Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Research Fellowship : ICARDA

Application deadline 31 January 2024

The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is a treaty-based international non-profit research organization supported by CGIA

ICARDA’s mission is to reduce poverty, enhance food, water, and nutritional security, as well as environmental health in the face of global challenges including climate change. We do this through innovative science, strategic partnerships, linking research to development and capacity development that take into account gender equality and the role of youth in transforming the dry areas. ICARDA works in partnership with governments, universities, civil society, national agricultural research organization, other CGIAR Research Centers, and the private sector. With its temporary Headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, ICARDA operates in regional and country offices across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. For more information: www.icarda.org

All CGIAR Centers are currently engaged into a reform process (“One CGIAR’”) that will help ICARDA and CGIAR achieve better impact through more strategically integrated research, unified governance, an integrated structure and new research modalities across participating Research Centers. This transformation is supported by CGIAR donors who have committed to increased funding as a result of these reforms.

Description
Reporting to: Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist

Location: Remotely

Main Purpose of the position

To ensure that it is fit for purpose, through enhanced organizational effectiveness, ICARDA adopted a results-based management (RBM) system, mainstreamed across and beyond the organization, under the custodianship of the ICARDA MEL team. The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) team at ICARDA is comprised of the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) sub-team, the Knowledge Management (KM) sub-team, the Data Management (DM) sub-team and the Research Software Development (RSD) sub-team. The ICARDA MEL team staff are located in several countries across the globe and work collaboratively with MEL, Data and Knowledge Management teams from the CGIAR System, other CGIAR centers and Research Programs, and non-CGIAR entities.

To further champion results-based management at ICARDA, associated CGIAR centers and research programs, ICARDA seeks to hire a self-driven and competent ‘MEL Research Fellow’. The selected individual, under the guidance of the MEL Specialist, will contribute to the design and enhancement of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) systems and tools.

“This position is to identify a replacement for Jake Carampatana who tragically passed away on 12 August 2023.  Jake Carampatana was a valued member of the ICARDA MEL team from 2019 until August 2023. He was assigned to support planning, coordinating, monitoring and reporting of the CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes and Dryland Cereals (CRP-GLDC ) and later the Accelerated Breeding Initiative (ABI).Jake was friendly, intelligent and a good colleague committed to his work.”

Main responsibilities

• Support the formulation and review of institutional- and project-level results frameworks, including logical frameworks, theories of change, impact pathways, indicators etc.
• Participate in the development of methodologies for outcome monitoring, including but not limited to the development of excel-based models.
• Support the user-based testing and piloting of new features to enhance web-based MEL platform (HTTP://mel.cgiar.org).
• Configure projects in the web-based MEL Platform.
• Support research studies through the development of data collection tools and program the same in mobile data collection platforms such as ODK, ONA, CSPro, KOBOToolbox, etc.
• Provide training on the use of the developed data collection tool(s) and manage the resultant data.
• Support ICARDA research programs in the development and review of Plans of Work Budget and reporting processes.
• Support the identification, documentation and sharing/ dissemination of lessons learned.
• Support evaluation processes initiated by ICARDA or partner/associated projects and research programs.
• Undertake other tasks relevant for the efficient and effective running of the monitoring, evaluation and learning function, as may be assigned by the MEL Specialist.

Requirements
Education, qualifications, and experience

Essential qualifications and competencies

• Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics, Water/Irrigation Engineering, Rangeland Ecology and
• Conservation, Plant Breeding, Livestock Management, Soil Science, or related disciplines
• Postgraduate or short course on Monitoring and Evaluation.
• Up to 2 years of work experience in monitoring and evaluation with an organization with a mandate similar to ICARDA’s.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Strong computer skills, including in using MS Office, and familiarity with web-based platforms.
• Knowledge of or experience working on international development issues, especially in areas related to ICARDA’s mandate.
• Demonstrated ability to consistently meet deadlines and manage time well.
• Professional level of attention to detail, accuracy of work & ability to multitask.
• Ability to work in interdisciplinary & multicultural teams.

Desirable qualifications and competencies

• Master’s degree in Monitoring and Evaluation, Agricultural Economics, Water/Irrigation Engineering, Rangeland Ecology and Conservation, Plant Breeding, Livestock Management, Soil Science, or related disciplines
• 3-5 years of work experience in monitoring and evaluation with an organization with a mandate similar to ICARDA’s.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in an additional international language other than English
• Knowledge of the CGIAR, its research portfolio and Centers.

Benefits

• Terms of appointment, salary and benefits
• The research fellowship is carried out remotely and is home-based. ICARDA will provide the successful candidate with a monthly stipend.

ICARDA is committed to increasing women representation in its workforce and strongly encourages applications from women.

Applications will be acknowledged, but only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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