Job Description – WeForest MEL Manager, Zambia

Job title

WeForest MEL Manager, Zambia

WeForest

WeForest is a fast-growing international non-profit organization with headquarters in Belgium and legal entities in France, USA, Ethiopia and Zambia. Our aim is to demonstrate, through the restoration of entire regions, that well planned forest restoration, conservation and agroforestry can be the solution to today’s biggest challenge: climate change. The organization is promoting Forest Landscape Restoration best practices, creating a movement, engaging the greatest brands and their millions of customers to act positively. Our activities are growing and the organization is urgently looking for the best possible talent to scale up our projects in Zambia.

Zambia programme

WeForest has been active around agroforestry, farm forestry and sustainable reforestation in Zambia since 2011. WeForest Zambia Ltd. was established in 2019 with six projects running at the moment: two in the Copperbelt and four in Muchinga province;

• Copperbelt project aiming to reduce deforestation amongst small-holder farm land in Luanshya, Mpongwe and Ndola districts by introducing the concept of Farm Forestry. Currently, approximately 3,500 ha is conserved with over 1,000 farmers.
• Katanino project increasing forest cover inside the 4,500ha Katanino Forest Reserve and Miombo woodlots in a 5km buffer zone around the Reserve as well as implementing livelihood improvement, agroforestry and timber woodlots on smallholder farms in the buffer zone. The total landscape is approximately 30,000 ha.
• Chintumukulu and Mpumba buffer project establishing and functionalizing a community conservancy of 8,500 ha and supporting sustainable income sources to run the conservancy in the long-term. Expanding into the Mpumba buffer zone.
• HEARTH project is a USAID funded 5-year project managed by Frankfurt Zoological Society (=main implementer) with a subcontract to WeForest Zambia. WeForest Zambia plays an expert role in beekeeping and an implementer role in community forestry in Mukungule and Mpumba chiefdoms.
• Mpumba community forest areas (CFAs) could be supported by WeForest Zambia but are currently undergoing a feasibility study for long-term support. If successful, the project could start in Q3 2022. The focus would lie on sustainable forest management of approximately 28,000 ha across three CFA’s in combination with providing livelihood opportunities away from natural resource depletion.

Role

WeForest is looking for an experienced MEL (monitoring, evaluation & learning) manager to lead and create an environment in which data and evidence are systematically produced, analysed, interpreted and operationalized across WeForest Zambian restoration/conservation projects. The MEL manager is responsible to optimize project monitoring plans, refine monitoring tools, improve evaluation processes and engrain learning and subsequent adaptive management processes in project management. You will report to the Deputy Country Director (or similar) and collaborate closely with the global M&E manager at WeForest headquarter (in Belgium), while overseeing M&E officers at project level (initially 3 M&E officers).

Terms & Conditions

Start date: 01/09/2022 (first September)

Duration of Contract: One year with possibility for extension based on performance (3 months’ probation)

Salary: Manager.  Level 4a salary

Extras:  Bonus of 5% based on performance and private health insurance for employee, children and spouse (nuclear family). Gratuity of 25% upon completion of the contract as per Labor Laws.

Location:  Head office Copperbelt, with significant travel within country (Muchinga) and regular field visits.

Working hours:  Full-time (44-hour week), working a minimum of 8 hours per day. Hours will however vary depending on project needs and flexibility is essential.

Job Description

Job Title: MEL Manager, Zambia

Reporting to: M&E manager (HQ Belgium) and Zambia Deputy County Director (or similar)

Responsible for:  In-country MEL processes

Responsibilities include:

Monitoring:

1. Oversee and help coordinate collection of necessary baseline information

2. Strengthen processes and tools to monitor among others; a) CBO governance capacity, b) community livelihoods progress (through strengthening financial KPIs) and c) behavioural change (moving beyond monitoring shifts in awareness)

3. Manage data storage of geographic, biophysical and socio-economic data, across projects in a standardized manner

4. Support field teams to implement quality GIS including spatial data collection and management of geo-databases (currently in QGIS), ensuring that spatial data meets standard metadata and attribute requirements

5. Oversee data quality assurance

6. Ensure quality M&E plans are developed and implemented for every project

Evaluation:

1. Strengthen disaggregation and analysis of data (by gender, age, poverty, etc.)

2. Assist project managers to set realistic targets based on baseline information

3. Ensure effective comparison of targets with monitoring data and reference outputs to literature, to critically evaluate project outputs

4. Guide and supervise Consultants that are sub-contracted to implement special surveys or studies required for evaluating project effects and impacts

5. Support with/quality control for drafting of HQ reports (bi-monthly/mid-year/annual) & logframe/workplan updates

Learning:

1. Summarize best practices and lessons learned across project components (governance, forest management and livelihoods) and M&E methods (data collection, data analysis and storage)

2. Lead the regular sharing and effective dissemination of learning outputs to project teams, to drive continuous adaptive management

3. Proactively follow-up on implementation of priority lessons learned in collaboration with project managers

Capacity building:

1. Conduct M&E skills gap analysis for current and new M&E-related WeForest staff (including IT skills), and identify personal skill development needs in your field

2. Deliver coaching and training in various M&E technical areas including but not limited to data collection, data analysis, data storage and geospatial data handling

3. Support training to community facilitators who take part in data collection and other local partner organizations (incl. CBOs, farmers’ associations)

Others:

1. Undertake regular visits to the field to support implementation of M&E and to identify where adaptations and MEL support might be needed

2. Efficient and effective communication with your line manager, technical staff, project managers and HQ M&E manager & other personnel and other relevant stakeholders

3. Efficient and transparent operational weekly, monthly and quarterly reporting to line manager

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Essential:

• An MSc, or equivalent experience in Statistics, Remote sensing, International Development, Development Economics/Planning, Economics, Biodiversity conservation, or Business Administration;
• Fluent in English and Bemba;
• Minimum 5 years’ relevant experience in M&E/MEL and 3 years of supervisory experience;
• Demonstrable experience in monitoring, evaluation and learning processes in development sector;
• Expert in Excell and GIS and proficient in SPSS/R or other quantitative analysis tools, and skilled in data management, including use of quantitative and qualitative analysis software and report writing skills;
• Experience in developing log frames and work plans and measuring project progress against milestones and targets;
• Excellent management, coordination, training, problem-solving, reporting and communication skills;
• Attitude to not shy away from going beyond activity or output monitoring, and the ability to critically evaluate and challenge project monitoring results, outcomes and assumptions;
• Flexible in terms of traveling and living conditions;
• Excellent team player;
• A drivers licence.

Desirable:

• Demonstrated experience in improving M&E capacity of implementing organisations;
• Certificate or diploma in monitoring & evaluation;
• Member of Zambia Monitoring & Evaluation Association – ZaMEA.