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Godfrey Senkaba discusses the last five of the top ten tips every manager should know to hire the best monitoring and evaluation, staff. Whether you are a monitoring and evaluation manager or a generalist project manager, we often must deal with organizational processes, systems, practices, and own individual choices in any hiring decisions. The following is the last set of tips to help you make a good M&E Staff hire.  Tip #6. A good oral interview by an M&E candidate may not translate into good M&E job performance. Be aware and address the excesses of this M&E job assessment method. Tip #7. To offer a good and strong job start, the technical onboarding plan for the new M&E hire should be developed earlier than when they start work. Tip #8. Do not focus all your M&E job assessment on the candidate’s knowledge of monitoring and evaluation alone. Rather, test the M&E candidate’s overall fit to the M&E role you advertised.  Tip #9. Never let your personal interests and fears override your objective assessment of the M&E job candidate’s capability and fit for the M&E role. Tip #10. Aim for diversity on the M&E Team for better results. For example, beyond demographics-based diversity, aim for diversity in terms of background training and professional experience of the M&E Staff. In addition, check out Episode 15 for Tips 1 to 5. These tips will help you to improve how you assess M&E job needs, justify M&E roles and responsibilities, M&E job recruitment process including M&E Job interviews, and how to help M&E Staff start their new jobs strong. Have you ever hired M&E Staff? What is your experience? What have you learned? I will be happy to hear from you. Use the comment box below or send me an email. Thank you for your feedback.  Connect with Godfrey Senkaba: Website: https://www.mandeboost.com Email: info@mandeboost.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/senkaba_g LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/godfrey-senkaba-32452428/ 

Godfrey Senkaba discusses five of the top ten tips every manager should know in order to hire the best monitoring and evaluation staff. Whether you are a monitoring and evaluation manager or a generalist project manager, we often must deal with organizational processes, systems, practices, and our own individual choices in any hiring decision. The following tips will help you make a good M&E Staff hire: Tip #1. Never hire a monitoring and evaluation staff without first confirming the need/s the job will address. Tip #2. It is always good to socialize the roles and responsibilities of the monitoring and evaluation job with the teams it will serve, for clarity and buy-in. Do this before and after hire. Tip #3. Know the possible career path and growth opportunity for monitoring and evaluation staff before you hire them. Tip #4. Never undermine the human resource role before and after hiring monitoring and evaluation staff, but don't suffocate under its weight. Tip #5. It’s a good practice to keep all those with high influence and impact on your hiring choice for a monitoring and evaluation job, but level the expectations. If you need to get a complete understanding of how to make the most out of a monitoring and evaluation job hiring process and output, check out Episode 16 for the rest of the top 10 tips. Certainly, this is not an exhaustive list. Share with me any additional tips you have by using the comment box below. I also welcome your questions or comment on this podcast episode. Thank you for your feedback.  Connect with Godfrey Senkaba: Website: https://www.mandeboost.com Email: info@mandeboost.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/senkaba_g LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/godfrey-senkaba-32452428/ 

