Design, Monitoring & Evaluation Africa Specialist

The Organization

Search for Common Ground (SFCG) is an international non-profit organization that promotes peaceful resolution of conflict. With headquarters in Washington, DC and in Brussels, SFCG’s mission is to transform how individuals, organizations, and governments deal with conflict - away from adversarial approaches and toward cooperative solutions. SFCG seeks to help conflicting parties understand their differences and act on their commonalities. With a total of approximately 600 staff worldwide, SFCG implements projects from 53 offices in 35 countries, including in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. The organization is a fast-paced, exciting and rewarding place in which to work, with dedicated and enthusiastic staffs, who love their work. You will be joining a highly motivated staff with a good team spirit and there will be opportunities to grow in the role.

Institutional Learning Team

The Institutional Learning Team (ILT) was set up in 2002 with the aim of supporting SFCG as a learning organization by enhancing the effectiveness of SFCG’s programming through a commitment to excellence in programing, monitoring and evaluation, and through continuous learning institutionally and within related fields.

Summary of Position

The Design, Monitoring and Evaluation (DM&E) Africa Specialist is responsible for providing leadership and technical support on design, monitoring and evaluation to our 6 Africa country programs. The DM&E Africa Specialist will also work within a regional structure to improve program and DM&E quality. S/he will directly report to the Director of DM&E based in Washington DC and work closely with the Africa Regional Team and the other four regional or project DM&E Specialists. This position is based out of one of the following SFCG’s Africa Program Country Offices. For a list of the countries where SFCG operates please refer to the website: www.sfcg.org

Work Environment

Search for Common Ground has a great work environment with a mission of peace-building around the world, hard-working and friendly co-workers, team-building opportunities, and involvement in Staff events (i.e. monthly Staff meetings, peace-building films, and brown bag sessions, such as informational seminars by employees). The organization has won numerous awards.

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities and specific duties include, but are not limited to:

Country-Level Responsibilities:

• Support quality, conflict sensitive, innovative and effective DME process across Africa region, and specifically to 6 Africa country offices.
• Provide ongoing high-level technical support in proposal development, monitoring, reflective practice, evaluation and learning to Country Programs
• Support DM&E Coordinators and staff in implementing SFCG M&E standards around project planning meetings, baseline studies, data collection tools, monitoring missions and evaluations
• Provide support in creation of new data collection methodologies and strategies to evaluate peacebuilding
• Enable country programs to utilize evaluation findings and communicate results effectively
• Strengthen programmatic capacities and cultivate DME talent within SFCG, specifically Africa
• Supporting recruitment and management (if needed) of external consultants for specific projects
• Conduct internal evaluations when appropriate based on SFCG Evaluation Guidelines and Policies

Regional-Level Responsibilities

• Supervise remotely a ILT DME Associate also based within the Africa Region
• Work as a team with the DME East Africa Specialist to influence SFCG’s Africa’s DME Policies and Strategy
• Liaising with the Regional Programme Manager and Regional Director to align regional priorities;
• Facilitate the creation of evidence-based decision-making processes, including research on key topics

Organisation-wide Responsibilities

• Working closely with the Director of DME based in Washington DC to set priorities and review quality of the work undertaken
• Contributing to developing organization-wide DM&E tools, systems, and processes
• Actively participate in the www.DMEforpeace.org platform and create important literature on M&E of peacebuilding
• Facilitates cross-organizational learning, which includes providing information, guidelines, lessons learned, and user-friendly learning tools on DM&E on the Institutional Learning Team Intranet website
• Participate in Program Quality initiatives led by Program Support Team under the Vice President of Programs
• Attend DM&E events, conferences, and meetings to keep up to date and maintain relationships; and
• Be directly engaged in the continuing development of the organization, its mission and its staff, through the sharing of experience and knowledge, particularly contributing to its Institutional Learning efforts.

As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key duties.

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of three to five (5) years of work experience in design, monitoring and evaluation methodologies
• At least one year of field-based data collection and analysis experience
• Multi-country and cross-cultural experience related to program or DM&E implementation
• Collaborative working style that enables coaching and training in M&E principles and best-practices
• Demonstrated capacity to coordinate evaluations, including experience developing evaluation terms of reference and recruiting and managing consultants
• Extensive knowledge and application of proposal design principles
• Proficient in use of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, Pivot Tables, Access, as well as web browsers
• Fluency in English and French
• Ability to travel for extended periods of time within Africa (25 to 30%)

Highly Desirable:
• Knowledge of participatory methods, mix-methods, outcome mapping and/or impact evaluation techniques
• Experience working internationally and specifically in conflict/fragile state environments
• Knowledge of data analysis software (e.g. STATA, SPSS)

Personal Characteristics
• High standards of integrity, professionalism, and impartiality
• Demonstrated skills in working collaboratively and effectively across cultures
• Ability to multi-task, be self-motivated, and be organized but flexible
• Sense of humour and grace under pressure
• Able to work independently and effectively in a team environment

Please note: Qualified local, national, and international persons are encouraged to apply. We prefer that the position be based out of one of our West Africa country program offices, but this could be negotiated so long as SFCG operates in that country.

Salary: Commensurate with education and experience, with excellent benefits

HOW TO APPLY:

To Apply:

Closing Date: October 8 2015 Please send a cover letter and resume through our application system athttps://sfcg.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=356. Please be sure to include projected start date, salary range, and to mention where you found this posting. No phone calls please. Only applicants invited for an interview will be contacted. Please see our web site www.sfcg.org for full details of our work.