Ethiopia: Collaboration, Learning, and Adaptation Advisor - Ethiopia

CARE is seeking a Collaboration, Learning, and Adaptation (CLA) Advisor for a five-year, USAID-funded Feed the Future Ethiopia Livelihoods for Resilience Activity (LRA). This program will complement the Government of Ethiopia’s (GoE’s) Productive Safety Net Program 4 (PSNP 4) and will focus on four programmatic priorities: (1) on-farm income generating activities (IGAs) and crop and livestock market systems; (2) off-farm IGAs and non-farm enterprise development; (3) non-farm labor and wage employment; as well as (4) collaborative learning for scaling and sustaining gains made in the 3 livelihood – on-farm, off-farm and employment pathways.

International relocation and allowances may be available for this position. This position is subject to donor award and funding.

The CLA Advisor will focus on activities in support of scaling up and sustainability of the program’s livelihoods pathways. Priority areas include:

• Collaboration – to ensure sequencing and cost effectiveness of USAID Ethiopia and GoE investments;


• Learning – to address knowledge gaps and identify successes and failures and sustainable impacts important to the activity; and


• Adaptation – based on learning to ensure effective management and desired results.

The CLA Advisor collaborates with the core team of technical advisors who manage implementation in their assigned areas and assure program quality in collaboration with project implementation and technical partners. In collaboration with the program M&E task force and a Technical Working Group comprised of project managers from all implementing partners, the CLA Advisor will engage project stakeholders in collecting and analyzing results and lessons emerging from program implementation. The CLA Advisor measures program results and utilizes the knowledge to develop a comprehensive learning agenda and dynamic results chain to further inform program adaptation and sequencing and cost effectives of the USAID’s and GoE’s investments.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Lead the development of the program’s results measurement initiatives and learning/evaluation plan, including a detailed but realistic learning agenda, a core ‘package’ of learning products, and processes and clear integration with the M&E workplan.


• Manage programs results measurement systems, including the programs results chains, and coordinate with partners to inform program learning and support CARE’s adaptive management approach


• Support project staff and partners to implement, monitor and review innovative pilot activities linked to the program’s learning agenda and to develop a culture of reflection and learning


• Lead staff and partners in regular reviews of program activities to reflect on programmatic learning based on implementation experience and monitoring data, to review and revise results chains and theories of change, and suggest programmatic changes


• Work in close collaboration with the central programming team and the implementing and technical partners to define and implement capacity building plans for all including training and ongoing mentoring to ensure the CLA plan is adhered to and produces high quality learning products


• Coordinate with key stakeholders at USAID and other Feed the Future programs to channel lessons learned into USAID’s results management and communications strategy and to inform USAID’s strategic planning and program design.


• Promote and nurture a culture of reflection, critical thinking and learning within the project and among project staff and partners


• Oversee a team of 3-5 staff in the Consortium Coordination Unit


• Contribute to the program’s technical briefs, newsletters, and other internal and external communication materials.


• Represent the program at national and international conferences and meetings as may be required.


• Supervise the program’s communications officer who will develop and manage the program communications plan and platforms to effectively share information with internal and external stakeholders nationally and internationally


• Coordinate with/manage external consultants, researchers, and technical support staff as required

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in a relevant discipline.


• Minimum of 7 years of experience in progressively more senior roles in monitoring and evaluation, adaptive management, learning and knowledge management. Previous experience and/or knowledge of DCED (Donor Committee for Enterprise Development) standards as they related to private sector development (e.g., market systems and the poor, value chain development, women’s economic empowerment) is a strong advantage.


• Experience using collaboration, learning, and adaptation techniques is required; experience with CLA to scale up and build sustainability is a strong advantage.


• Experience working on a USAID-funded program or other large, bi-lateral donor agency projects.


• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain partnerships and productive working relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders.


• Ability to translate complex and complicated ideas into easily accessible and understandable concepts and/or messages


• Excellent, high-level, demonstrated written and oral communications skills in English is required. Proficiency in standard computer applications including web-based apps. Demonstrated analytical and critical thinking skills are required.


• Ability to meet deadlines under pressure, build consensus and work successfully with diverse stakeholders.


• Previous experience working in Ethiopia or the region would be an asset, but is not a requirement.


• Ability to travel to program sites in Ethiopia as may be required.