JIHUDUMIESCHOOL: Monitoring & Evaluation

Monitoring & Evaluation April 28, 2024

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist | Nature Conservancy April, 2024

OFFICE LOCATION

Nairobi, Kenya

This is position shall be based where TNC has a registered office in Africa, Angola, Gabon, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania or Zambia. No employment visas or assistance is being offered with this position except for the local labor employment requirements.

WHO WE ARE

The mission of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is to conserve the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we develop innovative, on-the-ground solutions to the world’s toughest environmental challenges so that people and nature can thrive. Our work is guided by our values, which include a commitment to diversity and respect for people, communities, and cultures. From a rewarding mission to career development and flexible schedules, there are many reasons to love life #insideTNC. Want to know more? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube to hear stories from staff or visit Glassdoor.

One of TNC’s primary goals is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that employees around the globe have a sense of belonging and feel that their unique contributions are valued. We know we’ll only achieve our mission by hiring and engaging a diverse staff that reflects the communities in which we work. Recognizing that people bring talent and skills that have been developed outside the scope of a job, we take a holistic approach to recruitment that considers life experience in addition to the professional requirements listed in our postings. Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote a popular saying at TNC, “you’ll join for the mission, and you’ll stay for the people.”

TNC’s work in Africa transcends three key pillars: securing ownership rights to lands and resources for indigenous people, strengthening leadership and resource management and helping communities value nature through a holistic appreciation of its benefits while increasing revenue streams for conservation efforts and socio-economic development. Together with our partners, we are witnessing critical milestones in integrated land and fisheries management, ocean and source water protection, energy development and sustainable food production, working together and strengthening our resolve in tackling global challenges such as climate change, habitat and biodiversity loss that stands to adversely impact the nearly 1.4 billion people that share Africa.

TNC Climate and Forest Protection Strategy focuses on accelerating and scaling the deployment of Nature Based Solutions (NBS) to help realize TNC Africa’s 2030 Climate Mitigation goals (via Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) – sustainably managing, restoring, and protecting ecosystems – and a Clean Energy Transition) as well as meeting adaptation goals. The strategy aims at prioritizing and scaling (policy and finance) of NCS pathways in Africa, including avoided deforestation, improved forest management, reforestation, regenerative agriculture, improved rangeland management and coastal wetland protection and restoration. The current geographic focus of the Strategy is Angola, Gabon, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia.

WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE TOGETHER

The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist provides technical and scientific support to TNC’s Africa Climate and Forest Protection Strategy team, TNC’s Africa Forest Carbon Catalyst (AFCC) program, TNC Country Programs working on Climate and Forest Protection, and other TNC staff as appropriate to advance the Africa Climate and Forest Protection Strategy under TNC’s 2030 Goals. They strengthen MEL processes and build capacity of TNC staff, partners, community members and the implementing agencies in designing and executing relevant trainings and providing technical assistance in relation to monitoring, reporting and data management.

The MEL Specialist sets targets and collects data in priority areas. The MEL Specialist conducts scientific surveys and research, records data, writes reports, and develops proposals in order to support implementation of conservation programs within Africa Climate and Forest Protection Strategy in the target countries. The position develops a systematic and functional monitoring framework to collect and aggregate the qualitative and quantitative evidence gathered by the various projects, including reporting on outputs and outcomes. They formulate the overall MEL plan, tracking progress, and ensure the implementation of the plan. The role also provides technical support toward design and implementation of specific Africa Climate Strategy projects. The position will report to the Africa Forest Carbon Catalyst Director with a dotted line to the regional MEL Director for technical MEL guidance and linkage with MEL actions across ecosystems and countries. The position will be based in TNC office in Kenya or Tanzania.

No relocation or visa sponsorship or assistance is being offered with this position. This is a two-year term limited position. Extension of tenure will be subject to performance and availability of funds.

WE’RE LOOKING FOR YOU

The MEL Specialist will be responsible for the design, coordination, and implementation of the MEL framework for the Africa Climate Strategy, and they will also support other strategy programs such as the Africa Forest Carbon Catalyst.

The responsibilities and scope for this position are:

Design an M&E system that supports the development of both project M&E plans and the overall framework, including indicators for all Africa Climate Strategy programs and AFCC projects, in order to effectively capture project performance and continuous monitoring.

