoring framework for assessment of progress and areas of improvement. In addition, facilitate periodic evaluations of MMWCA conservation interventions to determine impact.
• Provide regular updated reports to the SMT on the status of projects implementation. Ensure timely and quality reports as per MMWCA’s M&E plan and donor requirements.
• Facilitate ongoing and collaborative learning within MMWCA and member conservancies based on key data from the performance management system for continuous improvement of program delivery.

Scope of Work:

• Manage the monitoring & evaluation budget, ensuring provision of adequate resources for monitoring & evaluation.
• Provide input into the design, implementation and dissemination of evaluations and assessments.
• Coordinate the creation of a MMWCA Performance Monitoring Plan including assessing the validity of the information and indicators that contribute to the plan.
• Develop and maintain activity level monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan (ME&LP) to ensure measurement of achievements and support MMWCA to utilise the ME&LP as a tool for planning and managing the process of monitoring, evaluating and analysing progress.
• Streamlining data flow processes, storage, management, cleaning, verification and timely reporting on program performance for all programs
• Collaborate with staff and take the lead in developing schedules and practices to implement the programme monitoring plan and activity level monitoring and learning plan
• Ensure the provision of consistent, on-the-ground performance monitoring and reporting to MMWCA to enable more effective management of projects as well as reviews of specific activities, programs and the portfolio as a whole.
• Guide and advise staff on utilization of activity work plans and M&E plans
• Advise MMWCA on determining data use and reporting in order to better manage the program and report on successes, as well as understand and correct imitations.
• Ensure implementation of monitoring and evaluation best practices for the programme.
• Work as a point of contact for Monitoring and Evaluation in MMWCA
• Assist MMWCA and its member conservancies in building local M&E capacities
• Ensure MMWCA is aware of USAID compliance issues related to monitoring and evaluation activities and results
• Leading the planning and implementation of periodic field monitoring exercises and data quality assessments including dissemination of findings and follow up of action points
• Learning & Coordination Function
  • Craft and implement the Collaboration, Learning and Adaptation Strategy (CLA) for the Programme, to ensure effective and efficient systems and processes.
  • Establish working relationships with counterparts in the programme area
  • Establish coordination systems and processes, across the programme area, for related subject areas and relevant partner organizations
  • Liaise and coordinate with key partners to build and strengthen relationships with relevant partner institutions, to encourage optimal coordination, harmonization, and alignment to programme M&E.
  • Establish offline and online Community of Practice(s) for knowledge exchange across the conservancies and organizations working on related issues to MMWCA's Programme.
  • Collect and disseminate best practices and lessons learned at different project sites.
  • Maintaining a proper filing/archiving/storage system for all M&E resources including data collection tools, datasets, reports, SOPs, strategies among others
• Performance Management
  • Manage the development and implementation of capacity building programs, workshops, and other participatory activities that will serve to broaden knowledge and practice of effective performance management and evaluation.
  • Participate in relevant working groups and teams to provide technical expertise on performance and knowledge management and other related tools, systems, and issues, and lead such teams as required.
• Technical Input
  • Assist in drafting and/or editing scopes of work (SOW) as required, to obtain relevant research products and/or achieve USAID Forward Quality Evaluation standards, including assisting in the identification, planning and procurement to obtain required assistance.
  • Assist in identifying relevant research, data and information, as required to ensure evidence-based programme development and implementation

Minimum Qualifications

• University degree in an appropriate field of management or natural sciences (conservation, environment, natural resource management). Master’s/ degree will be an added advantage
• Professional training in Monitoring and Evaluation.
• A minimum of 7 years’ professional experience in project/programme design implementation and M&E.
• Experience with practical development and implementation of natural resource management and related result-based management oriented monitoring system.
• Knowledge of project cycle management (situation/context analysis, conceptual models, theories of change, monitoring and evaluation and exit)
• Excellent knowledge of advanced statistics and research methodology including skills in sampling techniques and use of computer software for statistical and other relevant applications
• A solid understanding of the management of cross cutting issues, with a focus on participatory processes, integrated programming, protection and gender issues;
• Proven success in designing, implementing, and operating project M&E systems from project initiation to closeout stages
• Experience with USAID data collection and reporting requirements.
• Strong knowledge and experience supporting Collaborative, Learning, and Adaptation (CLA) processes
• Good management and coordination skills as well as experience in technical project implementation
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to network and to develop and maintain strong relationships with field staff
• Possession of strong organisational, reporting and analytical skills
• Setting high goals for personal and group accomplishment
• Using measurement methods to monitor progress towards goal attainment; tenaciously working to meet or exceed those goals;
• A working knowledge of financial management, especially of projects
• Knowledge in use of data management and analysis software e.g. SPSS, EpInfo, STATA or related software
• Adaptable, flexible, able to take initiative and prioritize among competing demands
• Experience and skills in training and transfer of knowledge
• Experience of working with pastoralist communities and ability/willingness to work in Aitong.