Job opening: Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning expert

We are looking for an energetic team player, as a monitoring, evaluation and learning officer at the global level who will be responsible for the co-development of the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning practices and the coaching of the different Good Food for Cities programme teams. She/he will also be responsible for keeping the overall M&E system of the organisation up to the expectations of the different stakeholders of Rikolto, in close collaboration with the global programme support staff of Rikolto.

If you want to apply, please send your motivation letter with your CV to jobs.international [at] rikolto.org. Deadline for application: 20 of February 2023.

A sustainable income for farmers, and nutritious, affordable food for everyone: this is what Rikolto works for.

Rikolto is an international network organisation with more than 40 years of experience in partnering with farmer organisations and food chain stakeholders across Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America.

Rikolto has a global team of 196 employees, based in 5 offices across the world. We work around three global programmes: Sustainable Rice, Sustainable Cocoa and Coffee, and Good Food For Cities in 16 countries.

This network is supported by a global support team, which fulfils key advisory roles and offers shared services such as finance, monitoring & evaluation, people & organisation, communication and fundraising.

One of these teams supports the organisation on general issues around programme management and implementation. Monitoring & evaluation is one field of expertise within this team, and we are looking for an additional person to join the team on this matter.

We are looking for an innovative and experienced global Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) expert who will be responsible for co-developing Rikolto's Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning system and coaching the Good Food for Cities programme teams. She/he will also be responsible for ensuring that the organisation's overall MEL system meets the expectations of Rikolto's various stakeholders, in close collaboration with the Global Support team.

• Contract type: open-ended contract, starting on 1st of March, 2023
• Responsibility: Coordinate and improve the design of the overall Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning system. Ensure its usefulness for the organisation in view of achieving Rikolto’s vision and mission and train and accompany all staff of the Good Food for Cities team regarding the implementation of the MEL system as part of the programme implementation.
• Reports to: Executive Director
• Position in the organisation: Member of the Global support team
• Location: One of the Rikolto offices.
• Job size: Full-time
• Travels: Occasional travelling will be required.

As a MEL expert in the Global Support Team, you and another colleague will coordinate Rikolto's overall MEL system.

Your main role will be to support our colleagues around the world in operationalising Rikolto's MEL system in the Good Food for Cities programme. This will involve training and supporting them in the implementation of the different tools and methodologies as needed, and continuously improving these methodologies and tools to ensure sound planning, optimal accountability to stakeholders, critical self-reflection, organisational learning, improved performance and increased impact.

Concretely, you will have the following responsibilities:

Coordinate the overall M&E system and ensure its usefulness for the organisation:

• Development of methodologies and tools for policy design, planning and monitoring, data consolidation and visualisation, learning, accountability and building strong evidence for up-scaling.
• Ensure the coherence and continuous improvement of the overall MEL system. Ensure its compatibility with organisational change strategies and a level of rigour that meets accountability standards.
• Ensure that the information collected can be used for learning and strategic decision making (development of dashboards to monitor progress of programme implementation, etc.).
• Provide MEL related advice and feedback to global programme directors of Rikolto.

Coaching and capacity development of the programme staff of the Good Food for Cities programme

• Lead co-design of innovative MEL tools to measure programme results at citizen and enabling environment level (e.g. micro-narrative, storytelling, outcome harvesting, crowdsourcing tools, etc.).
• Coaching GF4C programme staff in identifying appropriate innovation-specific indicators and data collection methods to be used in up-scaling.
• Coach GF4C programme staff on MEL related topics (organisation of trainings, workshops, planning support, learning process support, etc.)
• Monitor internal capacity development needs and organise training for all staff with MEL responsibilities. Support the implementation of the MEL system .

Global accountability and reporting

• Maintain the global MEL database and data visualisation platform.
• Coordinate global reporting processes and evaluations for global donors
• Final quality check of global donor reports in relation to MEL requirements (DGD, EU, etc.)
• Coordinate the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) reporting.

Connect with other organisations on M&E related matters:

• Liaise with other organisations and M&E experts to promote and share the M&E expertise and experience of the organisation and to learn from others.

Qualifications and technical knowledge

• Master's degree in a relevant domain
• Proven expertise in monitoring & evaluation and programme management, especially with innovative complexity-aware methods that enhance learning and improve performance in programs that deal with complex challenges.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office 365,
• Tech-savvy (database-management, creative problem-solving in Excel, …)
• Knowledge of Salesforce, survey design/tools such as ODK (Kobo Toolbox), data visualisation and (statistical) research methods and analysis packages (R/SPSS/…) is a plus.

Languages

• Professional fluency in English (understanding, speaking and writing).
• Professional fluency in French or Spanish or both is a plus.

Experience

• Prior experience in a similar position in an international organisation is preferred.
• Experience working in an international team across multiple cultural contexts,
• Experience in monitoring & evaluation of at least 7 years.
• Experience in developing and facilitating learning-oriented monitoring, evaluation and learning processes.
• Experience in project (cycle) management (needs assessment, conceptualisation, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation).

Skills

• Systems thinking skills
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to coach and play the facilitation role in a manner that empowers those who are coached to eventually become facilitators of similar processes
• Ability to translate concepts and strategies into workable tools, templates, and training materials.
• Ability to structure own work independently.
• Complex problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Analytical skills

Attitude

• Strong affinity with Rikolto’s mission and values.
• Positive attitude focused on win-win solutions.
• Acts with integrity and respect towards others.
• Constructively challenge self and others.
• Reliable to deliver commitments.
• Easily approachable and transmits a positive attitude.
• Creates strong morale and spirit in his/her team, fosters open dialogue and shares successes.
• Inspires people to act (in accordance with Rikolto’s vision and values)
• Eager to learn and share lessons learnt.