Background

SoCha is contracted to provide Monitoring, Reporting, and Capacity Strengthening (MRCS) support to complement and augment USAID’s Sahel Regional Office (SRO) performance management activities within its portfolio. Over a period of five years (2022-2027), MRCS is providing this technical assistance to the Sahel Regional Technical Office (SRTO), Sahel Regional Program Office (SRPO), the Niger Mission, the Burkina Faso Country Office, the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) Resilience Food Security Activities (RFSAs) in Niger and Burkina Faso, as well as limited support to other SRO-supported countries.

SoCha seeks a highly qualified Quality, Evaluation, and Context Monitoring (QECM) Advisor to work on SoCha’s MRCS team. The position is full time and will be based in MRCS’s country office in Niamey, Niger.

Scope of Work

The QECM Advisor will ensure quality assurance for all phases of evaluations, assessments, and studies, including methodology, analysis, and reporting as well as providing coaching to MRCS staff where need be. They will assist the technical staff in developing innovative qualitative study designs. They will also lead SoCha’s delivery of context monitoring, a new component of the MRCS MEL services. This will involve developing and managing a context monitoring system to regularly collect and analyze data in addition to providing routine reporting on the operational context of Niger to the Mission. They will train and supervise dedicated staff for this function as well as supervise any consultants or subcontractors required to accomplish this task.

The QECM Advisor will work under the direction of the MRCS Chief of Party. Responsibilities of the QECM Advisor will include:

• Collaborate with the Senior M&E Specialist and other staff to ensure the highest quality of evaluations, studies, and assessments. Review qualitative evaluation methodologies, analyses and reports of baseline studies, mid-term and final performance evaluations, and assessments on topics requested by USAID/Niger.
• Assist national staff to develop innovative study designs that could include, amongst others, Qualitative Comparative Analysis and Bayesian Network Analysis.
• Supervise the collect, analysis, and presentation of context data across Niger to provide timely reporting on the country’s operational context for adaptive management and decision making. Sub-tasks include:
  • Produce, or supervise the production of, monthly, semi-annual, and ad hoc reports focused on political, economic, and social developments across Niger.
  • Supervise geographic data analyses and the production of mapping products.
  • Supervise the development of a cloud-based database which will house the context data. This will include developing an online dashboard which will be used to visualize and present the data.
• Present and disseminate the contextual data to USAID/Niger in the form of meetings, learning events, and forums.
• Provide one-on-one coaching to MRCS technical staff as needed on context monitoring and qualitative evaluation design.
• Support other M&E activities as needed

This position may require occasional travel to various countries in the MRCS portfolio.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s degree in international development, statistics, political science, economics, public administration, or a related field.
• At least eight (8) years of experience in qualitative studies and monitoring, evaluation, and learning, preferably in the Sahel and/or West Africa.
• At least five (5) years of demonstrated experience assessing multi-disciplinary issues such as politics, governance, and economics with an emphasis on conflict environments, drivers, and analysis.
• Experience in innovative qualitative methodologies such as Qualitative Comparative Analysis or Bayesian Network analysis highly desirable.
• Experience in database and dashboard design highly desirable.
• Experience with data visualization software such as PowerBI and Tableau in addition to qualitative analysis software such as Dedoose.
• Strong presentation skills with experience designing and delivering learning events, meetings, and trainings.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively interact with local professionals, international donor organizations, civil society and private sector, host country government counterparts, and other implementing partners in developing countries.
• Knowledge of USAID reporting requirements.
• Professional communication skills and strong proficiency in written and spoken English and French.

Location

Niamey, Niger