USAID Cooperative Development Program (CDP)
Strengthening Farmer Cooperative Competitiveness

Position: Short-term Consultant – Team Lead, Final Evaluation

Job Summary: GENEX Cooperative is seeking an independent consultant for a short-term assignment as Team Lead for the final evaluation of the GENEX-implemented, USAID-funded CDP Strengthening Farmer Cooperative Competitiveness project, implemented in Peru and South Africa from October 2018 through August 2024. Each of the project’s objectives align with overall USAID CDP objectives as follows: (1) Support cooperative growth and stability by strengthening governance, business management, and agricultural know-how, in line with USAID CDP objectives of member equity increased and cooperative governance, cooperative management, and market performance improved; (2) Mitigate economic, market, weather, and production risks, in line with USAID CDP objectives of improved access to services and resources; and (3) Replicate GENEX’s CDP strategy and approach, in line with USAID CDP objectives of more effective programming for cooperatives and increased dissemination of learning.

The purpose of the final evaluation is to (a) identify gaps and innovations in the project’s design or management approach; (b) help inform improved design of new projects; and (c) contribute to the evidence base on effective development approaches.  Specifically, the final evaluation will respond to the following questions:

1. To what extent has GENEX CDP contributed to changes in the business performance, management, and/or governance of partner cooperatives? a. What changes over time can be identified through monitoring data collected from cooperatives? b. What changes do cooperative leaders and members perceive occurred? How do these perceptions compare to changes seen in monitoring data?

2. To what extent has GENEX CDP contributed to strengthening cooperative enabling environments in terms of external engagement and market linkages? a. What have been the major achievements in improving enabling environments, specifically in terms of linking cooperatives to external services, markets, and partners? What internal and external factors enabled these achievements – or made them more challenging to achieve? b. What have been the biggest challenges to improving cooperative enabling environments?

3. To what extent has GENEX CDP facilitated cooperative-level sustainability? a. What measures have been taken to ensure sustainability of local cooperatives once CDP support ends? b. What internal and external factors contribute to the likelihood of cooperative sustainability? What internal and external factors diminish the likelihood?

4. To what extent has GENEX CDP used practices or approaches that were new or unique to CDP cooperatives or farmers? a. What innovative approaches or practices has GENEX implemented? Which were the most and least successful, and why? How did GENEX measure the success or failure of new approaches? b. As a non-traditional implementing partner (IP), what can the development community learn from GENEX? What can GENEX learn from traditional IPs?

5. To what extent has GENEX CDP contributed to cooperative development learning? a. What have been the major achievements in supporting learning by the cooperative development organizations and other external partners related to cooperatives (e.g., collaboration, innovation, learning dissemination)? b. What have been the biggest challenges to sharing information and resources with others in the development community?

The Final Evaluation Team Lead will manage the comprehensive review of key project documents and conduct interviews with project managers; design final evaluation methodology and tools; and provide guidance to one local evaluator each in Peru and South Africa who will be responsible for contextualizing data collection tools; developing a field schedule; collecting data from local staff, cooperatives, and stakeholders; consolidating data; and preparing a final report. The Final Evaluation Team Lead will be responsible for approving local evaluator reports and consolidating findings into a single report that comprehensively provides findings for each country and the project as a whole. 

The period of performance for the final evaluation is from May 1 through August 15, 2024, and the final schedule and LOE will be determined upon selection of the Team Lead and local evaluators. The Final Evaluation Team Lead will report to the US-based Technical Implementation & MEL Advisor. 

Key Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Review key project documents, including technical proposal, MEL Plan, mid-term evaluation, semi-annual and annual project reports, and annual data reporting
• Conduct interviews with HQ-based project managers and consultants and field-based Country Directors 
• Design mixed-methods approach to evaluating project in response to five key questions, including sampling criteria and data collection tools and methods
• Provide direct guidance to local evaluator in each of Peru and South Africa related to local contextualization of data collection tools, sampling criteria and data collection methodologies, stakeholder selection, data compilation, and report preparation
• Oversee local evaluator timelines and deliverables
• Draft comprehensive final evaluation report by June 29 that includes project overview, evaluation methodology, and responses to five final evaluation questions, including whole-of-project and country-specific findings and recommendations, lessons learned, and suggestions for future project improvements
• Respond to comments from final evaluation report draft and submit final report  
• Prepare slide deck of findings and facilitate virtual discussion and validation of findings

Qualifications, Skills, and Experience: 

• Previous experience conducting evaluations and successfully submitting evaluation reports for USAID-funded projects required; experience conducting evaluations for the USAID Cooperative Development Program or other donor-funded cooperative development programs preferred;
• Understanding of the cooperative business model and prior experience with cooperatives in emerging countries required;
• Master’s degree in agronomy, agricultural business, livestock management, dairy science, international development, business, economics, or similar field;
• Minimum of 10 years of work experience required, at least 5 of which must be related to monitoring and/or evaluating international development projects, preferably those related to cooperative development and preferably those funded by USAID;
• Experience in mixed-methods data collection methodology design required;
• Experience in preparing formal reports required; and
• Excellent communication and writing abilities and superior interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills required.

Application Process: 

• Prepare cover letter that clearly summarizes experience related to conducting evaluations for USAID-funded projects and the specific tasks performed for each relevant evaluation
• Include brief (1 page maximum) description of proposed methodology for data collection
• Provide CV, estimated LOE for proposed duties and responsibilities, and current daily rate
• Submit all materials no later than April 30, 2024 to globaldevelopment@urus.org with the subject line “CDP Final Evaluation, Team Lead”