Godfrey Senkaba discusses 4 key issues and over 15 Tips you must know to conduct a value-add quality review of a project proposal before submission to the funder. Whether you are internal staff or external consultants, taking a holistic approach to project proposal quality review will help you add value to both the process and product.  Here are the four issues you must consider: Issue #1 Rationale. You should the why a quality review of the project proposal is needed and be sure to align your choice of methods and tools to complete the task. Remember, there will always be assumptions made by the proposal team about your fitness to perform the quality review. For example, that you are familiar with the project proposal subject matter; have a working knowledge of the potential donor/funder; and can provide an objective review. Issue #2 Conditions that motivated the quality review. You need to know which, or combination of the following conditions necessitated this quality review and plan accordingly. The conditions include the need to complete a required business process step before proposal approval; absence of monitoring and evaluation technical expertise during proposal design; proposal design is complex; and independent reviewer (external to proposal design team) is needed, and response to donor feedback on draft among others. Issue #3 Expectations on scope and nature of feedback. You may be required to focus a quality review on the entire proposal; individual sections or components like conceptual framework, management, and staffing or indicator matrix; or the entire proposal but with respect to a specific theme like partnerships, sustainability, or gender equality and social inclusion. In addition, your proposal quality review feedback may be presented in any of the four formats: summary of key issues that needed to be addressed; detailed narrative including a justification for the needed adjustments and tracked changes; oral feedback; and mixed format feedback (summary/detailed plus oral feedback).  Issue #4. The focus of the proposal quality review. Use my 7 “Cs” framework for quality review of programmatic documents. I developed this framework following several years of experience in international development programming, and understanding the nature, scope, and context within which project management cycle processes and activities are designed, implemented monitored, and evaluated. The 7 “Cs” are Checklist; Compliance; Consistency; Connectedness; Clarity; Compelling evidence; and Cost. Check out this episode to learn about how to conduct a quality review of a project proposal more effectively. A value-add quality review of a draft proposal goes beyond reading the proposal documents. The process and choices you must make are as good as the feedback you aim to provide to the Project Design Team. For more insights on how to add value to the proposal development process as a development professional,  or monitoring and evaluation specialist,  check out my earlier episodes: Episodes 11 – The 7 Best Ways that Monitoring and Evaluation Specialists Can Preposition for Grant Project Proposals. Episode 12 – The 12 ways to review grants donor solicitation documents using monitoring, evaluation, and learning lens. Episode 13 – Proposal Development: 5 Things You Must Consider Before Developing a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan. Please share your feedback. Connect with Godfrey Senkaba: Website: https://www.mandeboost.com Email: info@mandeboost.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/senkaba_g LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/godfrey-senkaba-32452428/ 

Godfrey Senkaba discusses the 5 most important issues a monitoring and evaluation specialist must consider before they develop the different monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) sections, and related annexes of a project proposal. A typical project proposal requires an M&E plan or MEL Plan narrative and an Indicator Tracking Table. These should complete after gaining a full understanding of the following issues:  ·       Role and Responsibilities, ·       Technical design, ·       Stakeholders and partnerships, ·       Donor MEL requirements, and ·       Budget for MEL So, you get a complete understanding of how to add value to the proposal development process as a monitoring and evaluation specialist or officer, check out episodes 11 – prepositioning; episode 12 – 12 ways to review grants donor solicitation documents using monitoring, evaluation, and learning lens; 14 – submission, and 15 – post submission. Be sure to share your feedback. Connect with Godfrey Senkaba: Website: https://www.mandeboost.com Email: info@mandeboost.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/senkaba_g LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/godfrey-senkaba-32452428/

Godfrey Senkaba discusses the 12 important issues a monitoring and evaluation specialist must look out for when reviewing donor grant Requests for Applications (RFAs) or Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) for emergency or development activities. These issues will help you understand, plan for, and design better monitoring and evaluation strategy and processes for the proposed project.  The 12 issues focus organization’s ability to design a competitive proposal, monitoring and evaluation requirements in the solicitation, and appropriate monitoring and evaluation approaches that should match with the technical and operational requirements of the proposed project. The specific issues include: ·       Capacity, and monitoring and evaluation roles, ·       Formats and templates to use, ·       Monitoring and evaluation plan, ·       Program theory/logic model, ·       Indicators, ·       Monitoring and evaluation budget, ·       Background and context information justifying the problem, ·       Activity objectives and frameworks to align to, ·       Target of change activity/project interventions, ·       Partnerships, and partnering on monitoring and evaluation, ·       Donor’s expressed review process, and  ·       Quality and consistency in the solicitation document. So, you get a complete understanding of how to add value to the proposal development process as a monitoring and evaluation specialist or officer, check out episodes 11 – prepositioning, 13 – proposal development, 14 – submission, and 15 – post submission. Be sure to share your feedback. Connect with Godfrey Senkaba: Website: https://www.mandeboost.com Email: info@mandeboost.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/senkaba_g LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/godfrey-senkaba-32452428/  

