Job Description

In Malawi, CARE works in collaboration with the Government of Malawi and other local and international partners.

CARE seeks to recruit well qualified staff to fill the vacant position of Strategic Learning Lead (SLL). The successful candidate will be based in Zomba.

Position Description

The Strategic Learning Lead will be responsible for developing and implementing Titukulane’ s Activity Learning Plan as outlined in the Annex 11 of the project document. This includes, but is not limited to, leadership and coordination on data collection, processing, analysis and reporting, and connecting the results to the programmatic learning cycle. Learning from program implementation and sharing of the knowledge for program refinement will be a key responsibility. The SLL will develop and implement activities for building programmatic capacity of the project team in a decentralized way throughout the project cycle.

The SLL will develop a Comprehensive Learning Agenda, use the learning agenda to refine the Theory of Change (ToC), address knowledge gaps to identify the interventions, conduct rapid assessments to track progress, ensure mutual learning between technical and implementation partners through local capacity strengthening, coordinate data review, management and dissemination, establish a knowledge management and learning system, and link learning to the national policy system for implementing the National Resilience Strategy (NRS). The learning agenda will involve leading and coordinating multiple refinement studies identified in the Activity Learning Plan and use the results of these studies to refine the ToC and finalize the project design and targets. The SLL will work closely with M&E, and Knowledge Management and Learning, and Communications staff for implementing the learning agenda.

The SLL will use USAID’s Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) approach and participatory, consultative learning exercise with project partners, local authorities, program implementers, and rural households in achieving the above tasks. The SLL will work with other component leaders to lead and coordinate the Refinement Period Studies as required by working with the Chief of Party. After the refinement period SLL will place greater emphasis on the learning aspects of the project.

The SLL is hired administratively through CARE-Malawi and adheres to CARE policies, standards, and performance management processes. The SLL reports to the Chief of Party. For all technical issues, and in delivering the above tasks, the SLL will be guided and supported by IFPRI and CARE technical advisers. The IFPRI Project Leader will be responsible for an annual technical performance (ATP) review of the SLL. This ATP will be included in CARE’s annual performance review of the SLL.

Specific Roles and Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be expected to perform the following specific duties:

1. Leading the learning agenda

• Work with the Chief of Party to spearhead the CLA approach and ensure staff are ready and able to engage in learning plans and CLA behaviors, including openness to share challenges and make suggestions.
• Lead the learning agenda for the project as a focal point, connecting internal and external actors, as a driver of learning behaviors, as a coach who supports others to learn and adapt, and as a coordinator of key learning activities both inside and outside Titukulane.
• Coordinate with the entire team to develop and conduct evaluations and studies.
• Work with IFPRI and CARE Technical Advisors to disseminate relevant findings, raise the profile of Titukulane, troubleshoot problems, and identify areas where additional support is needed.

2. Documentation and knowledge management

• Coordinate in close collaboration with the technical leads, technical advisors and the MEAL unit to develop learning papers and briefs.
• The SLL will be responsible for managing and properly archiving knowledge products, and outreach communications for Titukulane. She/he will provide guideline and tools to the Program Management Unit and implementation team to develop the success stories, newsletter, videos, infographics, project briefs, exposure blogs, banners, and learning briefs with the support of IFPRI, CARE USA and the Chief of Party. In close collaboration with the MEAL unit, she/he will be responsible for updating the Titukulane archives using CARE’s global platform
• The SLL, in close collaboration with the technical and MEAL leads, will be engaged with SCALE, IDEAL and PRO –WASH to expand the learning agenda to the USAID-funded initiatives.

3. Collaboration with MEAL

• Work in close collaboration with the MEAL unit, to provide guidance to the Program Management Unit and district teams for strategic learning and sharing meetings.
• Manage and coordinate with the M&E Lead to ensure that M&E data are part of learning and decision-making and that learning priorities stay at the forefront of project activities.
• The SLL will play a major role in supporting periodic small-scale assessments to follow up on emerging contextual changes or to obtain qualitative data to interpret quantitative findings from annual surveys.

4. Contribution to the DFSA program quality

• The SLL will take responsibility for ensuring that Titukulane generates useful information around the challenges, opportunities, and policy needs arising from the implementation of the NRS and other GoM programs.
• Attend the DFSA community of practice meetings.
• Ensure the quality of the project presentation materials.

Required minimum qualification and experience:

This is a very senior position within Titukulane Project and CARE Malawi. The suitable candidate will possess the following:

• MSc and 10 years of relevant experience or a PhD with minimum 5 years of relevant experience. Postgraduate degree in social sciences (agricultural economics, economics, sociology, political science, public policy) with quantitative and qualitative skills for analyzing data from field surveys preferred
• Previous experience working in knowledge management, collaborating, learning and adapting.
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate and learn from programs, and use that learning to drive program adaptations.
• Proven writing skills and experience in drafting project reports, newsletters and policy papers
• Field experience in conducting focused group discussions and key informant interviews, multi stakeholder consultations, rural participatory appraisals preferred
• Previous experience working with a DFSA and/or Malawi preferred

How to apply

Applicants who meet the required qualifications and experience should send their applications through email to:

Email: [email protected]

Application letters should be addressed to:

The Country Director

CARE Malawi

P/Bag A89

LILONGWE

Closing date for receipt of applications is 26 June 2020.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.