Senior Learning and Institutional Capacity Advisor, USAID/Nigeria Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Support Activity (MELSA)

Social Impact (SI) is a global development management consulting firm. We provide monitoring, evaluation, strategic planning, and capacity building services to advance development effectiveness. We work across all development sectors including democracy and governance, health and education, the environment, and economic growth. Since 1997, we have worked in over 100 countries for clients such as US government agencies, bilateral donors, multilateral development banks, foundations, and nonprofits.

Project Objective:

The purpose of this five-year project is to support USAID/Nigeria staff and partners to implement more efficient, effective, and transparent activities by improving: (1) USAID and Implementing Partner’s (IP) capacity to achieve expected results; (2) USAID’s understanding and tracking of activity and project performance; and (3) Mission and activity ability to collaborate, learn, and adapt (CLA).

Position Description:

Social Impact is seeking a Senior Learning and Institutional Capacity Advisor who will support learning, knowledge management, capacity building, and adaptive programming activities under SI’s USAID/Nigeria Monitoring, Evauation and Learning Support Activity (MELSA). The Advisor will work with USAID, its IPs, international donors, and other stakeholders to foster and advance an effective CLA culture. The Advisor will increase the institutional capacity of USAID, IPs, and the Government of Nigeria to implement MEL. This position is full-time and based in Abuja.

Responsibilities:

• Foster strong, collaborative relationships with key Mission stakeholders; serve as a convener for dialogue and learning around emerging issues; assist in identifying and responding to key learning issues; and coordinate efforts amongst USAID technical offices and IPs working in common Development Objectives (DOs).
• Facilitate the development and implementation of USAID’s CLA plan that outlines key learning questions, stakeholders and their roles, and broad stakeholder engagement at multiple levels.
• Provide training to ensure USAID staff and IPs have the most up-to-date knowledge and capacity to fulfill all aspects of the program cycle
• Support facilitation, including learning events and workshops; facilitate learning, collaboration, and adaptive management at the Mission; produce reflections on the implications of new learning; establishing a network of key stakeholders and organize periodic, appropriate opportunities for USAID to interact with them based on strategy implementation and evidence-based experience.
• Assist in negotiating change management around MEL issues.
• Support strategic communications, including producing publications and organizing public events with partners and other stakeholders.
• Assist with USAID knowledge management efforts.
• Work with Chief of Party (COP) and other senior leads to ensure monitoring and evaluation information is shared and fully utilized through knowledge sharing and strategic learning processes to speed innovation and improve upon and bring new innovations to the Mission’s programmatic work in-country.
• Other duties as determined necessary by USAID/Nigeria.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in field related to organizational learning or development assistance such as public, business, or development administration; knowledge management; political science; economics or development studies.
• Minimum of ten years of demonstrated experience in strategic planning; monitoring and evaluation; project design; facilitation of learning; and knowledge management, including experience in applying learning to improve international development programs and systems change for adaptive management of development organizations or agencies.
• Familiarity with USAID CLA approaches and requirements.
• Experience in training and capacity building of USAID, government entities, and IPs.
• Previous experience supporting USAID-funded contracts required.
• Superior oral and written communication skills.
• Computer literate and possess superior oral and written communication skills.
• Fluency in written and spoken English required.
• Demonstrated ability to manage high-level relationships with partner organizations and implementing partners.
• Previous Experience working in Nigeria is highly desired.