Job Vacancies at RTI International

RTI is currently seeking to fill a vacancy for the Kenya Crops & Dairy Market Systems (KCDMS) Activity which is part of the Feed the Future program, America’s initiative to combat global hunger and poverty. In this regard, USAID is partnering with RTI International on a 5-year (Oct 2017 to Sept 2022) cooperative agreement - KCDMS Activity - to help increase agricultural production and reduce poverty and malnutrition in Kenya. The project will also spur competitive, resilient market systems in Kenya’s horticulture and dairy sectors. We seek to recruit a Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator to be based in the Kisumu office.

Job Summary: The M&E Coordinator shall play an essential role ensuring that fellow technical staff have clear guidance and support on MEL requirements. They will coordinate MEL activities in the designated region (Western, Nyanza or Eastern) of operation.

In addition, the MEL Coordinator is expected to contribute fully to the overall objectives of the KCDMS activity, conducting him/herself in a proper manner at all times as a representative of the program, and is responsible for the safe keeping and care of program assets assigned to his/her care.

Essential Duties

• With the support of MEL Manager, work with implementing team to develop intervention results frameworks including indicators and monitoring plans and take responsibility for implementation.
• With support of MEL Manager, and database specialist, work with grantees on building and managing their data management platforms according to the KCDMS database management system guidelines and grants agreement requirements.
• Play a key role in the capture and use of both explicit knowledge (available from data gathered and recorded for monitoring and reporting) and tacit knowledge (that held internal to an individual) for organizational learning and decision-making, and to manage information flow between staff at all levels.
• Work closely with the technical team to ensure that they document all data (both qualitatively and quantitatively) in line with the program’s M&E framework and guidelines for tracking the transformation process and ensures that all such data and information is posted correctly.
• Enter monitoring data into project database, perform regular data quality checks and take necessary corrective action to ensure that data input into the KCDMS MEL database is accurate.
• Conduct preliminary analysis of data on a monthly and quarterly basis to identify trends, and to determine if regional targets are being met.
• Undertake field visits and participate in project events to directly observe project progress and to interact with beneficiaries to gain a better understanding of the picture presented from monitoring data collected, noting changes not explicitly covered in project performance monitoring plan
• Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual data reports for submission to KCDMS management team in Nairobi. Prepare monthly reports highlighting progress in implementation of individual work plan.
• Document stories to demonstrate project successes and challenges.
• Coordinate evaluation activities with support from project team for the respective area of operation. Responsible for the collection and interpretation of information gathered and ensures that all information is collected in a valid, reliable, and timely manner.
• Conduct field support visits on project activities to observe proper and timely implementation and to determine if those activities conform to project objectives and targets.
• Provide technical assistance to KCDMS staff members and partner organization staff at the regional level in the utilization and management of monitoring and impact assessment tools.
• Familiarize him/herself with the KCDMS gender and natural resources management mainstreaming plans to ensure they are incorporated into their daily monitoring operations.
• Work as a team member with the Regional Coordinator and sector staff to coordinate program activities, effectively utilize project equipment and resources, and to communicate well with multi-program actors on common message and united assistance.
• Contribute to the preparation and drafting of the regional MEL components of the quarterly and annual reports and any other project publications as required.
• Contribute to the preparation of the annual implementation plan with the MEL Team and use it to monitor and report on results.
• Perform any other duties as may be required by the MEL Manager and Director of MEL.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in statistics, M&E, economics or any other relevant field
• 3 years M&E experience in developing and managing M&E systems with sub-programme partners and technical colleagues.
• Experience working with USAID M&E systems, experience handling FTFMS data management systems. Use of TraiNet will be an added advantage
• Participation in Data Quality assessments i.e. USAID’s DQA.
• Ability to work through programme level ICT-based data management systems including using of mobile data collection platforms and
• Experience in planning and executing data collection work during evaluations including baselines, midlines and endlines, annual outcome surveys / periodic impact assessment, and other special studies.
• Excellent use of Excel. Knowledge and use of other analysis software like R, Python, stata will be an added advantage

Disclaimer

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

RTI does not permit any payment requests demanded during any part of the hiring process. If such requests are made, please report it to the RTI Ethics Office via HRethics@rti.org . Any candidate making any payment will be disqualified from consideration for future employment with RTI.