Godfrey Senkaba discusses the critical role for monitoring and evaluation specialists play in helping their organizations’ new business development or proposal development efforts. He outlines the 7 best tips as must-do’s for evaluation specialists during the prepositioning phase of a grant project proposal development process. The 7 tips below are discussed with practical examples:  ·       Research the donor M&E interests and/or priorities. ·       Conduct an Organization DME Capacity assessment ·       Review of the capacity of the local country office or local project implementer ·       Provide technical /quality review of the needs assessment design and analysis. ·       Assess/document current project/s evidence of impact. ·       Gather ‘market’ DME intelligence. ·       Be present/maintain M&E technical visibility.  You need to check out episodes 12 - positioning, 13 – proposal development, 14 – submission, and 15 – post submission, to get a complete understanding of how to add value to the proposal development process as a monitoring and evaluation specialist or officer. Connect with Godfrey Senkaba: Website: https://www.mandeboost.com  Email: info@mandeboost.com  Twitter: https://twitter.com/senkaba_g  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/godfrey-senkaba-32452428/ 

Godfrey Senkaba spoke with Mariana Branco, an Evaluation Specialist at the World Bank.  Mariana discusses her professional life journey that is punctuated by service to others including causes that make evaluation simple, useable, and accessible. She discusses her motivations and experience helping emerging evaluators, what she has learned, and the strategies you should take to boost your evaluation career. Below are the specific topics discussed: ·       Child and youthhood choices and career decisions; education; and working in Africa provided the foundation for professional evaluation practice.  ·       How to build three top in-demand skills through active membership to professional evaluation associations or networks. ·       Top 4 skills every evaluation professional should have.  ·       How failure to manage “expectations” is the biggest obstacle evaluators face today, and tips to overcome them. ·       Top monitoring and evaluation tools and/or methods used. ·       Role of professional evaluation associations in an evaluator’s professional life. ·       The Peer-to-Peer Career (P2P) and Advisory for Emerging Evaluators ·       What it takes for evaluators to succeed in the new normal (COVID19 era) ·       Big plans for this year including supporting the World Bank’s Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI), World Bank Performance Report, and the P2P. Connect with Mariana Branco: Website: www.mariana-branco.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/MBsocialValue/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MBSocialValue  P2P: https://www.p2peval.com  Find Godfrey Senkaba: https://www.mandeboost.com  Email: info@mandeboost.com  Twitter: https://twitter.com/senkaba_g

Godfrey Senkaba spoke with Dr. Patricia Moore Shaffer, the former President of Washington Evaluators, and currently, Deputy Director of Research and Analysis for the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, DC. Dr. Shaffer reveals what attracted her to join the evaluation profession and the transferrable skills from public arts. She outlines the steps, tricks, and opportunities that have shaped her career including the life-changing experience of serving as President of Washington Evaluators. Other topics discussed include: Background to professional practice; child and youthhood choices and career decisions; working in the arts industry and parallels to evaluation practice; becoming a professional evaluator mid-career and what it takes to succeed; top 3 skills every evaluation professional should have; biggest challenge evaluators face and how to overcome them; top monitoring and evaluation tool and/or methods used; strategies for young, emerging, or experienced evaluators to grow their professional careers; mentorship and evaluation career growth; and the role professional evaluation associations play in an evaluator’s professional life?  Connect with Dr. Patricia Moore Shaffer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciamooreshaffer/ National Endowment for the Arts: https://www.arts.gov/  Find Godfrey Senkaba: https://www.mandeboost.com;  Email: info@mandeboost.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/senkaba_g

