Michigan State University (MSU), under the Support for Applied Research and Analysis (SARA-KEA) project, is seeking a food and water security analyst Consultant requested to contribute to analytics, monitoring, evaluation and learning efforts for Feed the Future and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) activities at the USAID Kenya East Africa Mission in the Office of Economic Growth and Integration.
The Consultant will be assigned to the Office of Economic Growth and Integration (OEGI), Analytics and Operations Team, and cover the robust regional economic growth portfolio, as well as the bilateral energy, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) portfolio. The Consultant will conduct strategic information collection and analysis, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, and portfolio level quality improvement. The candidate should have a strong understanding of the African development context, and knowledge of the East African development context is preferred.
The specific terms of reference are as follows:
1. Provide technical assistance to OEGI in analytics and monitoring, evaluation and learning for regional Feed the Future and Energy and bilateral WASH and Energy activities and provide support to the bilateral Feed the Future portfolio as needed under the direction of the OEGI MEL Specialist. His/her roles include monitoring, evaluation, learning, reporting, and information dissemination on progress towards achieving the results, targets, and benchmarks of the USAID/KEA OEGI Operational Plan (OP), and various applicable earmarks and initiatives.
2. Support OEGI as a leading expert for analytics, portfolio performance and MEL related to regional Feed the Future and bilateral WASH activities, providing expert advice, and support to project managers on project design, performance monitoring, results measurement, program research, and evaluation.
3. Provide high quality assistance to USAID/KEA A/CORs and implementing partners in the development and implementation of activity monitoring and evaluation plans to meet the needs of OEGI programs and requirements.
4. Provide technical expertise in analytics in MEL in partnership with OEGI’s A/CORs in the development and selection of indicators and targets for monitoring program activities, evaluation, reporting and for information dissemination on progress towards achieving results.
5. Summarize and provide analytic trends and information from OEGI implementing partners and other economic growth sector activities, for reporting on results and possible setbacks, and for identifying programmatic adjustments, when necessary.
6. Provide technical assistance to OEGI and IPs in strengthening reporting on the USAID assigned indicators
7. Provides expert advice in the design, implementation and review of evaluations and assessment within OEGI and the mission if requested
8. Work closely with other USAID/KEA offices, bilateral and regional partners, intergovernmental organizations such as the East Africa Community (EAC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) as needed, as well as stakeholders in the private and public sector, USAID bilateral missions, and USAID/Washington staff to provide MEL technical guidance and leadership to inform regional and bilateral policy development and strengthen systems.
9. Provides leadership and coordinates narratives and inputs for planning (Operational Plan, RDCS, etc.) and reporting (Performance Plan and Report; Mission Resource Request, CBJ, CBN, etc.) processes, as well as ad-hoc reporting requirements, such as responding to Washington taskers, event coordination, supporting VIP visits, and drafting outreach materials.
10. The incumbent will actively contribute to monitoring, evaluation, analysis and learning at the Project and DO level. S/he will synthesize trends at the regional/national levels and incorporate learning from all analysis into current and future programming and share extensively across all stakeholders.
11. Travel required up to 2 domestic trips per quarter.
More information on specific tasks, qualifications, and the application process is described in the Scope of Work document available below for download.
Michigan State University has been intentionally global for more than 60 years, and is known worldwide as a top research university. It is home to renowned scholars and scientists from around the globe and a vibrant and diverse community of undergraduates and graduate students. MSU leverages international partnerships with scientists and practitioners from academia, the government, private sector, and strategically chosen research and development organizations to create new knowledge and explore innovative and practical solutions to the world’s most pressing problems.