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RTI is currently seeking to fill a vacancy for the Kenya Crops & Dairy Market Systems (KCDMS) Activity, which is part of the Feed the Future program, America's initiative to combat global hunger, poverty and malnutrition. In this regard, USAID is partnering with RTI International on a 5-year (Oct 2017 to Sept 2022) cooperative agreement - KCDMS Activity - to help strengthen market systems and increase agricultural production to reduce poverty and malnutrition in Kenya. The project impacts competitive, resilient market systems in Kenya's horticulture and dairy sectors. We seek to recruit an Environmental Specialistto be based in the Nairobi office.

Job Summary: The Environmental Specialist will report directly to the Agricultural Productivity Director and provide technical support to project sub-offices and stakeholders on environmentally sustainable agricultural systems, best practices, conservation farming, water harvesting, climate change effects, and compliant environmental impact mitigation measures. In addition s/he is expected to contribute fully to the overall objectives of the KCDMS project, conducting him/herself properly at all times as a senior representative of the program.

Essential Duties

• Advise on environmental risks, costs and legislative compliance associated with KCDMS activities.
• Conduct environmental audits to monitor and risk assess environmental performance, ensuring compliance with USAID and Kenya Environmental Protection Agency regulations and striving for continuous performance improvement.
• Monitor and report on application of environmental impact mitigation measures as outlined in the KCDMS approved monitoring plan.
• Review USAID Feed the Future policy on environmental issues and remains up to date on new developments which should be incorporated into program activities.
• Develop extension/training modules for safe and effective use of pesticides, fertilizers, etc. based on national and international standards and regulations, and KCDMS approved PERSUAP.
• Provide technical direction and runs test plots on conservation farming technologies, working with staff and other experts on best practices. Train staff and stakeholders on best practices for environmentally sustainable agricultural practices (crop rotation, fallowing, inter cropping, low tillage, contouring, etc.).
• Provide technical direction for drought mitigation practices and lead and or support the technical activities for weather forecasting, crop insurance, water harvesting and other environmentally sound practices and technologies that apply to the field.
• Contribute to farm and enterprise level economic modeling of impact of environmentally sustainable best practices.
• Visit field sites and project grantees to determine whether the proposed activity encompasses the potential for environmental pollution or damage and, if so, to determine the scope and extent of the additional evaluation, mitigation, and monitoring necessary to fulfill environmental requirements.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly field reports that include learning points and success stories. Contribute to annual data gathering process for key USAID indicators. Ensure data accuracy via site visits, data audits, etc.
• For environmental concerns, and as necessary, plan and participates in evaluations, selected research activities, and baselines surveys by providing the necessary program and organizational support; and in knowledge capture events that include staff and partner exchanges, and all staff meetings.
• Monitor closely the performance of environmental activities and document all changes (both qualitatively and quantitatively) in line with the program’s M&E framework and guidelines for tracking the transformation process and ensures that all such data and information is shared within the program. Assists the M&E Officers to feed data into the MIS system.
• Identify STTA needs in the environment sector and assists in the process (needs identification, SOW, requests) and reviews their reports and other deliverables
• Working with the grants team, utilizes the project grants program through appropriate grant concepts and implementation.
• Guides the environmental process through the KCDMS gender mainstreaming plan to ensure they are incorporated into the process.
• Works closely with the Regional Coordinators and other sector Technical Leaders and staff to coordinate environmental program activities, effectively utilize project equipment and resources, and to communicate well with multi-program actors on common message and united assistance.
• Contributes to the preparation and drafting of the environment sector components of the quarterly and annual reports and any other project publications as required.
• Contribute to the annual implementation plan for environment, lead in its implementation and use it to monitor and report on results.
• Actively engage in collaborating with program stakeholders as they relate to the environment program, including trade associations, NGOs, government agencies, universities, research agencies, value chain actors, other donor programs, and strategic partners.
• Any other duties as assigned by the supervisor

Qualifications: Bachelor's Degree in Agribusiness or Environmental Science /Natural Resource and 5 years of experience, Master's degree and 3 years of experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Disclaimer

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not intended to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.