Godfrey Senkaba spoke with Apollo Mukasa Nkwake, monitoring, evaluation, and research specialist, evaluation journal editor, and evaluation consultant. Our discussion focused on his evaluation journey from volunteering at a local nonprofit in central Uganda to evaluating global evaluation programs for large international development agencies in the United States. Apollo reveals the several tips, tricks, and opportunities that have shaped his career, made him successful, and many of these may work for you.  See the discussion outline below:   [00:34] Hello, everyone! Introducing Dr. Apollo M., Nkwake. [02:15] Background in international development and start of evaluation career. [4:55] Formative professional work and how this prepared him for a career in evaluation. [6:50] How to know you are a professional evaluator? [10:25] Show evaluators be independent in order to do quality project evaluations? [12:50] Movement from Uganda to the United States to continue evaluation practice. [15:35] Top 2-3 skills every evaluation professional should have. [17:25] Biggest challenge faced when working as an evaluator, and how to address it. [18:35] Top monitoring and evaluation tool and/or methods used. [21:10] Strategies for young, emerging, or experienced evaluators to grow their professional careers. [24:00] Writing and Publishing on Evaluation [26:45] The American Evaluation Association (AEA) Marcia Guttentag Promising New Evaluator Award, how Apollo is different today. [28:10] Next steps/future for Apollo M., Nkwake [29:30] How to contact Apollo M., Nkwake. [30:50] Thank you, Apollo. Thank you everyone for listening!   Find Godfrey Senkaba: https://www.mandeboost.com;  Email: info@mandeboost.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/senkaba_g   Connect with Dr. Apollo M. Nkwake:  E-mail: nkwake@gmail.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/nkwake LinkedIn: http://www.linedin.com/in/apollo-nkwake 

Godfrey Senkaba spoke with Tim Leisman, a data-based community problem solver, and civic tech enthusiast. Only four years as an evaluator but has found interest in civic technology. But what is civic tech? how does it apply to evaluation? Through his work with the Code for Greensboro, North Carolina, USA, Tim demonstrates a good career trajectory that can inspire young, emerging and advanced evaluators. See the discussion outline below:   [00:34] Hello, everyone! Introducing Tim Leisman. [02:10] Background in community development and the start of evaluation career. [4:25] How to join the Monitoring and Evaluation Career without background training in evaluation. [6:23] Top 2-3 skills every evaluation professional should have. [8:53] Biggest challenge faced when working as an evaluator, and how to address it. [10:18] Top monitoring and evaluation tool and/or methods used. [11:55] Using technology to improve monitoring and evaluation work. [15:40] How civic technologies are used to address problems in the community in Greensboro, North Carolina. [18:22] How government technical and elected officials support evaluation, and related civic tech evaluative work. [20:21] Key learnings about being an evaluator, and civic tech. [22:25] Next steps/future for Tim Leisman [25:05] How to contact Tim Leisman. [25:48] Thank you, Tim. Thank you everyone for listening!  Find Godfrey Senkaba: https://www.mandeboost.com; Email: info@mandeboost.com; Twitter: https://twitter.com/senkaba_g   Connect with Tim Leisman:  E-mail: tim@codeforgreensboro.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/timleisman LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/timothyleisman

Godfrey Senkaba spoke with Khalil Bitar, Outgoing Chair, EvalYouth Global Network, Co-leader, Eval4Action. The premise of their conversation was Khalil’s transition from the leadership of the EvalYouth, a global network he helped to co-found. We discussed everything! From the nuts and bolts of Khalil’s 12 years' evaluation experience, and interests. See the discussion outline below: [00:34] Hello, everyone! Introducing Khalil Bitar, Outgoing Chair, EvalYouth Global Network [01:35] Background in International development and the start of evaluation career. [10:57] How EvalYouth Chapters strengthen National Evaluation Associations [14:25] How EvalYouth equips young and emerging evaluators for today’s job market. [19:30] How volunteering at EvalYouth has impacted my professional evaluation career in five years. [27:46] The collective value of EvalYouth, EvalPartners, Eval4Action, Global Evaluation Initiative, and others to an evaluation professional. [33:05] Key learning and thesis for evaluation [36:40] Next Steps for Khalil after the handover of EvalYouth leadership. [40:48] Final thoughts on volunteering with professional evaluation networks [43:22] Thank you, Khalil. Thank you everyone for listening! Find Godfrey Senkaba: https://www.mandeboost.com; Email: info@mandeboost.com; Twitter: https://twitter.com/senkaba_g   Connect with Khalil Bitar: Website: khalil-bitar.com; E-Mail: Khalil.bitar.hoc@gmail.com; LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khalilbitarhoc/; Twitter: https://twitter.com/KhalilBitar

