Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist at TNC April 2024

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist at The Nature Conservancy April 2024
OFFICE LOCATION
Nairobi, Kenya
This is position shall be based where TNC has a registered office in Africa, Angola, Gabon, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania
or Zambia. No employment visas or assistance is being offered with this
position except for the local labor employment requirements.

WHO WE ARE
The mission of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is to conserve the lands
and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization,
we develop innovative, on-the-ground solutions to the world’s toughest
environmental challenges so that people and nature can thrive. Our work
is guided by our values, which include a commitment to diversity and
respect for people, communities, and cultures. From a rewarding mission
to career development and flexible schedules, there are many reasons to
love life #insideTNC. Want to know more? Check out our TNC Talent
playlist on YouTube to hear stories from staff or visit Glassdoor.

One
of TNC’s primary goals is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so
that employees around the globe have a sense of belonging and feel that
their unique contributions are valued. We know we’ll only achieve our
mission by hiring and engaging a diverse staff that reflects the
communities in which we work. Recognizing
that people bring talent and skills that have been developed outside the
scope of a job, we take a holistic approach to recruitment that
considers life experience in addition to the professional requirements
listed in our postings. Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To
quote a popular saying at TNC, “you’ll join for the mission, and you’ll
stay for the people.”

TNC’s work in Africa transcends three key
pillars: securing ownership rights to lands and resources for indigenous
people, strengthening leadership and resource management and helping
communities value nature through a holistic appreciation of its benefits
while increasing revenue streams for conservation efforts and
socio-economic development. Together with our partners, we are
witnessing critical milestones in integrated land and fisheries
management, ocean and source water protection, energy development and
sustainable food production, working together and strengthening our
resolve in tackling global challenges such as climate change, habitat
and biodiversity loss that stands to adversely impact the nearly 1.4
billion people that share Africa.

TNC Climate and Forest
Protection Strategy focuses on accelerating and scaling the deployment
of Nature Based Solutions (NBS) to help realize TNC Africa’s 2030
Climate Mitigation goals (via Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) –
sustainably managing, restoring, and protecting ecosystems – and a Clean
Energy Transition) as well as meeting adaptation goals. The strategy
aims at prioritizing and scaling (policy and finance) of NCS pathways in
Africa, including avoided deforestation, improved forest management,
reforestation, regenerative agriculture, improved rangeland management
and coastal wetland protection and restoration. The current geographic
focus of the Strategy is Angola, Gabon, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania,
and Zambia.

WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE TOGETHER
The
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist provides technical
and scientific support to TNC’s Africa Climate and Forest Protection
Strategy team, TNC’s Africa Forest Carbon Catalyst (AFCC) program, TNC
Country Programs working on Climate and Forest Protection, and other TNC
staff as appropriate to advance the Africa Climate and Forest
Protection Strategy under TNC’s 2030 Goals. They strengthen MEL
processes and build capacity of TNC staff, partners, community members
and the implementing agencies in designing and executing relevant
trainings and providing technical assistance in relation to monitoring,
reporting and data management.

The MEL Specialist sets targets
and collects data in priority areas. The MEL Specialist conducts
scientific surveys and research, records data, writes reports, and
develops proposals in order to support implementation of conservation
programs within Africa Climate and Forest Protection Strategy in the
target countries. The position develops a systematic and functional
monitoring framework to collect and aggregate the qualitative and
quantitative evidence gathered by the various projects, including
reporting on outputs and outcomes. They formulate the overall MEL plan,
tracking progress, and ensure the implementation of the plan. The role
also provides technical support toward design and implementation of
specific Africa Climate Strategy projects. The position will report to
the Africa Forest Carbon Catalyst Director with a dotted line to the
regional MEL Director for technical MEL guidance and linkage with MEL
actions across ecosystems and countries. The position will be based in
TNC office in Kenya or Tanzania.

No relocation or visa
sponsorship or assistance is being offered with this position. This is a
two-year term limited position. Extension of tenure will be subject to
performance and availability of funds.

WE’RE LOOKING FOR YOU
The MEL Specialist will be responsible for the design, coordination,
and implementation of the MEL framework for the Africa Climate Strategy,
and they will also support other strategy programs such as the Africa
Forest Carbon Catalyst.

