THE AFRICAN SOILS INFORMATION SERVICE PROJECT (ASIS)
MONITORING AND EVALUATION SCIENTIST
Eastern Africa Team Member to be based in Nairobi
JOB DESCRIPTION
The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), is seeking to fill the position of a Monitoring and Evaluation Scientist for the African Soils Information Service (ASIS) Project of the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute of CIAT (CIAT-TSBF).
Supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), CIAT is a non-profit organization that conducts socially and environmentally progressive research aimed at reducing hunger and poverty and preserving natural resources in developing countries. The Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute of CIAT (TSBF) operates as an integral part of the CIAT research programme and is housed at the ICRAF Campus, Nairobi, Kenya. The goal of CIAT-TSBF is to contribute to human welfare and environmental conservation in the tropics by developing adoptable and suitable soil management practices that integrate the biological, chemical and socioeconomic processes that regulate soil fertility and optimize the use of organic and inorganic resources.
The African Soils Information Service (ASIS) Project will develop a practical, timely, cost-effective, soil health surveillance service to map soil conditions, set a baseline for monitoring changes and to provide options for improved soil management. The system will facilitate identifying areas at risk of soil degradation and corresponding preventive and rehabilitative soil management interventions based on analyses of what works, and what doesn’t.
The project will build on recent advances in digital soil mapping, infrared spectroscopy, remote sensing, computational statistics and integrated soil fertility management to improve the way that soils are evaluated, mapped and monitored, while significantly reducing the costs to do so, and to disseminate innovative soil management methods such as the combination of inorganic fertilizers with organic inputs that improve crop yields while enhancing the environment. Dissemination and training will make the project’s outcomes highly accessible to farm communities, public and private extension services, national agricultural research and soil survey organizations, the fertilizer sector, project and local planners, national and regional policymakers, and scientists. The efforts in Africa are part of a wider, global effort to digitally map the world soil resources, and this project will help catalyze the global effort.
The Position:
- The Monitoring and Evaluation Scientist will report to the CIAT – TSBF Director through the ASIS Project Director. The aim of Objective 5 is to build capacity, serve end users, monitoring and evaluation, and management support. ASIS will interact intensively with national programs and a range of end user groups (in Tanzania, Mali, and Malawi where regional laboratories will be developed as well as Kenya and Nigeria). The individual hired in this position will generally be expected to develop and manage high quality data platforms, and to analyze and communicate program monitoring and evaluation data in the form of ‘knowledge products’ that contribute to: (i) continuous improvements in ASIS project programming excellence; (ii) high impact advocacy for the judicious use of the soil and land resources; and (iii) reports, publications and other documentation generated by the ASIS project.
Scientific Responsibilities
- Establish quantitative social and economic indicator baselines of people and communities living within the ASIS Project sites and link these with soil resources data as the basis for benchmarking the ASIS Project for future impact assessment and for monitoring and evaluating the timely attainment of the project activities.
- Assess the impact of technologies, institutions, and reforms on, among other variables, soils and crop management in any country at national, regional and local levels where ASIS will be working with a focus on poverty alleviation as the basis for informing future policy decisions and formulation.
Outreach and Communication
- Carry out individual ex-ante and ex-post impact assessment studies and present the best-bet decision opportunities that inform community action plans on agricultural and or environmental conservation activities.
- Assess the impact of ASIS work and programs to ensure that they meet the needs of stakeholders and partners and to inform future priority setting processes.
- The work will also involve fostering a strong impact assessment culture throughout the ASIS Project and establishing strategic partnerships with, NARS, AGRA, universities, other CGIAR centers working in Africa, and the CGIAR’s Standing Panel on Impact Assessment.
- Compile, maintain and web-publish elements of a database comprising externally sourced and ASIS generated project and program results and other data on: at-risk populations and their socio-economic characteristics; prevalence of bottlenecks that hinder livelihood development of communities; coverage with key interventions; ASIS recommended interventions; functional consequences etc, and food consumption, production and trade statistics.
- Generate or contribute to publications in the form of reports to donors and other stakeholders, abstracts, papers, journal articles, posters, brochures, presentations to be made at national/international forum, etc in relation to ASIS program evaluations, ASIS programming and related technical areas to support ASIS communications, donor stewardship, resource development, partnership and marketing initiatives.
- Provide technical advice and guidance and other inputs or support as needed to ASIS project staff on a responsive basis for project monitoring, as the basis for enhancing quality via project appraisal, and for data and its collection for advocacy and programs. This may include: (i) developing and maintaining a databank of experts/technical contacts; (ii) providing guidance on appropriate technical inputs (people, institutions; suppliers; tools; commodities; materials etc) for ASIS projects; (iii) contributing to monitoring and evaluation of other CIAT-TSBF projects; (iv) developing (or refining existing) tools and instruments; (v) helping to characterize vulnerability of target populations in countries and to identify ways of achieving cost-effective coverage for these groups.
- Participate in and/or organize technical meetings, conference calls and consultations of experts from stakeholder and partner organizations as required (in liaison with Objective 5 Leader and other project leaders as may be required from time to time.
- Use pre-designed monitoring tools in conjunction with the project work plan, and log-frame, to monitor and evaluate project progress and thereby inform Objective Leaders of any lags in project implementation as well as matters requiring adapting for maximum benefit to the ASIS project.
Qualifications and experience:
- The ideal applicant will have a PhD in Economics or related field and have demonstrated expertise in assessing the impacts of natural resources management (NRM) research and interventions.
- Ability to provide leadership and strategic direction to this initiative, CIAT-TSBF seeks an Economist specializing in Impact Assessment.
- Proven experience in Project Monitoring and Evaluation will be an added advantage.
- The position’s seniority will be matched to the level of experience and background of the selected candidate.
- Ability to manage own workload without close supervision and works independently, making decisions and solving problems on routine and complex problems.
- Ability to work effectively in a dynamic team environment, in a flexible office environment with periods of high pressure activity.
- Ability to work independently, under pressure and manage time effectively is essential.
- Computer skills: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Internet, Email.
- Candidates must clearly demonstrate how they meet the criteria above. Initial screening of applicants will be done solely on the information submitted by the candidates. Failure to fully explain your education and experience may result in your being screened out of this process.
Personal Characteristics:
- Team player with personality traits that enable him/her to motivate and communicate with all levels of the professional and support staff.
- Reputation of integrity, high intelligence, creativity and the ability to exercise good judgment.
- Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to establish rapport and credibility with people at all organizational levels, forming strong relationships, both internally and externally.
- Committed to transparency and continuous improvement in a cooperative atmosphere of constructive evaluation and learning.
- Fluency in English and Kiswahili.
The appointment: Initial two year contract, renewable subject to six (6) months probation period and assessment of performance. Starting date: as early as possible, after selection. CIAT offers an internationally competitive salary and benefits package commensurate with the position’s responsibilities and the education and experience of the successful candidate.
Applicants should apply by email, sending a cover letter summarizing their relevance to this position, a full C.V. and the names and contact information of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. Applications should be sent to the Human Resources Office at CIAT a.l.restrepo@cgiar.org with copies to m.sambo@cgiar.org. The reference name of the position should be clearly marked on the subject line of the email message.
All applications will be acknowledged, only short listed candidates will be contacted.
Closing date for applications: November 17th, 2008.
