RECOFTC Vacancy Announcement Senior Program Officer - Monitoring and Evaluation

Application deadline:   2^nd September 2014

RECOFTC – The Center for People and Forests holds a unique and important place in the world of forestry. It is the only international not‐for‐profit organization that specializes in capacity development for community forestry and devolved forest management. RECOFTC engages in strategic networks and effective partnerships with governments, nongovernment organizations, civil society, the private sector, local people, and research and educational institutes throughout the Asia‐Pacific region and beyond. With over 25 years of international experience and a dynamic approach to capacity development—involving research, analysis and synthesis; strategic communication; training and learning networks; and piloting and demonstrating—RECOFTC delivers innovative solutions for people and forests.

RECOFTC is now seeking for a Senior Program Officer - Monitoring and Evaluation to work in the Executive Office based at RECOFTC headquarters in Bangkok. The contract period will be for 2 years with a possibility of extension.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officer will be directly responsible to the Executive Director. RECOFTC’s participatory approach Monitoring and Evaluation

needs to take into consideration three distinct, yet linked, levels—projects, the overall program (i.e. combined results of multiple projects), and community forestry in general.

Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation is a process through which stakeholders at various levels engage in monitoring and evaluating a particular project or program, share control over the content, the process and the results of the M&E activity and engage in taking or identifying corrective actions.  In order that RECOFTC captures and uses appropriate information efficiently, s/he will lead in facilitating the following processes:

• Design and implementation of organizational performance assessments, and overall program monitoring and evaluation, including projects and CF generally;
• Ensure that social inclusion and gender issues are mainstreamed into the M&E system through disaggregated datasets and specific indicators at different levels
• Reassure quality and participatory M&E capacity building for country programs, thematic programs and projects;
• Adhere to/support the requirements of M&E systems of donor agencies and support M&E systems of partners;
• Other M&E activities.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

1.      Lead the design and implementation of organizational performance assessments and overall program monitoring & evaluation:

• Work closely with RECOFTC’s program staff and relevant officers to develop efficient and effective management systems for overall program monitoring, and integrate the monitoring and evaluation system with the Management Information System, ensuring that M&E content is up-to-date, relevant and shared within the organization;
• In collaboration with project teams, develop M&E systems for each project that contribute to RECOFTC’s overall program M&E systems, whilst fulfilling project sponsors’ requirements;
• Through partnership with RECOFTC program colleagues and outside organizations, develop systems to monitor and periodically evaluate community forestry in general across RECOFTC focal countries, and Asia- Pacific region more generally—this broadly equates with generating data on progress to RECOFTC’s overall goal;
• Linked to the above, and also through partnership with RECOFTC program colleagues and outside organizations, ensure that RECOFTC’s establishment and subsequent monitoring of ‘sentinel’ CF sites following International Forest Resources and Institutions (IFRI) methodologies continues effectively;
  
• In consultation with RECOFTC’s program team, design/develop systems to collect, analyze, and present information that demonstrates the extent to which RECOFTC programs are cost effective and efficient;
  
• Apply participatory approaches in designing, collecting and compiling necessary baseline and progress data for both quantitative and qualitative indicators related to organizational performance assessments and overall program monitoring and then integrate them into the overall system at both regional and national level;
• With support from RECOFTC’s program team and relevant officers, to review and update content for overall annual program reporting and periodic evaluations that focus on demonstrating results—primarily at the outcome level, through attributable linkages with program outputs;
  
• Organize, facilitate, and document annual program reviews, and periodic reflection and evaluations, including periodic reviews of RECOFTC’s logical framework.
  

2.      Work with RECOFTC’s program team and relevant officers, and take the leading role in M&E capacity development for country programs, thematic programs and projects:

• Design capacity development and communication processes on M&E for RECOFTC’s staff and its partners;
• Provide guidance to ensure that programs and projects at the regional and multi-country levels of thematic areas adequately integrate M&E and directly contribute to achieving RECOFTC's strategic outcomes; and
• Provide support to country programs to ensure M&E aspects are adequately integrated throughout all programming and directly contribute to achieving RECOFTC's strategic outcomes. Undertake training, coaching and mentoring of colleagues and collaborators in M&E principles, skills and practices.
  

3.         Other M&E activities: promote linkages, lessons learned and related duties:

• Collaborate with colleagues to develop and implement a system for tracking community forestry developments (socioeconomic and ecological across the region, and particularly in RECOFTC's focal countries);
  
• Assist in documenting case studies and lessons learned and help share these widely;
• Liaise with relevant initiatives and partners in the region, in particular ASEAN's forest-related programs and networks;
• Support the organization, facilitation and documentation of program committee meetings; and
• Perform other tasks as required by the Executive Director.
  

QUALIFCIATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

The Monitoring and Evaluation Officer will have the following minimum qualification and experience:

Essential

• Advanced degree in natural resource management, anthropology, international development or related field. Masters degree or higher desirable.
• Solid experience in developing and implementing participatory approach in monitoring  and evaluation
• Formal M&E training including familiarization with Results Based Management, Outcome Mapping Performance Measurement Frameworks and Logical Framework Analysis and other models of interest used by international donors and development organizations.
• At least ten years international professional experience working in organizational, program and project monitoring and evaluation.
• Demonstrated ability and skills to set up and implement an effective M&E system for an organization.
• Excellent English-language communication skills in both written and spoken forms.
• Working knowledge of management information systems, databases and Information Technology, and Communication in general; GIS experience is highly desirable.
• Values the sharing of information and continuous improvement in a cooperative atmosphere of constructive evaluation and learning, and is committed to staff development

Desirable

• Experience in training others in M&E principles and skills.
• Experience in at least one of RECOFTC’s focal countries is highly desirable.
• Fluency in English is essential, regional local language knowledge is desirable.
• Willingness to travel

General

In addition to job specifics skills and experience, the applicant should possess the following characteristics (including attitudes and skills):

• Interpersonal communication skills, individually and in groups, with an ability to work as an active member of teams. This implies flexibility and open-mindedness.
• Hands-on experience and able to work independently with minimum supervision;
• Initiative and ability to make informed independent judgments (that is not inconsistent with an overall team approach). Ability to work in a variety of cultural and institutional contexts

Interested candidates are requested to submit CV and a cover letter indicating why they are suitable for this position along with salary requirements and current contact details of three referees, including recent supervisors to HR@recoftc.org. Please quote the position title in the subject line of the email. Only short-listed candidates will be notified. RECOFTC has a competitive compensation package. However, offers shall be based on salary history, relevant experience and qualifications of the selected candidate.

Women and candidates from the Asia-Pacific region are strongly encouraged to apply.  RECOFTC is an equal opportunity employer and the successful candidate will be selected based on merit.

*RECOFTC reserves the right to offer the position at a lower grade.

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