Company Profile

MDF West Africa Limited (MDF West Africa) is a training and management consultancy firm that is registered in Ghana and commenced business on May 2009. MDF West Africa serves global and local clients in any of the West African countries and beyond. With a core staff of 28 professionals, supported by a network of 25 associated trainers/consultants, MDF WA is a multi-project organization implementing approximately 15 projects simultaneously.

MDF West Africa is a fully owned local subsidiary of MDF Training & Consultancy BV that has been building the capacity of individuals, organizations and networks since 1984 with the mission of ‘empowering people, creating impact’. The Global MDF has offices in the Netherlands, Belgium, Kenya, Ghana, D.R. Congo, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar and project offices in Rwanda, Uganda and Benin. MDF offers open-subscription training courses, tailor-made training and workshops and consultancy services in multiple sectors. MDF also provides support to organizations in the design and implementation of project monitoring and evaluation and learning (MEL) processes. 

Being part of the MDF Global network and being an independent Ghana-based regional management consulting and training firm, we bring the best of both worlds. We bring over 35 years of global experience in development intervention, project design and program management enriched with our locally gained expertise. We draw upon our extensive experience in implementation of both public and private sector initiatives in developing economies. MDF WA can draw upon expertise from other regions where MDF Global is operating. 

Job Description

MDF West Africa is looking for experienced Monitoring and Evaluation experts to acquire, execute and/or lead monitoring and evaluation assignments in mixed speciality teams (e.g. WASH, Education, Agriculture, Entrepreneurship, humanitarian aid). MDF’s monitoring and evaluations assignments cut across different sectors and therefore brings together different resources and knowledge from different fields and disciplines; a broad range of thematic expertise is thus required to acquire and executes these projects.

Within this role, you will have the opportunity to work with a variety of clients and travel in the region thereby being part of a team. You will be part of the international MDF network and therefore work with and learn from colleagues from Africa, Europe, and Asia.

MDF WA has a team of around 20 staff members, of whom 4 staff members are dedicated to the internal Monitoring and Evaluation team. You will join this team to initiate, collaborate and share learning with the others.

Main Task and Responsibilities

Acquisition of work

• Support identification, follow-up and responses to training & consultancy opportunities with clients in the West African region.
• Analyse and understand clients request for service via an existing term of reference/request for proposal and/or direct contact via phone, intake meetings (visits) and or email.
• Support and steer the proposal writing process together with the project team.
• Come-up with strategies and write how you would approach the assignment i.e. methodological approach, methods used, work plan, budget, team composition etc.
• Acquire assignments for MDF-WA within the MDF network.
• Represent MDF during functions and participate in formal and informal gatherings in order to build a network of clients and partners.

Execution of work

• Execute consultancies assignments in the area of planning, monitoring and evaluation.
• Take the lead and steer a team of 2 to 5 colleagues/partners during execution of assignments
• Maintain client contact during execution and contracting of assignments i.e. process management. Be the focal person for the client.
• Lead the report writing process and assure report quality.
• Maintain client and partner relationships.

Competencies:

Technical/professional

• Management expertise in projects, programmes, teams or organisations i.e. steering people, client management, financial management, knowledge management.
• Serve as team leader for multi-country programme external evaluation assignments applying quantitative and qualitative methodologies such as outcome mapping, outcome harvesting, contribution analysis, and quasi-experimental studies applying sampling techniques and using among others difference-in-difference methods.
• Expertise in assisting organisations or programmes in the design and management of monitoring and evaluation strategies, frameworks and plans incl. the development of data collection, analysis, and reporting tools and templates.  
• Strong expertise in online data collection and analysis using mobile phone technology such as Kobo Collect, Akvo FLOW, Ona and/or others.
• Strong data collection and processing skills i.e. data gathering via interviews, focus-group discussions, check-lists and analysing situations, documents, data sheets.
• Strong quantitative data analysis skills via Excel, SPSS, Nvivo, MaxQData and other data analysis software.
• Strong writing skills of proposals and reports i.e. clear, to-the-point, high analytical level, in-depth, proper English (or French), in time, understanding client needs.
• Previous consultancy and advisory expertise, individually or as part of an organization/firm.
• Strong participatory facilitation and presentation skills/expertise. Comfortable to stand in front of and guide a group (4-25 people) with an international character.
• Maintaining client relationships and networking.

Personal/social

• Service- and client oriented.
• Pro-active/take initiative, business-driven, professional attitude
• Team player, flexible, goes the extra mile, not a 9 to 5 mentality.
• Strong communication skills (both verbal and written) on regional and international level via email, phone and face-to-face i.e. respectful, business-oriented, broad vocabulary, understanding culture and customs.
• Work independently, be and take responsibility to the team and clients, practical approach.
• Can deal with productivity and turnover targets.
• International and ECOWAS working expertise.

Other

• Capable to handle administrative, modern communication and knowledge management technologies – Microsoft Word and Excel, Email Management System, Adobe, PiktoChart, Skype, LinkedIn, online data collection tools and more. 
• Fluent in English on an international standard.
• The French language is an advantage but not compulsory.
• Interested to learn and improve.
• Interest in management for development.

Required Skills or Experience

• 5 years of working experience in an international context. Of which minimum 5 years as lead evaluator/consultant
• Background in service-oriented positions i.e. business, advisory, international programme management.
• Regional (ECOWAS) and international working experience.
• Education level Master degree or equivalent in (international) business management, social studies, international development and or relations, international trade etc
• Ability to speak and write English on a professional level. French is an asset