Senior Evaluation Specialist, USAID Feed the Future Initiative Monitoring & Evaluation Project Washington, DC

Management Systems International (MSI) is a global international development firm based in Washington, D.C. providing specialized short- and long-term technical assistance. MSI is part of Coffey International Development, a global international development consulting firm. Together with Coffey ID, MSI now has more than 1,500 development professionals worldwide, a corporate presence in 11 countries and manages more than 200 projects worldwide. It currently manages more than 20 long-term projects in countries, including Iraq, Sudan, Colombia and Russia. Broadly, MSI implements a range of analytical and field projects in its core technical areas, including democracy and governance, strategic management and performance improvement, organizational capacity building, human development and natural resource management. For more information on MSI, please visit our website at www.msiworldwide.com.

Project Summary:

The purpose of the four-year project will be to design and manage a comprehensive system to gather and analyze data that informs USAID’s Feed the Future (FtF) program through impact evaluation, performance monitoring, and knowledge sharing. This monitoring and evaluation project will cover USAID FtF activities worldwide. The Feed the Future initiative is a Presidential Initiative that seeks to improve nutrition and increase agricultural productivity in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Position Summary:

We are seeking to fill several senior-level positions, including a Senior Evaluation Specialist for a USAID-funded four-year Feed the Future contract throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America. The positions will be long-term, based in Washington, D.C., and will involve extensive international travel. The project is expected to begin in late 2011.

Responsibilities:

The Senior Evaluation Specialist will be responsible for managing and coordinating the evaluation approach. S/he will develop a system and approach to conduct on-going impact evaluations of USAID food security programs in 20 countries in addition to two regional impact evaluations in East and West Africa.

Qualifications:

• Graduate degree in a field relevant to the work; a Ph.D. is preferred. • A minimum of 10 years of experience in managing and conducting impact evaluations, with particular experience sought in:  M&E on food security programs for USAID or other bilateral or multilateral donors;  Designing and conducting rigorous impact evaluations;
 Relevant project experience may include work in the technical areas of agricultural productivity, nutrition, poverty alleviation and income generation. • Experience designing and conducting quasi-experimental impact evaluations and longitudinal assessments. • Experience and understanding of data collection and survey methodologies, including statistical survey methodologies and analysis. • Demonstrated experience in the priority areas of FtF focus countries and regions. • Experience using monitoring and performance data for program analysis and decision-making. • Must be willing and able to travel throughout the developing world on short-term assignments.
• Current US work authorization required.

Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please. To apply, please visit our website: www.msiworldwide.com.