The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking a monitoring and evaluation officer who knows how to work collaboratively with others and who has experience in developing and implementing a cost-effective monitoring system and conducting household surveys with a diverse set of partners. The position will serve a new 3-year effort focused on (a) strengthening the capacity of African advocates to mobilize the resources needed to implement the massive investment that is being made to disseminate Vitamin A-rich orange-fleshed sweetpotato and (b) training people to become effective change agents in order to effectively design and implement such programs.
The Center: CIP is a not-for-profit international agricultural research-for-development organization with a focus on potato, sweetpotato, and Andean roots and tubers. Its vision is to emphasize the use of roots and tubers to improve the lives of the poor. CIP is dedicated to achieving food security, improved well-being, and gender equality for poor people in root and tuber farming and food systems of the developing world. CIP works with partners to contribute high quality science, technology, and capacity strengthening for sustainable science-based solutions. CIP is headquartered in Lima, Peru, with staff and activities in over 30 locations across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. CIP is a member of the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research, a network of 15 research centers that are mostly located in the developing world and supported by more than 50 donor members.
The position: This position will be based at CIP’s Country Office in Maputo, Mozambique. The project has five target countries: Tanzania, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, and Burkina Faso and will require significant amounts of travel.
The Sweetpotato for Profit and Health Initiative, launched by CIP and over 26 partners in October 2009, has an ambitious goal of improving the lives of at least 10 million African households by 2020 through the effective production and expanded use of sweetpotatoes. Evidence has clearly demonstrated that orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties are an excellent source of Vitamin A, an essential vitamin for health. Building a cadre of trained African advocates for utilizing orange-fleshed sweetpotato as an entry point for tackling widespread Vitamin A deficiency and a cadre of trained development agents to successfully promote and disseminate these materials is at the core of this effort. This position requires working in collaboration with public and private sector development agents and a variety of specialists engaged in advocacy activities to monitor progress towards stated project goals. The position requires being able to train counterparts in the analytical skills required for effective monitoring and evaluation of various systems.
Duties and Accountabilities:
• Lead the design and implementation of the monitoring and evaluation system for the project, in close collaboration with the project manager and the country teams. This will Include defining indicators or criteria that reflect an operational protocol for collecting data and developing systems for consistent collection of such data.
• Provide guidance during initial implementation of the project, as well as mid-term and final evaluations.
• Collaborate and maintain relationships with the public and private sector development agents on behalf of the project.
Selection Criteria:
• Master’s Degree or PhD in Economics or Agricultural Economics or relevant applied economics discipline.
• At least five years’ research experience in the design and implementation of baseline surveys, sampling design, adoption studies, impact evaluation, economic analyses of production systems and/or policy related economic research.
• Proven skills in applying econometric and quantitative approaches.
• Demonstrated success in working with multi-disciplinary teams and partnerships in collaborative proposal writing and research implementation.
• Excellent social skills and a collaborative style.
• A proactive, innovative and creative attitude.
• Teaching experience is preferred.
• Willingness to travel extensively within the region.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English are required. Good working knowledge of Portuguese, French or Swahili is preferred. Evidence of interest and ability to learn a foreign language is requisite.
• Must be a citizen of a sub-Saharan African country.
Conditions: Employment contract will be for a three-year term with a three month probationary period. Salary will be regionally competitive, paid in US dollars, and commensurate with experience. CIP provides additional benefits, including employer-paid medical, life and disability insurance. CIP prides itself on its collegial and supportive working environment, which allows space for personal and professional growth.
Applications: Applicants should apply by email, sending a letter of motivation, a full C.V., and the names and contact information of three references who are knowledgeable of the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience to CIP-Recruitment@cgiar.org. The reference name of the position should be clearly marked on the subject line of the email message. Screening of applications will begin on 20 June 2011 and will continue until the post is filled. Only short listed candidates will be contacted.
Learn more about CIP by accessing our web site at http://www.cipotato.org.
CIP is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified women and professionals from developing countries are particularly encouraged to apply
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