Facilitate the project teams to develop relevant MEL Plans. Including, outlining the key objectives along the results chain with clear and agreed outcome, result and output statements combined with the SMART indicator sets and the MEL arrangements for data collection, analysis and reporting.

Set the baseline studies as required for the key indicator sets.

Ensure MEL arrangements are clearly agreed and suitably tailored to TNC’s, the project partners’ and relevant stakeholders’ MEL mechanisms, capacity and resources.

Manage partners to ensure all relevant indicators pertaining to their projects are regularly tracked, updated and reported as agreed.

Provide MEL capacity-building support to relevant team and project partner members.

Provide timely updates in the regional performance dashboards and manage the TNC Hub database for the TNC Africa Climate and Forest Protection work.

Undertake data quality assurance of partners’ self-reporting of progress; Coordinate follow-up with partners to address any gaps and/or inconsistencies.

Conduct site visits to promote appropriate monitoring of project activities and to enhance data validity and quality.

Participate in evaluation exercises including, mid-term program evaluation and project review and learning sessions.

In collaboration with project leads, strengthen MEL data aggregation and analysis to measure and present a robust assessment of progress and lessons of performance against output, outcome and impacts targets. Utilize the MEL findings to generate lessons and provide clear evidence-based recommendations to inform adaptive implementation by the projects and/or strategy.

Contribute to the preparation of project proposals and reporting according to donor requirements.

Organize review of program work plans with partners and other stakeholders in liaison with Project Managers.

Foster and support cross-project learning, lessons learning workshops and strengthen a Community of Practice for the sharing of best practices and lessons for adaptive management.

Participate in and provide MEL support in specific coastal and marine conservation projects as needed as will be assigned by the Supervisor.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

B.S. Degree in science or in a related field and 5 years of experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience in MEL, conservation practice, social sciences, development studies, statistics, project management, or related disciplines.

Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives and managing performance, workloads and finances under deadlines.

Demonstrated knowledge and experience in climate mitigation and or adaptation.

Experience in developing and implementing monitoring and evaluation systems and plans including,

A. The development of quantitative and qualitative MEL tools and methods

B. Data analysis skills using GIS and knowledge of statistical software such as Excel.

C. The selection and definition of SMART indicators

D. Data analysis, aggregation and reporting methods.

E. The production of MEL performance reports.

F. Data quality control, overseeing data collection and quality assurance.

Experience in providing MEL capacity building, mentoring and delivering MEL technical support to project implementors and partners, preferably to multiple projects across various locations/ countries in Africa.

Experience in evaluating partner MEL performance reporting

Experience in designing and maintaining a database for monitoring data for multiple projects.

Excellent facilitation and communication skills (oral and writing) and fluency in in English.

Technical writing and communicating scientific information to a broad range of audiences and stakeholders desired.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Over seven (7) years of experience working with MEL in the field of environment conservation, biodiversity conservation, natural resource management, development and/or other.

Multi-lingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.

Strong expertise in the social sciences and social-ecological systems.

Specialized training in M&EL and experience incorporating project learning into adaptive management.

Demonstrated knowledge and experience with web-based data management and visualization systems for monitoring performance and outcomes.

Strong knowledge of common software applications especially Excel.

Demonstrated experience collaborating with other parties to obtain different data sources.

Strong oral, written and presentation skills, communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English and other relevant languages.

Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders.

Experience in conducting training and building capacity of teams in M&E.

Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups and/or government agencies.

Knowledge of methods and standards of biodiversity information systems and initiatives or related field.

WHAT WE BRING

Since 1951, The Nature Conservancy has been doing work you can believe in protecting the lands and waters that all life depends on. Through grassroots action, TNC has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff, we impact conservation throughout the world!

The Nature Conservancy offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package including: health care benefits, flexible spending accounts, pension/ gratuity plans, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work wellbeing benefits. Learn more about our benefits at in the Culture Tab on nature.org/careers.

We’re proud to offer a work-environment that is supportive of the health, wellbeing, and flexibility needs of the people we employ!

This description is not designed to be a complete list of all duties and responsibilities required for this job.

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