About Partners of the Americas

Partners of the Americas (POA), a private voluntary organization engaged in development in the Western Hemisphere. POA’s network of Chapters across the Americas, Middle East and Africa forms the core of our work. We also welcome individuals, organizations, and higher education institutions as members. Inspired by President Kennedy and founded in 1964 under the Alliance for Progress, Partners of the Americas is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with international offices in Washington, D.C. 

The USDA Food for Progress Nigeria project, implemented by Partners of the Americas (POA) under USDA funding, focuses on poultry and aquaculture within the Agriculture and Agricultural Trade sectors. The project’s objective is to increase productivity in these areas and expand trade by strengthening market systems, improving compliance with international standards, and fostering public-private partnerships. 

Position Summary

Partners of the Americas seeks an experienced Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist (M&E Specialist) for USDA Food for Progress Nigeria, a multi-year initiative focused on poultry and aquaculture within Agriculture and Agricultural Trade. The program aims to increase poultry and aquaculture productivity and expand trade by strengthening market systems, improving compliance with international standards, and fostering public-private partnerships. 

This position supports the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) component of the Nigeria project. This area is responsible for monitoring activities and measuring progress during project implementation, against the Work Plan, indicators, and their corresponding goals, objectives, changes, effects, and expected impact. M&E guides and ensures compliance with quality standards during the processes of capture, processing, analysis, and reporting, contributing useful and timely information for the project’s strategic decision-making. 

This position reports directly to the M&E Director. The M&E Specialist will be based in Lagos, Nigeria. 

Roles and Responsibilities 

• Formulates the MEL plan and systems for capturing data and pertinent information on project activities, beneficiaries, outputs, outcomes, and impact. 

• Provides leadership, training, and mentoring to carry out MEL activities, including designing tools, conducting data collection and analysis, and sharing and utilizing data to evaluate and enhance program impact.

• Effectively implements data collection and reporting systems for all staff and partners through training, site visits, manuals, and other necessary technical support. 

• Collaborates across the project to ensure alignment to targets and indicators contained in the project proposal, and uses information from the MEL system and other tools to enhance program effectiveness. 

• Facilitates the collection and use of qualitative data and implementation learning to support collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA), including participating in special studies to answer the learning agenda. 

• Coordinates and supports baseline, mid-term, and final evaluations. 

• Provides day-to-day management of M&E activities for the project and its partners. 

• Supports the development, update, and implementation of the project’s M&E Plan, including the approach to collecting, evaluating, and validating data to measure overall progress toward project outcomes and objectives. 

• Proactively participates in project evaluations, including the baseline, mid-term, and final evaluation, collaborating and coordinating closely with the donor and the external consultant. 

• Monitors and updates project indicators and their progress toward established goals in coordination with the technical team. 

• Supports the development and ensures adequate performance of M&E platforms, data integrity, and accuracy in project-relevant reporting. 

• Contributes to the elaboration of Requests for Proposals for relevant consultancies assessing project progress, such as annual, intermediate, final, and other evaluations as required. 

• Supports the renewal of licenses for required software tools. 

• Supports the development of project progress reports, annual work plans, and other documents required by the donor, by providing accurate and reliable data. 

• Collaborates and regularly meets with the project’s technical team to update the Work Plan, activities, and analyze lessons learned accordingly. 

• Stays up to date on the donor’s M&E guidance and opportunities, including revised standard indicators and opportunities to give feedback or highlight project achievements. 

• Supports the M&E Director in regularly improving project M&E systems and empowering local staff, stakeholders, and partners to use quality data to drive meaningful changes related to project interventions. 

• Works closely with project staff and partners to develop mechanisms for the project’s Work Plan to actively incorporate lessons and modify approaches in implementation as needed. 

• Supports the creation, organization, and submission of M&E deliverables as required by the donor. 

• Develops learning, knowledge, and results management materials for internal and external audiences. 

• Designs and monitors the proper and responsive management of data collection instruments (e.g., surveys, focus groups, evaluations) with project beneficiaries and target populations. 

• Coordinates closely with POA communications team members and partners on the preparation and delivery of inputs for project success stories, ensuring achievements are widely shared and reported to the donor and key stakeholders. 

• Works closely with all project units, technical teams at POA, and partners to ensure M&E is aligned with the project. 

• Designs and maintains project dashboards, keeping them updated for timely and relevant decision-making. 

• Uses relevant secondary research for M&E purposes, including context and a better understanding of project performance. 

• Supports the development and implementation of partners’ organizational development, monitoring the progress of project activities to strengthen their capacity. 

• Other relevant tasks assigned by the M&E Director. 

Team Management 

• Develops sub-grantee capacity, deepens understanding of roles and responsibilities, and assists in career development. 

• Assists team members and sub-grantees with information, tools, and resources to improve performance and achieve goals. 

• Promotes accountability, communicates expectations, and provides constructive feedback formally and informally with regular one-on-one meetings and performance reviews. 

• Creates and maintains a mutually respectful work environment where team members strive for excellence. Hire, mentor, and direct team members as needed. 

Responsibilities of All Partners’ Team Members 

• Have a clear and deep understanding of POA and donor policies and standards to comply with programmatic, financial, administrative, procurement, logistics, human resources, and security processes. 

Job Specifications

• Minimum of five (5) years of professional experience in M&E technical and specialist positions, or equivalent, executing monitoring and evaluation activities for international development projects, specifically projects focused on rural development and food security. 

• Professional with an advanced degree (preferably a master’s degree) in Statistics, Demography, Public Policy, International Development, Economics, or a related field. 

• Experience in the design, implementation, and operation of monitoring and evaluation systems from project inception through closeout. 

• Familiarity with donor indicator frameworks is desirable. 

• Experience in strategic planning and performance measurement, including indicator selection, goal setting, reporting, database management, and development and implementation of monitoring and evaluation plans. 

• Knowledge of main evaluation methodologies (qualitative, quantitative, mixed-method, and impact) and their data collection and analysis approaches. 

• Experience planning and managing surveys and developing and refining data collection tools. 

• Understanding of the main challenges facing agricultural value chains, including market access, product collection and processing, and provision of inputs and services to producers, is desirable. 

• Advanced proficiency in English with superior written and oral communication skills; working knowledge of local languages (Yoruba, Hausa, or Igbo) is desirable. 

• Knowledge of project management tools such as Smartsheet and data management platforms such as Kobo Toolbox and Power BI is desirable.

To Apply 

Please submit a CV and cover letter to amusa@partners.net with the subject “M&E Specialist”.  Please note that only finalists will be contacted.

Partners is Proud To Be An Equal Employment Opportunity And Affirmative Action Employer. Partners Does Not Discriminate In Employment On The Basis Of Race, Color, Religion, Sex (Including Pregnancy And Gender Identity), National Origin, Political Affiliation, Sexual Orientation, Marital Status, Disability, Genetic Information, Age, Membership In An Employee Organization, Retaliation, Parental Status, Military Service, Or Other Non-Merit Factor.