The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Director will work with and oversee WISHH’s M&E Manager to design and implement M&E tools and approaches that help the organization measure outputs and outcomes. This person will also assist with program development and be responsible for analyzing routine and non-routine performance monitoring data. The M&E Director is expected to help promote the organization’s commitment to evidence-based decision making and assist programmatic staff with the development and distribution of event-specific surveys. There will also be opportunities to collect data about the medium- and long-term outcomes of WISHH’s programming and contribute to the research agenda. The M&E Director will also provide technical direction for WISHH’s M&E systems, processes, analysis, and reporting. They will work with staff, consultants, and in-country representatives to develop and administer data collection instruments and maintain data management systems used to track key performance indicators (KPIs). The M&E Director will also contribute to staff training in program evaluation, data collection and analysis, and other project-level M&E related topics.
M&E Director Job Responsibilities:
· Utilize WISHH’s M&E Plan and data systems to monitor and describe project results.
· Develop/adapt learning guidelines to promote reflexive practices and promote use of data and learning across regions, programs, and objectives.
· Assist regional market development teams in writing USDA international market development proposals and coordinate and contribute extensively to the completion of development proposals from the M&E perspective.
· Establish learning processes, and facilitate the identification, analysis and synthesis of lessons learned from program implementation, ensuring the lessons and best practices are incorporated into future initiatives.
· Lead the ongoing development and refinement of the organization’s M&E systems.
· Work with senior management to ensure that the program’s initiatives and implementation efforts are aligned with the program’s strategic plan and short, medium, and long-term objectives. Develop and lead course corrections as needed to improve alignment with stated goals and priorities and suggest actions plans that will increase the organization’s odds of success.
· Utilize or create M&E plans to use in future funding opportunities in market development and development programming.
· Work with regional market development teams and international development programs to translate big picture strategy into implementable and quantifiable outcome-based and evidence- driven implementation plans and to facilitate strategy execution and continuous quality improvement across the organization.
· Coordinate the collection and compilation of information about KPIs for WISHH’s market development activities.
· Utilize technology to increase M&E efficiency and accuracy, building staff and partner capacity for technology as needed.
· Work with in country M&E staff to continually assess and revise internal metrics, including key performance indicators, to ensure appropriate measures are being used to track performance and progress towards global strategic outcomes.
· Network with various stakeholders and potential partners during travel opportunities and in daily communications.
· Design the evaluation methodology and participatory data collection methods and protocols for both performance and impact evaluations and support system improvements by providing critical information and evidence to inform problem definition, impact measurement, and programmatic and policy decisions at all levels (as appropriate).
· Work with field M&E staff to develop key documents and communication materials based on project results that demonstrate program effectiveness, capacity, strategic program positioning, and potential opportunities.
· Identify strengths and weaknesses in existing data collection and management systems and propose solutions.
· Assess the organizational and performance gaps within different programs and recommend course corrections to be taken by program staff.
· Facilitate the process of extracting and consolidating evidence and learning from routine performance monitoring and external evaluations.
· Consolidate, critically analyze, and report on program data to support internal learning and improvement.
· Oversee and supervise the M&E Manager and any future M&E team members.
· Perform other duties as necessary to support the implementation of activities.
Work Hours & Benefits: One of the many advantages of working with ASA/WISHH is the variety of benefits available to eligible employees. Our goal is to hire employees who will work hard to help us reach our goals and objectives. ASA/WISHH offers a hybrid work environment with flexible office hour schedules. Benefits include:
· Employee Assistance Program
· Adoption Assistance
· Tuition Reimbursement
· Bonus Program
· Healthcare Flexible Spending Account
· Paternity Leave
· Life Insurance
· Short Term & Long Term Disability Insurance
· Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance
o ASA pays 90% of employee and 75% of family coverage.
o Offers four different Medical Plans, including HDHP with a health savings account.
· 401(k) (All employees)
o 100% match up to 5% of salary (IRS limits apply)
o Eligible 90 days after the first of the month
In addition, ASA/WISHH observes 9 holidays each year plus 1 personal holiday of your choice and provides 15 vacation days and up to 12 sick days per year.
