Job Description

Position Summary:

The Senior Associate, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) is responsible for coordinating and carrying out MEL activities in Rainforest Alliance\xe2\x80\x99s project: Transforming agricultural systems and strengthening local economies in high biodiversity areas of India through sustainable landscape management and public-private finance, funded by the Global Environment Facility. The Senior Associate, MEL will support the project by working with Rainforest Alliance staff, Rythu Sadhikara Samstha (RySS), Foundation for Ecological Security (FES), other partners and stakeholders to build and manage a sound MEL system that supports the project\xc2\xb4s results-based management and reporting by generating performance metrics on project implementation and on its contribution to expected outcomes and impacts over the project\xc2\xb4s lifetime. The position includes training and advising technical staff, partners, and field consultants on MEL methods, tools and processes; ensuring proper output and outcome indicator data collection, quality control, data analysis, and knowledge management; and reporting on key findings. The Senior Associate, MEL is also expected to coordinate closely with other Rainforest Alliance units.

Responsibilities:

Handle the project\xc2\xb4s MEL system, in coordination with the Senior. Project Manager, project staff and partners, and with guidance from Rainforest Alliance\xc2\xb4s Senior Advisor on Landscapes & Communities Results Based Management. The MEL plan will define tools, processes, data gathering methodologies, data disaggregation, and responsibilities of project staff and partners to complete and report progress.

Support the Senior Project Manager and partners in the review and refinement of the project\xe2\x80\x99s objective and outcome indicators defined in the project\xc2\xb4s Results Framework (RF), to be validated at the project\xe2\x80\x99s Inception workshop,[1] and ensure that activity plans are aligned with the RF

Organize MEL workshop with participation of MEL focal points from each partner, to train and align project staff and partners on data collection, analysis and reporting roles and responsibilities, and maintain ongoing technical assistance on MEL methods, tools and processes, ensuring MEL best practices.

Define in coordination with RySS data quality assurance procedures to ensure the implementation of the project\xc2\xb4s MEL system is based on reliable and timely field data collection.

Coordinate with project staff and partners quarterly tracking and reporting on delivery of the annual Activities Plan for informing the project\xc2\xb4s adaptive management decisions, internal reporting, and bi-annual reporting to the donor.

Support the Senior Project Manager in the preparation of quality and timely project performance technical reports and in maintaining updated project information in the Project Management Platform and the project\xc2\xb4s\xc2\xb4 SharePoint-based site.

Coordinate with project staff and RySS the baseline and periodic measurement, analysis and reporting of the project\'s Results Framework (RF) objectives and outcomes\xc2\xb4 indicators, to assess the project\xc2\xb4s progress against RF targets and its contribution to change using the methodologies defined in the RF.

Coordinate with RySS cost-benefit analyses to better understand farmers\xe2\x80\x99 perceptions of the value of implementing project-endorsed sustainable agricultural practices, to improve farmer training programmes, and to document the \xe2\x80\x9cbusiness case\xe2\x80\x9d of sustainable agriculture for farmers elsewhere and potential investors

In coordination with LandScale\xc2\xb4s global team, train and technically support project staff and partners on promoting the use of LandScale as a landscape scale performance measurement tool by project-supported micro-landscape governance bodies.

Contribute to the design and support undertaking the project\xc2\xb4s mid-term and end of project reviews and case studies of project achievements.

Lead the drafting of reports/studies to donors and other stakeholders.

Qualifications:

Bachelor\xe2\x80\x99s Degree in international development, Agriculture, Social Sciences, Economics, Natural Resources Management or related field.

Minimum 3 years of experience in similar position, including minimum of 2 years of experience conducting Program MEL activities for designing, delivery and impact assessments of programs and projects, and/or related studies.

Experience in software programs, including ArcGIS, QGIS, ERDAS Imagine, Global Mapper, ENVI, STATA, SPSS, KOBO Toolbox, CSPro, R. and computer Microsoft Office (Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Publisher).

Concrete experience in co-designing and implementation of cost-effective performance-based and community-based monitoring systems, and the collection, management, analysis and reporting of high-quality output and outcome indicator data.

Experience in using GIS tools to develop Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to track, analyze project data and report project performance.

Experience advising and supervising field teams or consultants in the collection of field data on social, environmental and/or agronomic and/or socioeconomic indicators for performance assessment, and in the use of associated field methods and tools (household surveys, farm monitoring, etc.).

Strong verbal and written communication skills; with required high level of competence in English. Knowledge of Kannada/ Telegu constitutes a big plus.

Demonstrated ability to build capacity for Program MEL among staff\xc2\xb4, partners and key actors in local communities.

Ability to travel locally at least 30% of the time.

[1] GEF core indicators and project targets will be retained without change; targets may change later in the project if events dictate the need.

Job level: 3A

Salary: Commensurate with experience

Deadline: 12 January 2024

Notes: Only candidates authorized to work in India will be considered.

If you have any questions about the job vacancy, please contact the HR department:

WHO WE ARE:

The Rainforest Alliance is creating a more sustainable world by using social and market forces to protect nature and improve the lives of farmers and forest communities. To achieve our mission, we partner with diverse allies around the world to drive positive change across global supply chains and in many of our most critically important natural landscapes.

Our alliance spans 70 countries and includes farmers and forest communities, companies, governments, civil society, and millions of individuals. Together we work to protect forests and biodiversity, take action on climate, and promote the rights and improve the livelihoods of rural people.

As an international nonprofit organization with more than 30 years of experience in sustainability transformation, we understand that the social and economic well-being of rural communities is tightly connected to ecosystem health. This knowledge has shaped our rigorous programs to advance sustainable land-use and commodity production.

At the Rainforest Alliance we combat climate change, protect forests and biodiversity, promote human rights, and improve livelihoods. The enormity of the social and environmental challenges we are facing requires working together in a broad alliance. This is why we bring farmers, forest communities, companies, and consumers together to change the way the world produces, sources, and consumes.

Why

To protect nature and improve lives it\xe2\x80\x99s becoming increasingly urgent that we approach the way we use our land and produce food and other products in more sustainable ways. For this to succeed we need to fundamentally change the way that businesses operate and source, and the choices we all make as consumers.

How

Our growing global alliance aims to transform our relationship with our natural resources and each other, to create a better future for people and nature together.

The Rainforest Alliance encourages diversity and inclusion across the global organization. With this commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, ages, disability, and any other protected group.

Rainforest Alliance