Job offer: International Advisor Planning Learning and Accountability (PLA)

Rikolto (formerly VECO/Vredeseilanden) is an international NGO with more than 40 years’ experience in partnering farmer organisations and food chain stakeholders across Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Rikolto runs programmes in 14 countries worldwide through eight regional offices. We’re a close-knit network of accessible and knowledgeable colleagues, willing to share experience and eager to inspire others.

This network of Rikolto offices is supported by an international office, which fulfils key advisory roles and offers shared services such as finance, monitoring & evaluation, people & organisation, communication and fundraising. International office staff is integrated in the Rikolto network through international area-specific teams that connect all homologues from the regional offices and strive to bring the organisational performance to a higher level.

One of these teams supports the organisation in M&E matters – coined Planning, Learning and Accountability (PLA) at Rikolto. One of the two PLA advisors at International Office is retiring and we are looking for a dynamic person to join our team.

Contract type Fixed contract, starting on June 1st, 2018

Purpose Develop instruments, methodologies and support processes to support the organisational Monitoring and Evaluation system - PLA: Planning, Learning and Accountability - in view of achieving Rikolto’s vision and mission.

Reports to Co-director in charge of PLA

Content supervision International PLA manager

Position in the organisation Member of the International Office Member of the International PLA team

Location International office (Leuven, Belgium) or one of the regional offices (can be discussed)

Job size Full-time

Travels Occasional travelling will be required

As PLA advisor at the International Office, your main role is to co-create together with the international PLA team the development and the implementation, follow-up and continuous improvement of an effective PLA system (appropriate processes, systems, structures and organisational culture) that ensures sound planning, optimal accountability of the organisation to all its stakeholders, continuous critical self-reflection on the own performance, and organisational learning.

Together with other PLA colleagues, you will take up responsibilities that fall under the following roles:

PLA supporter

• Elaborate user-friendly formats and methodologies for a lean, effective PLA system
• Train colleagues in the use of PLA tools and methodologies
• Support data-driven programme management practices and impact assessments (incl. household surveys; organisational process tracing; qualitative comparative analysis of programme portfolios)
• Foster the sharing of lessons learnt and good practices

Quality controller

• Provide advice for the development and monitoring of programmes and ensure the coherence thereof with reports for the organisation’s donors
• Report on the organisation’s progress towards the fulfilment of the mission and strategic objectives

Indicator specialist

• Support the elaboration of a catalogue of SMART indicators related to Rikolto interventions
• Support the elaboration of a hands-on reference document for the elaboration of SMART guidelines

Database manager

• Prepare topic-specific dashboards for clear visualisation of data
• Provide support to PLA colleagues for timely and accurate data entry
• Provide support in linking databases of regional offices to the international one

Innovator

• Support the organisation-wide use of SenseMaker: Inclusive Business Scan, Youth in Agriculture Scan and the development of new frameworks
• Develop methodologies and coordinate implementation to stay abreast of new developments in the sector to meet PLA needs of the organisation
• Liaise with other organisations and PLA experts to promote and share the PLA expertise and experience of the organisation and to learn from each other

Fun-raiser

• Ensure a good balance in the role division of the international PLA team and keep the roles up to date
• Promote a fun, constructive and interactive atmosphere for collaboration within the team
• Keep track of internal capacity development needs and organise trainings
• Encourage and support the implementation of self-managing team principles

Qualifications and technical knowledge

• Master degree in a relevant domain
• Knowledge of statistical research methods and analysis packages (R/SPSS/…)
• Tech-savvy (database-management, creative problem solving in Excel, …)
• Proficient in Microsoft Office software (ideally familiar with O365)

Languages

• Excellent in understanding, speaking and writing English
• Working knowledge of French or Spanish (both would be an extra advantage)

Experience

• Prior experience in a similar position in an international organisation is preferred
• Experience in Knowledge Management, Electronic Information Management Systems, and Monitoring & Evaluation is desired
• Experience in project (cycle) management (need assessment, conceptualisation, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation) and in facilitating respective learning processes

Skills and knowledge

• Ability to work in an international and multicultural team
• Ability to translate experiences into workable concepts and strategies
• Very good communication and information management skills
• Ability to structure own work independently
• Analytical skills
• Ability to coach and play the facilitation role in a manner that empowers those who are coached to eventually become facilitators of similar processes

Attitude

• Strong affinity with Rikolto’s mission and values
• Positive attitude focused on win-win solutions
• Acts with integrity and respects others (working together)
• Constructively challenges self and others (making it happen)
• Can be relied on to deliver commitments (accountable)
• Creates strong morale and spirit in his/her team, fosters open dialogue and shares successes (building effective teams)
• Inspires people to act (in accordance with Rikolto’s vision and values)
• Eager to learn and share lessons learnt

Please submit by Sunday, February 25, 2018, your motivation to apply for this position along with your CV (both as pdf-files) to info [at] rikolto.org, with a carbon copy to tom.vandensteen [at] rikolto.org.

For questions regarding the position, you can contact tom.vandensteen [at] rikolto.org.

After a selection based on motivation and CV, we will hold interviews in the week of March 14, 2018. A second interview will take place in the week of April 16, 2018. We are looking forward to welcoming the selected candidate in our office on Friday, June 1st, 2018.