M&E Director Qualifications / Skills:
· Project management
· Survey development
· Qualitative data collection
· Presentation skills
· Communication
· Data analysis and reporting
· Research methodology
· Collaboration
· Strategic planning
· Data visualization
· Professionalism
Education and Experience Requirements:
· Master’s degree in economics, international development, management, biostatistics or a related field
· 5-10 years of experience developing and implementing M&E systems in the United States and/or abroad
· Experience using SPSS, STATA, ODK Collect, qualitative data analysis (QDA) software (e.g., NVivo), and ArcGIS or similar is preferred
· Demonstrated ability to work with large quantities of data and convert it into understandable results.
· High level of proficiency in Microsoft Suite (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and a familiarity with project management software.
· Experience developing and managing relational databases (e.g., MySQL) and proficiency using cloud computing services (e.g., Amazon Web Services) is preferred.
· Ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with internal and external staff and stakeholders.
· Strong knowledge of data quality assurance, analysis, and reporting.
TO APPLY: Send electronic submission of cover letter and resume including salary requirements to edemerit@soy.org on or before September 30, 2024. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply quickly as the applicant review and interview process will begin immediately. Please include “M&E Director” in the subject line. No telephone inquiries, please. Finalists will be contacted. ASA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Provider. Women, minorities, veterans and the physically challenged are encouraged to apply.
Non-Discrimination Statement: In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. ASA/WISHH is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
The American Soybean Association (ASA) was founded in 1920 by soybean farmers and extension workers to promote soy for high protein applications in developmental settings. Overseas activities initiated in the mid-1950s, and to date ASA has worked in over 80 countries. The World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) was founded in 2000 to expand the work of the American Soybean Association (ASA) in developing and emerging markets to improve health, nutrition and food security, building the groundwork for future markets of soy. WISHH provides services in food technology, business development, nutrition services, and program and proposal development. WISHH expertise extends its network into additional areas, such as aquaculture and animal feed.
ASA/WISHH connects trade and development to strengthen agricultural value chains in emerging markets, creating trade and long-term demand for U.S. soy. Trade can improve lives worldwide for both farmers and consumers. U.S. soy trade in emerging markets is pivotal to improve accessibility, affordability, and acceptability of high-quality plant and animal-sourced proteins in developing economies. Rising incomes in emerging economies generate further opportunity for trade. ASA/WISHH builds opportunity for long-term trade by improving agricultural value chains, human and animal nutrition, and farmer net incomes. ASA/WISHH initiatives broadly fit in two arenas: (1) trade-building long-term, early-stage market development, and (2) trade-building international agriculture and economic development. The St. Louis-based Program operates in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Central America.
ASA/WISHH offers proven feed sector capacity and decades of accumulated knowledge from ASA programs. Principal approaches include market and economic assessments, technical assistance and capacity building, food and feed trials and demonstrations, farmer field days, youth mentorship programs, food and feed value chain development, and market linkages.
ASA/WISHH achieves its mission by working in close partnership with: (1) the public sector (e.g., USDA, USAID, U.S. land grant universities, and host country governments), (2) the private sector (e.g., trade associations: Qualified State Soybean Boards, United Soybean Board and U.S. Soybean Export Council), and (3) private voluntary organizations. The Program draws upon the resources and experience of these partners and the services of a cadre of ASA/WISHH consultants with technical expertise in agricultural, international and commercial development spheres. ASA/WISHH relies on decades of experience in food commercial development and agricultural development programming. The Program takes pride in its growing portfolio of success with U.S. government-funded projects, including USDA (Food for Progress, McGovern-Dole, Global Broad-Based Initiative, Foreign Market Development, Market Access Program, Agricultural Trade Promotion, Emerging Markets Program, and Quality Samples Program) and USAID funding in both prime and sub-recipient capacities. ASA/WISHH has also attracted both private sector and other complementary funding sources from various donors to build on and leverage core funding from Qualified State Soybean Boards.
WISHH’s objective is to increase the international consumption of soy protein in the human, livestock, and aquaculture sectors in new markets and thereby create new opportunities for soybeans and providing higher economic returns to U.S. soybean producers.