Godfrey Senkaba spoke with Holta Trandafili, World Vision’s Research, Learning, and Analytics Manager. The premise of their conversation was Holta recently celebrated 20 years of work as an evaluator.  We discussed everything! From her interests in evaluation; formative years as evaluator; biggest challenge and opportunity; progression through evaluation “ranks” to lessons learned. Additionally, we discussed the changing scope of, and trends in monitoring and evaluation, and how to adapt and grow your career. [00:34] Hello, everyone! Introducing Holta Trandafili, an evaluator with over 20 years’ experience [02:30] Background in International Development, interest and start of Evaluation career. [06:57] Moving from one evaluation job to another, and what skills were needed. [10:15] The Research vs Evaluation debate. My experience of both, if not in one!  [14:28] Top career moments including biggest opportunity, challenge, and regret. [20:50] Lessons Learned: working as an evaluator, and in Albania and United States [23:55] Strategies to keep up with evaluation trends. [29:43] Influential monitoring and evaluation book, method or tool [32:48] Thank you for listening! Find Godfrey: https://www.mandeboost.com Connect with Holta Trandafili via LinkedIn Links mentioned: Home | Better Evaluation 

Godfrey Senkaba – Shares his monitoring and evaluation career trajectory, spanning over 15 years. He specifically discusses what he has learned performing the evaluation job in different settings, for different organizations, and applying different sets of skills, and how to discover opportunities to support your career growth.  [00:38] Hello, everyone! Why I share my career story. [01:58] How I leveraged undergraduate studies to get my first evaluation job. [08:24] How I amplified my first job experience to find, and firm up my monitoring and evaluation career anchors. [15:04] How I consolidated my career anchors for job growth. [19:54] How I find happiness in a monitoring and evaluation career. [22:45] Lessons Learned. [25:36] Thank you for listening!  Find Godfrey: https://www.mandeboost.com

Godfrey Senkaba – discusses four important factors to consider when deciding if the next job will take you to a higher level in your monitoring and evaluation career.  [00:34] Hello, everyone! [01:02] Job Title! Sorry, consider the job description, not the job title. [02:34] Your personal profile. Which of these 3 main career paths for monitoring and evaluation professionals does it fit: generalist, methodological expert, or sector technical specialist? [05:43] Organizational profile. Do their monitoring and evaluation capacity and practice match your learning needs? [07:58] Convergence of personal priorities with the job’s non-technical aspects. [11:21] Always remember that career growth is a personal decision. [12:04] Thank you for listening! Find Godfrey: https://www.mandeboost.com

Godfrey Senkaba - discusses the top factors that inform the nature and type of minimum requirements for Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Jobs. These factors range from the organization, job, and profile of the position holder. If you are interested or preparing to sit for a monitoring and evaluation job interview, understand these factors to help you prepare for likely interview questions regarding job context, organizational interests, and job performance expectations. If you are already performing a monitoring and evaluation job, know these factors to level job performance expectations, develop informed professional development or career growth plans. The common minimum qualifications for M&E Jobs are; academic qualification; experience in M&E methodology; industry experience; funder/donor experience; and (relevant) soft skills. 

Godfrey Senkaba – discusses why having no formal experience should not limit your interest in a monitoring and evaluation career. He provides everyday life activities that provide the opportunity to build tacit knowledge and skills transferable to a formal monitoring and evaluation job.