The responsibilities and scope for this position are:

• Design
  an M&E system that supports the development of both project M&E
  plans and the overall framework, including indicators for all Africa
  Climate Strategy programs and AFCC projects, in order to effectively
  capture project performance and continuous monitoring.
• Facilitate the project teams to develop relevant MEL Plans. Including,
  outlining the key objectives along the results chain with clear and
  agreed outcome, result and output statements combined with the SMART
  indicator sets and the MEL arrangements for data collection, analysis
  and reporting.
• Set the baseline studies as required for the key indicator sets.
• Ensure MEL arrangements are clearly agreed and suitably tailored to
  TNC’s, the project partners’ and relevant stakeholders’ MEL mechanisms,
  capacity and resources.
• Manage partners to ensure all relevant
  indicators pertaining to their projects are regularly tracked, updated
  and reported as agreed.
• Provide MEL capacity-building support to relevant team and project partner members.
• Provide timely updates in the regional performance dashboards and
  manage the TNC Hub database for the TNC Africa Climate and Forest
  Protection work.
• Undertake data quality assurance of partners’
  self-reporting of progress; Coordinate follow-up with partners to
  address any gaps and/or inconsistencies.
• Conduct site visits to promote appropriate monitoring of project activities and to enhance data validity and quality.
• Participate in evaluation exercises including, mid-term program evaluation and project review and learning sessions.
• In collaboration with project leads, strengthen MEL data aggregation
  and analysis to measure and present a robust assessment of progress and
  lessons of performance against output, outcome and impacts targets.
  Utilize the MEL findings to generate lessons and provide clear
  evidence-based recommendations to inform adaptive implementation by the
  projects and/or strategy.
• Contribute to the preparation of project proposals and reporting according to donor requirements.
• Organize review of program work plans with partners and other stakeholders in liaison with Project Managers.
• Foster and support cross-project learning, lessons learning workshops
  and strengthen a Community of Practice for the sharing of best practices
  and lessons for adaptive management.
• Participate in and
  provide MEL support in specific coastal and marine conservation projects
  as needed as will be assigned by the Supervisor.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

• B.S. Degree in science or in a related field and 5 years of experience,
  or equivalent combination of education and experience in MEL,
  conservation practice, social sciences, development studies, statistics,
  project management, or related disciplines.
• Supervisory
  experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives and
  managing performance, workloads and finances under deadlines.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in climate mitigation and or adaptation.
• Experience in developing and implementing monitoring and evaluation systems and plans including,

A. The development of quantitative and qualitative MEL tools and methods
B. Data analysis skills using GIS and knowledge of statistical software such as Excel.
C. The selection and definition of SMART indicators
D. Data analysis, aggregation and reporting methods.
E. The production of MEL performance reports.
F. Data quality control, overseeing data collection and quality assurance.

• Experience
  in providing MEL capacity building, mentoring and delivering MEL
  technical support to project implementors and partners, preferably to
  multiple projects across various locations/ countries in Africa.
• Experience in evaluating partner MEL performance reporting
• Experience in designing and maintaining a database for monitoring data for multiple projects.
• Excellent facilitation and communication skills (oral and writing) and fluency in in English.
• Technical writing and communicating scientific information to a broad range of audiences and stakeholders desired.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Over
  seven (7) years of experience working with MEL in the field of
  environment conservation, biodiversity conservation, natural resource
  management, development and/or other.
• Multi-lingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• Strong expertise in the social sciences and social-ecological systems.
• Specialized training in M&EL and experience incorporating project learning into adaptive management.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with web-based data management
  and visualization systems for monitoring performance and outcomes.
• Strong knowledge of common software applications especially Excel.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating with other parties to obtain different data sources.
• Strong oral, written and presentation skills, communicating clearly via
  written, spoken, and graphical means in English and other relevant
  languages.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience in conducting training and building capacity of teams in M&E.
• Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups and/or government agencies.
• Knowledge of methods and standards of biodiversity information systems and initiatives or related field.

WHAT WE BRING
Since 1951, The Nature Conservancy has been doing work you can believe
in protecting the lands and waters that all life depends on. Through
grassroots action, TNC has grown to become one of the most effective and
wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more
than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts
of our diverse staff, we impact conservation throughout the world!

The
Nature Conservancy offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package
including: health care benefits, flexible spending accounts, pension/
gratuity plans, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance,
disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work
wellbeing benefits. Learn more about our benefits at in the Culture Tab
on nature.org/careers.

We’re proud to offer a work-environment
that is supportive of the health, wellbeing, and flexibility needs of
the people we employ!
This description is not designed to be a complete list of all duties and responsibilities required for this job.