Description
Team Leader – Nigeria Portfolio Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Programme (PMEL)
The UK’s FCDO is currently tendering for the Nigeria PMEL programme which aims to analyse existing data from programmes and activities across the country portfolio (including centrally managed programmes, non-Official Development Assistance and activity led by other government departments), synthesise evidence to form new knowledge products and use these to inform the strategic management of all HMG resources used in Nigeria. PMEL will also fill some data gaps where required, by developing a set of shared indicators which can be used at the programme level and build consistency across the portfolio where possible, to help aggregate results. PMEL will take a whole-of-mission view to understand the impact of our combined efforts towards development objectives. This will include questions on programme and diplomacy performance, contribution to change, which approaches work best and how we should allocate future resources,
The three components of the programme are as follows:
Component 1: Improvement of Monitoring Across FCDO Nigeria Portfolio which will include the following:
Reviewing available data across the portfolio (An existing Six-Monthly Review process which captures data across blocks against the Country Plan, programmes, independent MEL contracts, centrally managed programmes, block level frameworks, and any other data for other government departments), and mapping this to the Country Plan goals with a view to understanding aggregate impact and the potential for harmonisation of reporting across the portfolio.
Proposing a set of key high-level qualitative and quantitative indicators which can demonstrate our portfolio level progress against the Country Plan. This will include all ICF indicators and any other centrally reported results. This will require close working with the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) of PMEL and careful management with programme teams to avoid duplication with independent MELs and too much additional burden.
Review existing processes for tracking performance and providing recommendations on how to improve existing X-HMG reporting (currently the SMR), including commissioning templates and presentation/ communication of findings and recommendations.
Find the best formats for sharing results data from the MEL system at the portfolio level.
Providing technical assistance to teams with regards to monitoring and data collection. This might involve providing support for the development of ICF indicator methodologies or shared indicators or facilitating the development of block level theories of change. This will be demand-led.
The supplier will also have a role at the monthly Delivery Boards to share learning and discuss findings and recommendations, ensuring more frequent opportunity for lesson learning.
They may also need to attend the Delivery and Country Strategy Boards (for part of the agenda rather than the duration), to share information and background to proposed changes to the portfolio.
Component 2: New knowledge products such as evaluations, synthesis or other analytical pieces. The contracted supplier will need to facilitate a review of potential questions in collaboration with teams across HMG to understand relevance and prioritise these, as well as help identify any further gaps.
Component 3: Learning Agenda which comprises of:
Mapping programmes and other activity across the portfolio to provide a framework for further analysis and challenge with a view to developing theories or theories of change around how the office is achieving aggregate impact. This will involve collating evidence of X-HMG activities and results (including relevant and prioritised CMPs), draw on existing evidence such as block level theories of change and gathering any other information which helps us understand our activity and change pathways at the office level, such as our Country Plan. (The supplier could also facilitate theory of change workshops for blocks without existing ones, but this will be in response to demand under the technical assistance). The mapping will highlight areas of potential links and synergies which can be further tested through analysis.
Facilitate a process to regularly reflect on, re-asses and challenge to the office-wide theory of change and related assumptions.
Being present at the Delivery Board to ensure staff are engaged and aware of PMEL activities, to seek feedback on plans and share learning as it is generated from PMEL activities.
To deliver specific learning sessions based on PMEL activities including analysis undertaken through component 2. Other learning sessions such as learning from programme Annual Reviews at regular intervals or running sessions on new central strategies to understand what they might mean for Nigeria are also in scope.
Team Leader Role
As the Team Leader you will be the face of the programme, liaising with the FCDO team to support the uptake of evidence for decision making, leading the PMEL programme and providing strategic guidance for the development portfolio in Nigeria.
You will:
Bring technical expertise to support the FCDO to build a credible evidence base.
Be a capable strategic thinker who can co-create a learning agenda with the FCDO Nigeria team.
Be able to help synthesise and present information in ways that are conducive to learning and decision-making.
Have experience in supporting adaptive management in programmes and portfolios.
Be comfortable responding to changing learning needs in an agile and timely fashion.
Bring strong relationship-building and ‘soft skills’ and be adept at establishing productive relationships.
Key Responsibilities:
As the most senior member of the team, manages relationships and communications with FCDO, ensuring understanding and alignment of PMEL activities and strategy.
Manages relationships with programmes being engaged by the PMEL contract and ensures open and bidirectional engagement in line with MEL best practices.
Oversees design, development, and delivery of overall MEL approach and systems.
Provides leadership and management oversight to all PMEL activities and holds ultimate responsibility for the performance of a team of Nigerian and international MEL professionals and specialist MEL partners.
Leads all work planning, and ensures activities are performed in a timely fashion to a high professional standard and that technical objectives are met.
Oversees security and risk management approach and leads on developing mitigation measures and adapting the programme where relevant.
Responsible for the quality of all written deliverables required by FCDO. Drafts content and provides quality assurance on reports.
Responsible for the quality of data and rigour of findings. Ensures data quality and ethics controls and protocols are in place and adhered to.
Represents PMEL and Montrose in meetings and engagements with relevant stakeholders and counterparts, including other implementing partners, the donor community in Nigeria and relevant government officials.
Location: Nigeria
Job Level: Senior
Requirements
Experience, Skills, and Qualifications
Skills and experience of managing programmes of a similar size and complexity.
Expertise in leadership and programme management including comfort in leading and managing multiple MEL projects or activities at once.
Evaluation and research expertise, particularly in the design and management of evaluation and research projects.
Quantitative and qualitative methods expertise and experience in the development of a range of evidence products including evidence synthesis, systematic review, meta-analysis etc.
Experience monitoring development programmes, including the development of monitoring systems, logical frameworks, data collection and VfM analysis.
Technical expertise in using evidence for adaptive management.
Experience leading capacity building/ technical assistance with government partners in developing countries.
Strong learning uptake and communications abilities (including demonstrable soft skills to build productive relationships, influencing and collaborating, as well as hard technical skills (such as development of communications/knowledge strategies as well as IT and graphic design skills required to develop engaging content).
Demonstrated skills in communicating complex analytical findings and methodologies to a wide range of audiences.
Expertise in governance (diplomacy and influencing political economy assessment, etc.) and stabilization, ideally with reference to Nigeria.
Strong knowledge and understanding of the economic, political and social context of Nigeria.
A mix of other experience relevant to the portfolio will be useful – governance, health, economy, education, humanitarian, conflict, gender and social inclusion.
An advanced degree in Social Sciences or a relevant field preferred., or relevant professional experience.
Experience managing a range of stakeholders to develop agreements in approaches and strategies.
Significant experience in designing MEL programmes.
Demonstrated ability in working independently and as part of a team both in-person and remotely.
Demonstrated working proficiency in written and oral English is required.
Experience working in Nigeria preferred.
Strong organisational and work prioritisation skills.
Strong communication and people management skills.
How to apply
If you meet the above qualifications and are interested in this opportunity, please submit your application before the 25th of May 2023.
Please note that there will be a rolling review of applications, so we encourage early application.
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