The RBI Liberia Project “Value-Added Cassava Enterprise for the Ganta Concern Women’s Group (GCWG)” is a three year project (June 2007 – August 2010) whose aim is to contribute to the Liberian national strategic objectives of reducing poverty and increasing women’s economic empowerment by supporting the development of a small-scale women’ s cassava production operation into an income-generating cassava production and processing enterprise.

The RBI intends to demonstrate that: (i) women are good entrepreneurs and that an investment in women can contribute  significantly to the growth of the cassava industry in Liberia and poverty reduction at household level; (ii)  women play a significant role in the growth of the agricultural sector through agricultural production and agro-processing and that Government can learn from the outcome of the intervention to influence their policy strategies for poverty reduction; (iii) women’s economic empowerment projects can contribute to positive changes in gender relations at household and community level. The project also intends to show that the RBI methodology to increase women’s productive capacity can be replicated and used to enhance women’s contribution to economic growth.

The Liberia RBI Project beneficiaries are the Ganta Concern Women’s Group, a community-based organization of 1000+  members in Ganta, Nimba County. The group began a collective cassava farming enterprise in 2006 on land donated by the community through the RBI Liberia. The groups faced numerous challenges in production, processing, marketing, institutional strengthening and gender relations which this project is planned to address. The scope of work and mission of GCWG will dramatically change with the full implementation of this RBI Project.

The RBI is being implemented in Ganta and surrounding villages; specifically in Ganta City, Gbuyee, Gbloyee, Dingamon,  Gbeiselah, Tongelwin, Linden, Tiappa, Gbayee, and Karwin. The RBI cassava processing facility is located in Ganta City.

The Liberia RBI is one pilot initiative that is part of a global RBI pilot project that looks to promote women’s economic  empowerment in order to achieve sustainable and shared growth, intensify gender mainstreaming beyond the social sectors, and improve efforts to measure results and impacts. The five other countries where pilot RBI’s are being  implemented are Egypt, Kenya, Laos, Cambodia, and Peru. In order to achieve the RBI objectives, the pilot programs have two components: The first focuses on the implementation of interventions that are replicable, scaleable, yield results in a short time frame, and have a high potential of impacting project beneficiaries; the second component focuses on designing and undertaking a rigorous impact  evaluation of the intervention. The first component, to which this consultancy is related, is executed by UNIFEM and the second linked component is executed by ICRW.

RBI’s have been specifically designed in a way which will allow for a rigorous impact evaluation. Therefore the close monitoring and related data collection is a crucial part of the initiative.

UNIFEM wishes to engage the services of a Monitoring Consultant  to ensure the efficient and timely monitoring of the Liberia RBI, including the rigorous collection, computerization, organization and analytical interpretation of data.

Liberia RBI is being executed by UNIFEM through a partnership with its national implementing partner Agriculture Relief Services (ARS).  ARS is a Liberian non-governmental organization, based in Saniquellie, Nimba County, with over 10 years of experience in agricultural services. ARS is working under the supervision of the UNIFEM Country Representative for Liberia and is working closely with the UNIFEM RBI Project Officer (based in Monrovia) in facilitating project activities of the GCWG and coordinating all associated logistics. ARS is responsible for data gathering and monitoring of project activities to ensure the success of the impact evaluation component.

The Monitoring Consultant will be under the direct supervision of UNIFEM Country Representative and will be working in close cooperation with the UNIFEM RBI Project Officer. The Monitoring Consultant will be based in Monrovia and will make periodic travel to the project facilities and farms as required.

• Data collection of all monitoring information required by Liberia RBI (processing plant, farms, workshops, meetings,transportation, etc.) since the start of the project;
• Computerizing (data entry) of all collected Data into computer system; including creation of necessary templates for the most efficient data computerization (in close cooperation with ICRW focal point in Washington DC);
• Organization of Data – based on requirements of the Liberia RBI and project partners (UNIFEM, ICRW, World Bank);
• Analytical interpretation and presentation of the RBI Liberia data that meet the requirements of the Impact Evaluation of the RBI;
• Monthly reporting of all monitoring tasks to the RBI Project Officer;
• Ensuring effective implementation of RBI Liberia Monitoring Plan and keeping it up-to date;
• Informing key project stakeholders / partners (ARS, UNIFEM & ICRW) of any challenges or issues that may arise regarding monitoring, including the analytical interpretation and collection of data;
• Facilitate an internal evaluation of the RBI project with national stakeholder;
• Along with the RBI project Officer, prepare a Comprehensive Liberia RBI Report covering the period (July 2007 – September 2010).

 Deliverables:

• Systematic and Chronological Box files (Filing of Monitoring / Data Logs);
• Computerized Data Folders in Excel regarding all requirements of Monitoring Plan;
• Folders of all Data Logs (in paper) regarding all of the requirements of Monitoring Plan;
• Monthly reports (templates to be developed by ICRW in cooperation with Project Officer);
• Specific Analytical Data Reports and/or Graphs as requested;
• Monthly Field Narrative Reports;
• National stakeholders Internal evaluation reports;
• Comprehensive Liberia RBI Report covering the period (July 2007 – September 2010).

• Demonstrate integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promote the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNIFEM;
• Display cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability

Functional Competencies:

• Facilitation skills and ability to manage diversity of views in different cultural contexts;
• Strong human relationship skills and gender sensitivity is imperative;
• Ability to produce well written reports demonstrating analytical ability and communication skills is imperative;
• Capacity to work under pression;
• Ability to work with the organization commissioning the consultancy and with other stakeholders to ensure that a high quality product is delivered on a timely basis;
•  Excellent team-work skills;
• Knowledge of computer programs such as Excel and Word is a must;
• Ability to travel to the field in Liberia (namely Ganta) to work with local partners and stakeholders.

• Graduate or post graduate degree in: Social Science, Mathematics, Computer Engineering, Strategic Planning, Agricultural Economics, Management or as relevant.Masters a plus.

Experience:

• At least 3 years working experience in Monitoring and Evaluation, Research, development planning work and reporting;
• At least 2-3 years of experience in working with computer data systems;
• Technical expertise in statistics, area of gender and development economics;
• Experience in community-based field work and/or development work is an asset;
• Experience with international organizations and development work is a strong asset;
• Experience in working with multi-stakeholders essential: governments, CSOs, and the UN/ multilateral/bilater

Languages :

•  Excellent command of the English language

Duration:
The Monitoring Consultant will be hired for a period of five months. (May 1, 2010 to September 30, 2010).
Application Means:
Interested candidates are asked to directly submit application along with CV to the below email addresses:
and   by April 20th 2010.