Summary
Date Posted: Thursday, September 24, 2020 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Outreach and International Affairs. We share the best of Virginia Tech by working alongside communities throughout the world.
Description
Virginia Tech’s Center for International Research, Education, and Development (CIRED) is currently recruiting for the position of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Specialist for an anticipated USAID-funded project to empower Kenyan youth and to directly connect them with social and economic opportunities aligned to public and private sector investments. The activity is expected to increase the capacity and commitment of Kenyan actors to better engage and serve their youth, particularly adolescent girls and young women, at the county level.
The project will explore the following areas:
• Enhancing county-level youth-serving systems by strengthening and expanding youth networks and leveraging youth organizations.
• Advancing knowledge on and exploring new areas around research, data, and evidence on youth.
• Exploring county-level models to strengthen systems to better engage youth and connect them to social and economic opportunities.
The MEL Specialist will play a lead role in the design and implementation of a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan by developing appropriate indicators, implementing systems to safeguard the collection and management of program data, and recommending changes to annual work plans or data collection techniques as needed. The MEL Specialist also will train project staff and liaise with USAID/Kenya on M&E reporting requirements and program learning strategies. .

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Reporting to the Chief of Party, the key responsibilities of the MEL Specialist are expected to include: • Design the program M&E system and related tools, clearly identifying the users and the utility of the data/information;
• Oversee the application of Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) principles to inform program implementation and management;
• Define M&E indicators and adapt M&E tools to meet program needs, which may include pre- and post- tests, focus group interview protocols, community survey tools, and baseline, mid-term, and end-line survey instruments;
• Coordinate with the COP, other key personnel, and Activity personnel, to provide MEL support on all technical-related activities;
• Engage staff, youth, partners, USAID, and other key stakeholders in identifying project learning and adaptation;
• Manage and safeguard data collection, train program staff, and supervise MEL activities of staff and sub-contractors;
• Oversee data collection processes, perform data quality assessments, and inform survey methods and design;
• Liaise with the USAID Mission on the design of M&E tools and on modifications to M&E systems;
• Analyze all data collected and advise program management on needed program revisions;
• Contribute to written performance reports for funder and other program deliverables;
• Work with grantees or partners to ensure accurate information flow, including guidance/support on grantee data collection, measurement, and reporting

Job Skills: Not Specified

Required Qualifications:
• Master's degree or its international equivalent in social science, management, international development, monitoring and evaluation, or a related field; or a bachelor’s degree and two additional years of work experience;
• Minimum of 10 years of related work experience, with experience managing and implementing monitoring and evaluation and learning systems for donor-funded programs, preferably within education, livelihoods, or private sector development programs in Kenya or similar country contexts;
• Significant experience designing and implementing MEL plans on previous USAID-funded projects;
• Demonstrated abilities in qualitative and quantitative methodologies, survey and research tool design, data collection and statistical analysis, qualitative research, and dissemination of results;
• Experience coordinating with governments, ministries, universities, and/or local NGOs, as well as with local communities, in the design of M&E systems;
• Proven interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams;
• Ability to effectively use statistical analysis software such as STATA and SPSS;
• Experience on the use of M&E systems to support a learning agenda utilizing a variety of learning activities to refining the activity’s theory of change;
• Oral and written fluency in English
Preferred Qualifications:
• Knowledge of USAID policies and procedures;
• Experience with, understanding of, and commitment to positive youth development and gender and social inclusion approaches and strategies around livelihoods and well-being;
• Written and verbal communication skills in Swahili

Job Education Requirements: Not Specified

Job Education Experience: Not Specified

Work Hours: 8

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Job application procedure
To apply, please send a cover letter and resume by email to: CIRED.Jobs@gmail.com with “Deputy Chief of Party, Kenya Empowering Youth” in the subject heading. Applications will be reviewed beginning on September 28, 2020, and the position will remain open until filled. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Recruitment is contingent upon successful award of the project; this document should not be construed in any way to represent a contract of employment.
Virginia Tech is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. Anyone having questions concerning discrimination or accessibility should contact the Virginia Tech Office for Equity and Accessibility.

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