Country: Ghana
Closing date: 23 Oct 2015
Job Title: Activity Manager - Evaluation Specialist
Location: Accra, Ghana. Local hire.
Deadline for application:October 23, 2015, 5pm Accra time
Duration of the position:One year, with possible extension
The USAID/West Africa program, the “Analytical Support Services and Evaluations for Sustainable Systems (**ASSESS**)”, is an independent evaluation activity implemented by a consortium of U.S. and West Africa Universities that facilitates access to technical expertise from a wide array of fields to support the implementation and impact of its West Africa Regional Economic Growth Office (REGO) programs. Through three thematic areas – agriculture, environment, and trade, this five-year program (2014-2019) will provide independent services to perform evaluations, conduct research, and carry out capacity building in M&E and Knowledge sharing activities.
Purpose of the Position
Under the supervision of the Chief of Party (COP), the ASSESS Activity Manager - Evaluation Specialist will help carry out the Commissioned Activities (CAs). S/he is responsible for preparation and finalization of SOW, assist in the coordination and implementation of the CAs on Evaluations, M&E Capacity supports services and Knowledge and Information Sharing. S/he will participate with the CA Team in the development of methodologies, coordinate the logistics for field visits, appointments and interviews with different stakeholders in the participating countries, support the technical experts in the field with data collection (quantitative/qualitative), support the CA Team with data analysis using appropriate statistical procedures, coordinate the development and maintenance of evaluations databases for future use in relation with the ASSESS GIS Specialist and M&E Specialist, and perform other related duties and activities.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Coordinate and oversee preparation and implementation of CAs
· Develop and update CA implementation procedures in relation with USAID West Africa REGO Teams and ASSESS partners.
· Help carry out CAs – in all project components (with focus on evaluations).
· Assist the COP to monitor all technical steps in the evaluation and CA implementation as per the SOW.
· Field appropriate local hires (surveys supervisors, surveyors, local experts, etc.) as and when needed.
· Manage technical and operational support for evaluation teams (International Experts hired by ASSESS partners), and for other ASSESS activities.
· Develop and maintain the ASSESS Experts Database in relation with ASSESS partners.
· Provide support to University partners in the hiring and mobilization of CA Experts and ensuring consistency in the use of experts for evaluations (baseline, Midterm and Final).
- Provide field technical support to CA teams
· Assist the COP and ASSESS partners to ensure quality and timeliness of evaluation reports and other project products, including high quality professional and technical analysis.
· Provide technical support in the design of evaluation methods based on USAID guidelines and directives and within the SOW proposed by USAID West Africa.
· Work with the M&E Specialist to finalize the evaluation matrix with well-defined evaluation sub-questions, indicators and data sources and methods for collection and analysis.
· Assist the CA team in design of the sampling approach for each evaluation and assist in coordination of data collection and analysis in the field including reports, secondary data and primary data at Implementing Partners and beneficiaries’ levels.
· Provide technical support to the CA-Evaluation team while in the field in the progressive preparation and compilation of evaluation reports.
· Ensure that the different information collected and analyzed through the CAs are capitalized and prepared for policy briefs and communication purposes.
· Coordinate in relation with ASSESS technical staff and experts team the preparation and implementation of learning events and other knowledge and Information Sharing Activities.
Qualifications
Education: Minimum Master Degree in economics, statistics-econometrics, social sciences or a related field.
Prior Work Experience: Minimum of five years of relevant, progressively responsible work experience in evaluation of development projects in Africa. Experience working in countries in the region is preferred.
Languages: Proficiency in spoken and written English is required, and fluency in French is preferred.
Travels: ability to travel frequently within the West Africa region as needed.
Competencies: The incumbent must successfully demonstrate the following competencies:
Knowledge:
· Demonstrated knowledge of evaluation, including both performance and impact evaluation.
· Understanding of evaluation issues and challenges within the context of development projects in West Africa.
· Familiarity with USAID projects in the Agriculture, Environment, Trade and Energy sectors strongly preferred.
· Strong knowledge on survey studies (quantitative and qualitative) design and implementation.
· Strong knowledge of Statistical and Econometrical packages for quantitative and qualitative data housing and analysis (e.g. SPSS, SAS, STATA, EVIEWS, NVIVO, ATLAS.TI, etc.).
· Familiarity with USAID policies in evaluation is strongly preferred
Skills and Abilities:
· Understanding of how to work effectively with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including those from other West African countries and international development actors.
· Strong capacities in data collection and analysis including preparation and implement of high quality surveys/interviews in performance and impact evaluation.
· Strong written and oral communication skills.
· Demonstrated high level of capacity in writing and editing evaluation reports and other technical documents in English and French.
· Excellent interpersonal and team building skills.
· Highly computer and internet literate.
· Highly experienced in statistical software and package for complex data analysis and econometric procedure.
How to apply:
How to apply?Interested candidates should send: a Curriculum Vitae in English along with a Cover Letter, of no more than 2 A4 pages, describing how his/her skills and experience match the requirements of this post, to the following e-mail address recruit@assess-wa.org. Send your application before October 23, 2015, 5pm Accra time. Make sure to include [**APPLICATION ASSESS Project Activity Manager - Evaluation Specialist**] in the subject line of the e-mail. Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration. Only successful candidates will be contacted