African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) supports the conservation and sustainable management of priority biodiversity landscapes through the support of protected area authorities and local communities. AWF is implementing a three-year project titled ‘Partnership for improved anti-poaching and compatible land use in communal lands of the Lower Zambezi-Mana Pools Transboundary Conservation Area’ and is seeking a high-performing and results-oriented Monitoring & Evaluation Assistant who will be responsible for the overall monitoring and evaluation of the program.

The objective of the project is to reduce illegal wildlife trade and habitat conversion in the landscape by establishing models for strengthened community engagement in sustainable natural resources management, anti-poaching efforts and integrated land use that ensures conservation and compatible land uses. The Monitoring & Evaluation Assistant will be responsible for managing data collection, analyzing, and reporting on key outputs, outcomes, and impact indicators. Additionally, s/he will ensure compatibility and coordination with the existing AWF Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Develop the Performance Management Plan (PMP) in the Mana Pools-Lower Zambezi transboundary landscape, monitoring project activities according to the logical framework matrix in the project document, and ensuring that key datasets and information needed to monitor the project are compiled including but not limited to the following:
Fishing institutions and governance structures in place
Cross-border collaboration on anti-poaching activities between Zimbabwe and Zambia
Establishment of a community wildlife conservancy in Mbire RDC
Anti-poaching measures
Resources and capacity to manage human-wildlife conflict
Strategies to combat illegal wildlife trade
Nature and scope of wildlife crime in the fishing communities
Gaps in legislation
Work with the supervisor HQ M&E to develop, manage, and implement the project’s M&E systems including relevant performance indicators, baseline data, annual targets and ensure compliance with AWF annual work plan requirements and as outlined on the logical framework matrix.
Provide M&E technical support to the project team including tool design, preparation of statistical tables, data entry, and analysis using statistical packages.
In collaboration with relevant staff, establish an effective knowledge management mechanism including documentation of baselines, impacts, collating and synthesizing information, updating the monitoring matrix and other monitoring tools in place.
Collaborate with the AWF Senior M&E staff and CBNRM Officers to ensure standard use of AWF’s tools and processes, ensuring data collected from the field is properly recorded in AWF’s systems.
Under the supervision of the Program Manager and in liaison with other key staff in the landscape, assist in the preparation, updating, and monitoring of project work plans and reports.
Update the results framework on a quarterly basis as needed, and prepare decisions for revisions by the project leadership based on prevailing conditions.
Incorporate gender-disaggregated data into the results framework as needed, and maintain and update the results framework in the Gender Action Plan.
Closely monitor the project in a routine manner that provides relevant data and information for quarterly and semi-annual reporting to ensure the successful application of Results Based Management (RBM) in these documents.
Establish an Evaluation Plan that ensures that the project staff uses the PMP, and that participating partner organizations undertake annual reviews and evaluations as prescribed in the project document.
Provide quality assurance and consolidate monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual reports as per donor requirements.
Coordinate and support regular program monitoring visits to project sites in Mbire and Hurungwe Rural District Councils in Zimbabwe and Lower Zambezi in Zambia.