Senior Research Associate – Market Development and M & E

CGIAR System Organization; Montpellier; Sur place; EUR 40 000 - 60 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

An international agricultural research organization is seeking a Senior Research Associate to lead market development initiatives and oversee monitoring and evaluation efforts. The ideal candidate will have a Master's degree with at least 8 years of experience in agriculture-related projects. Responsibilities include designing interventions, conducting market research, and establishing M&E systems. This position offers a competitive compensation package and an initial contract through April 30, 2026, with the possibility of extension.

Prestations

Competitive compensation package

Excellent working environment

Qualifications

• At least 8 years of relevant work experience in agricultural related area.
• Strong understanding of MEL principles and frameworks.
• Proficiency in data collection and analysis relevant to MEL.

Responsabilités

• Lead the design and implementation of market development interventions.
• Conduct consumer and market research for root and tuber crops.
• Establish a comprehensive M&E system for projects.

Connaissances

Market development intervention design

Consumer and market research

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

Data analysis and interpretation

Collaborative work with partners

Formation

Master’s degree in agricultural related field

Description du poste

Senior Research Associate – Market Development and M & E

• Lead the design, implementation, and monitoring ofstrategic market development interventions across project partners and valuechains.
  
• Design and deliver capacity-building initiativesfor project beneficiaries and partners focused on marketing and value chaindevelopment for root and tuber crops (RTCs).
  
• Conduct consumer and market research to identifykey RTC market segments and to characterize and estimate demand in bothdomestic and export markets.
  
• Lead ex-ante and ex-post economic analyses toassess returns on investment in commercial RTC production in Malawi.
  
• Collaborate with project partners to designinclusive business models, marketing strategies, and supply chain frameworksthat effectively link large-scale farmers and producer organizations (e.g.,cooperatives, farmer groups, associations) to structured markets.
  
• Support project partners in strengthening thecapacity of producer organizations and SMEs in areas such as group management,leadership, collective marketing, contract farming, and business and financialmanagement.
  
• Generate and disseminate evidence on the commercialviability of RTC-based enterprises through market analysis, consumer insights,and the development of knowledge products that inform and engage stakeholdersand attract investment in the RTC subsector.
  

Monitoring and Evaluation (50%)

• Lead the design and implementation of acomprehensive project-level Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system,including the development of data collection tools, partner training, and theestablishment of a centralized database for tracking and archiving projectresults.
  
• Analyze and consolidate M&E data from projectpartners to inform technical and donor reporting, support adaptive projectmanagement, and guide evidence-based decision-making and learning.
  
• Establish a coordinated M&E and projectmanagement framework across partners, while also developing and disseminatingstrategic communication and knowledge products to enhance project visibilityand support the scaling of successful outcomes.
  
• Design and implement operational qualitative andquantitative studies, including baseline, mid-term, and endline surveys, aswell as impact evaluations.
  
• Contribute to resourcemobilization efforts to grow the country portfolio, supporting innovation andstrategic priorities of the Program and Country Manager.
  

Requirements

• Master’s degree in agricultural related field.
  
• At least 8 years ofrelevant work experience in agricultural related area or project coordination.
  
• Demonstrate a strongunderstanding of MEL principles, frameworks, methodologies and software
  
• Proficiency andtimeliness in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data relevant to MEL
  
• Ability to create clear,concise, and informative reports, presentations, and other communicationsrelated to MEL findings.
  
• Ability to workeffectively with partners and contribute to a positive work environment
  
• Experiencein conducting RTC market research and analysis to evaluate production and pricetrends, gross margins etc to attract investors in the sector
  
• Excellentworking environment.
  
• Competitivecompensation package commensurate with experience.
  
• Initialfixed-term contract through April 30, 2026, with the possibility of extension.