Research, Monitoring and Learning Officer at ICS- SP Africa

Purpose of function

The Research, Monitoring and Learning Officer will work in coordination with Project Coordinator and will be responsible for implementing and managing the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities according to ICS SP Monitoring and Evaluation protocols including the coordination of externally conducted impact evaluations in order to deliver a high-quality, results-oriented project for an upcoming project aimed at establishing the cost and cost effectiveness of a parenting intervention that aims at improving caregiver wellbeing and optimal development outcomes for children aged 0-3 years

Key areas of responsibility

• Design, implement, and operate project M&E systems from project initiation to closeout stages
• Undertake performance measurement, including indicator selection, target setting, reporting, and developing M&E and/or performance monitoring plans and data collection tools
• Support research design and methodology for project-related research
• Serve as project liaison for externally-managed evaluations
• Translate information from research and M and E activities to support communication and dissemination of research findings and lessons learned
• Monitor the results of the program’s activities; design and implement systematic program learning tools and activities designed to build staff capacity in M and E
• Improve program performance and utilization of learnings for future programs and resource mobilization
• Ensure that development results are demonstrated and communicated in ways that assure that ICS SP value is recognized within the development sector and by the public.
• Contribute extensively to quarterly and annual reports
• Ensure compliance with donor and ICS SP regulations related to child development programming.

Qualifications and skills

• Bachelor’s degree with an advanced certificate in M&E, statistics, research or economics
• Excellent knowledge of holistic child development, home and school factors influencing child outcomes
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in a M&E position responsible for implementing research, monitoring and learning activities of social and child development projects
• Top tier research skills, including research design, instrument development, and data collection procedures and data analysis required
• Knowledge of statistics and psychometrics preferred and familiarity with statistical applications such as SPSS, SAS or STATA

Excellent writing skills required:

• technical writing for project reports and publications, including writing about data from large and small data sets, and writing about child development;
• persuasive writing for proposals and grants.