STTA to support the FTF Premier MEL Team

Description

• TechnoServe is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty. A nonprofit organization operating in 29 countries, we work with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries. By linking people to information, capital and markets, we have helped millions to create lasting prosperity for their families and communities.
• Program Overview: Feed The Future Mozambique Promoting Innovative and Resilient Agricultural Market Systems (FTF Premier) is a USAID Feed the Future financed activity implemented in selected districts of the Nampula, northern Zambezia and southern Niassa provinces (Nacala Corridor)
• FTF Premier, implemented by TechnoServe and its partners DAI and ELIM will support agri-businesses in the Nacala corridor through advice, capacity building and grants to improve their businesses management skills and expertise, to reduce the risk of investments and to facilitate access to finance to help them to make better use of market opportunities:
• a) expanding existing and establishing new inclusive business schemes with local agro-processors and agri-businesses to the benefit of these business and small holder farmers
• b) support agri-businesses to invest in and enhance local value addition thought quality improvements. efficiency gains and increased local processing in value chains, seizing attractive opportunities in export and local markets
• c) improve the capacity of local third-party service delivery partners to provide business, financial, and technical advisory and assistance to the Nacala corridor’s agriculture sector and agri-businesses
• FTF Premier aims to create a thriving, competitive agribusiness sector in the Nacala corridor that will increase incomes, create employment and improve food security for the region through the development of local food systems
• Job Summary: The STTA will be responsible to support the FTF Premier MEL team with preparing and finalizing a number of key tasks the team is facing in the coming months

Duties

• The main tasks and responsibilities of the STTA are:
• Review the baseline data, verify reliability and quality of the data and review the baseline report. The baseline study was undertaken by a sub-contractor that has difficulties to determine reliable baseline values. Support the baseline sub-contractor in analyzing the data and reporting
• Manage and finalize the development of beneficiary, partnering businesses and finance institutions surveys
• Lead the finalization for the MEL database design and review the indicator mapping
• Assure that the FTF Premier CommCare and MySql based MEL system, is finalized and tested including managing the data specialist responsible for digitizing and deploying survey forms
• Review the MEL plan, including the baseline values and responding to USAID’s comments
• Prepare and oversee the year one data collection exercise in September and October. This exercise will complement the baseline study to assure reliable baseline values are determined for FTF Premier by October 2023
• Organize and oversee the recruitment and training of 20+ data collectors for the annual data collection exercise
• Assure timely and complete FY1 annual DIS reporting to USAID
• Lead the CLA agenda development and supervise the CLA activity implementation

Requisites

• Required Skills, Experience and Qualifications:
• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as economics, business administration, statistics, evaluation, data science, or other; and a minimum of 10 years of experience managing MEL and CLA components in USG financed projects
• Or a master's degree and 7 years of similar experience
• Experience with MEL data collection and storage systems
• Background in a range of monitoring and evaluation methodologies, including both quantitative and qualitative research approaches
• Proven ability to translate research, methodologies, and data into accessible formats for colleagues with non-technical backgrounds
• Experience demonstrating the value of integrating gender into project approach
• Comfort delegating responsibility and thinking creatively about how to use the available resources to achieve the best results for the FTF Premier activity
• A commitment to developing and promoting MEL staff skills
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills and a demonstrated track record of producing high quality, well-written deliverables
• A demonstrated ability to coordinate and communicate effectively and diplomatically with a range of external and internal colleagues including donors, partners and senior and junior team members across diverse cultures
• An ability to value and respect voices of staff at all levels, external stakeholders, and the men and women we work with
• Required Languages:
• Verbal and written fluency in English is required, and in Portuguese preferred.
• Travel : Local travel to monitor project activities and supervise quality data collection is required for 30-40% of the time
• Supervisory Responsibilities: The STTA will supervise two MEL Assistants and the CLA Assistant. The MEL assistants are tasked with project activity monitoring, data collection, data quality and completeness control, data analysis and preparing reports. The CLA Assistant is tasked with preparing and implementing the Collaboration, Learning and Adaptation activities of the FTF Premier activity

Expected deliverables

• Inception report
• Review, advice on and assure a final baseline report is submitted to USAID
• Finalize, test and operationalize the MEL system by September 20
• Recruit and train data collectors and organize, manage and assure year one data quality collection by October 15
• Produce timely and quality annual DIS reporting, including baseline values, by October 30
• Final hand over report by October 31
• This position will be based in Nampula, Mozambique where FTF Premier’s main project office is located. This position is open to national and international candidates. All application materials must be submitted in English for further consideration

Selection Criteria

• Number of years’ experience with leading MEL units in USG financed projects, preferably Agriculture and MSD projects
• Experience with baselining, managing data collection and quality, and with quarterly and annual DIS reporting to USAID on USG/FTF Indicators
• Experience with developing and implementing MEL and CLA plans
• Experience with monthly and quarterly project implementation performance reports
• Proven experience with the development of FTF Indicator data collection surveys (designing, developing, managing, and refining data collection tools)
• Experience with managing the development and operation of CommCare and MySql based MEL system, overseeing digitizing and deploying survey forms
• Experience managing MEL teams, creating a learning experience and culture, and providing ongoing training and mentoring to MEL officers

Notes

• Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted
• The STTA is expected to travel to Nampula as soon as possible until at least the end of the annual data collection exercise by mid-October
• All proposal must be emailed to the address below with your proposal attached in one or more files(PDF preferred). The applicants will receive auto-confirmation upon receipt
• Do Not email your proposal to any employee of TechnoServe or deliver your proposal in hard copy to a TechnoServe office. Failing ro adhere to these instructions may make your proposal ineligible for consideration. Email for proposal submission: buy+MZ+P0022301@tns.org