Manager, Audit Monitoring & Evaluation - Evaluation &Research Program

Title: Manager, Audit Monitoring & Evaluation - Evaluation &Research Program

Reports to: Director, Evaluation & Research - Evaluation & Research Program

Location: Washington, DC

The Rainforest Alliance is an international nonprofit organization that works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. Based in New York City, with offices throughout the United States and worldwide, the Rainforest Alliance works with people whose livelihoods depend on the land, helping them transform the way they grow food, harvest wood and host travelers.

Established in 2007, the Rainforest Alliance’s Evaluation & Research (E&R) Program is responsible for monitoring results and examining the impacts of the Rainforest Alliance’s work over time. The E&R program is a specialized unit working through our forestry, agriculture, tourism and climate programs, employing three levels of analysis to achieve goals, including:

• Collecting standardized information from all Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farm and forestry operations, as well as from tourism operations participating in our Best Management Practices program;

• Monitoring the results and impacts of technical assistance and capacity building initiatives, following the Rainforest Alliance's E&R policies and procedures and donor requirements; and

• Participating in research initiatives composed of narrowly focused case studies and sector-wide studies, conducted through research partnerships with universities and other research institutes, with the goal of implementing collaborative and third party impact analysis.

Position Summary:

The Manager, Audit Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E), will be responsible for guiding Rainforest Alliance’s strategy for developing and implementing results-based monitoring processes to demonstrate outcomes and impacts of its certification portfolio. S/he will work with the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) Secretariat and member organizations, RA-Cert, and other Rainforest Alliance Program field staff to develop and manage monitoring strategies and ensure capacity and data infrastructural requirements are in place to collect and manage requisite data. This role will develop standard methodologies and tools to ensure a good fit between goals and objectives of the SAN and RA-Cert to facilitate learning, adaptive management and demonstration of results. S/he will compile and analyze data to generate annual reports, communicate Rainforest Alliance certification results and headline impacts, and assist in the tactical use of data and information to improve delivery of sustainability results of the standard and verification systems implemented through the SAN and RA-Cert.

Responsibilities:

• Ensure definition of mission related actionable outputs, outcomes and goals, as well as associated indicators for SAN and RA-Cert programs;

• Promote adoption and application of monitoring tools/methodologies for measuring progress towards goals as auditing best practice, and train SAN and RA-Cert staff and partners in their use;

• Lead incorporation of SAN and RA-Cert monitoring plans into Rainforest Alliance’s Salesforce enterprise system to facilitate data centralization for streamlined reporting of indicator results and performance evaluation; Provide leadership on development and implementation of consistent guidance, tools and capacity building strategy for data collection, management, analysis, reporting and communication;

• Lead compilation and generation of annual report analyzing SAN and RA-Cert results and impacts;

• Develop frameworks, policies and tools for incorporating certification recipients into planning, monitoring and evaluation process, including community mapping and mobile technology tools for collecting and managing production unit data-sets;

• Coordinate and lead development and field implementation of E&R research agenda in certification portfolio by building partnerships with local and international research institutions to conduct diagnostic third party research studies of Rainforest Alliance’s business models;

• Seek opportunities to develop and fund projects that contribute to demonstrating SAN and Rainforest Alliance results and impacts and take responsibility for project management and reporting to funders;

• Represent SAN/Rainforest Alliance at ISEAL in activities and discussions related to Impacts Code Compliance; and

• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Degree in Conservation Science, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Economics or related field; Advanced degree preferred or an equivalent combination of experience and training;

• 7-10 years of experience, minimum of 5 years experience in conducting monitoring and evaluation and/or impact assessments of programs and projects, preferably related to sustainable agriculture and forestry, and supply chain management;

Minimum 2 years experience in application of theory of change and project planning software, such as MIRADI to support graphic representation of conservation strategy and clear outlining of evaluation and research needs;

• Demonstrated ability to design cost-effective performance-based monitoring plans having sound methodologies that adequately address implementation constraints with creative solutions;

• Strong, demonstrated skills in data organization, management and analysis, including experience in database and GIS platforms;

• Extensive knowledge of the principles, practices and monitoring and evaluation methodologies;

• Knowledge of statistical/analytical procedures; econometric design principles a distinct advantage;

• Ability to approach work in a results oriented manner and hold themselves and others accountable to achieving goals and activities;

• Excellent track record in people and project management skills, including ability to build capacity for M&E among project staff and partners;

• Excellent research, analytical and report writing skills;

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;

• Fluent in English;

• Proficiency in Spanish and/or working knowledge of French preferred;

• Working knowledge of SalesForce data management system a plus;

• Ability to work independently and effectively with culturally diverse communities at local, regional and global levels;

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; and

• Ability to travel to the field regionally and internationally a minimum of 30% of the time.

Salary:

Commensurate with experience. Competitive benefits package provided.

To apply:

Send resume, cover letter and salary history to Human Resources, Rainforest Alliance, 665 Broadway, Suite 500, New York, NY 10012; Fax: 212-677-2187; E-mail: Personnel@ra.org . If emailing, use the following format in the subject line: first name and last name, job title of position you are applying for.