Position Description

EnCompass LLC is implementing the four-year?United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bangladesh Upoma Activity, providing a range of analytical and advisory services in support of USAID’s design, performance monitoring, evaluation, and operational learning and adapting efforts. Under Upoma, EnCompass has been tasked to conduct a Final Performance Evaluation of the USAID-financed Cereal Systems Initiatives for South Asia Manufacturing Extension Activity (CSISA-MEA) in Bangladesh.

The goal of CSISA-MEA is to achieve agricultural resiliency enhanced through development of agricultural machinery MSMEs, gender inclusive workforce development, and with a special focus on crisis impacted areas of Bangladesh. The core objective of the activity is to enhance agricultural resilience through the development of agriculture-based light engineering (ABLE) small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and develop a youth and gender-inclusive workforce with a special emphasis on crisis affected areas of Bangladesh.

Implemented by CIMMYT in partnership with iDE and the Georgia Institute of Technology, the activity works in southern Bangladesh and in the Rohingya crisis-impacted zones of the Cox’s Bazar district. CSISA-MEA is a five-year development project which aims to support the mechanization of agriculture in Bangladesh by developing the capacity of the private sector to develop, manufacture, and market innovative new technology which will enable the country’s farmers to mechanize their agricultural production.

To achieve the program goal and objectives, interventions under Thrive are grouped into the following Intermediate Results for the life of the program:

• Competitiveness and efficiency of domestic and private sector-led agricultural machinery manufacturing boosted

• Enhanced institutional capacity for agricultural mechanization through the development of skilled and youth workforce

• Enhance farmer access to mechanization and other crop production and marketing services with particular emphasis on remote and underserved markets

To conduct the evaluation, EnCompass LLC is seeking a Mechanization Specialist.

The Learning Questions (LQs) of the evaluation are:

1. How successful has CSISA MEA activity been in terms of developing and expanding farmers’ access to the mechanized and related extension services? What were some of the challenges? What are some opportunities for further expansion of mechanization in the future?

1. Has access to mechanization improved in the communities adjacent to where CSISA-MEA has been active, and can any positive change be attributed to CSISA-MEA? What about at a ZOI-wide scale?

1. How successful was the activity in leveraging private sector investment in the agricultural machinery sector? What were some of the challenges in forming partnerships? management?

1. How have the resources that CSISA-MEA leveraged translated into additionality and sustainable expansion of Mechanization and associated businesses?

1. How sustainable are the businesses that have been developed by rural entrepreneurs/agriculture machinery service providers because of the activity? What have been the major constraints and opportunities with respect to sustainability of the LSP business model? What measures should be taken to enhance sustainability?

1. To what extent has CSISA MEA integrated or incorporated gender in the interventions? What have been the challenges and opportunities, if any? What has been the impact of mechanization on women’s economic empowerment?

1. To what extent Has CSISA MEA addressed the agri-mechanization value chain and how successful has the project been to capacitate the MSMEs in the light engineering sector?

Position Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Provide technical assistance in the evaluation of the mechanization interventions of the Activity.
• Support in the review of relevant secondary data, both to inform the Inception Report as well as the final report, integrating secondary data to answer the evaluation’s learning questions, as delegated by the Team Leader.
• Collect primary data through various means, such as interviews and focus groups, and stakeholder surveys, ensuring data quality and integrity, as delegated by the Team Leader.
• Provide inputs for the development of an inception plan, inclusive of methodology, tools, and a timeline to execute the evaluation, as delegated by the Team Leader.
• Support the evaluation team's primary data collection efforts, ensuring methods are ethical and thorough, as delegated by the Team Leader.
• Support the collection, analysis, and synthesis of secondary data to complement primary data findings, as delegated by the Team Leader.

Deliverables and Timing:

• Inputs for the inception report including work plan, detailed methodology, data collection tools, lists of KIIs and FGDs, outline of the final report presenting the proposed structure of the report, and timeline.
• Inputs for, and co-facilitation of, an in-brief meeting with USAID Activity Manager upon arrival in Bangladesh.
• Inputs for, and co-facilitation of, any additional meetings with USAID, if needed.
• Inputs for regular progress reports/updates to the USAID Activity Manager.
• Inputs for, and co-facilitation of, out-brief presentation at the end of field work/data collection on key findings and recommendations,
• Inputs for, a comprehensive draft and, after receiving feedback from USAID, final version of the report.

Period of Performance and Level of Effort (LOE): The LOE for the Mechanization Specialist is approximately up to 55 days. The period of performance is from on or about 15 August 2024 to 9 March 2025.

Travel: The position requires travel to Dhaka, Chattogram, Jashore, Chuadanga, and Faridpur districts

Position Requirements

Academic Qualifications:

• Minimum of bachelor’s degree in agronomy, agricultural engineering, or related field.

Experience and Skills:

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in agricultural engineering and in training farmers in the efficient and effective use of agricultural machineries.
• Proven track record supporting evaluations, with expertise in application of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
• Excellent communication skills in English are required.
• Fluency in Bengali is required.

How to Apply

Please submit a CV and complete the application. Please, note that due to the high volume of applications we receive, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

EnCompass LLC is a progressive Equal Opportunity Employer. We promote, celebrate, and support a diverse and inclusive organizational culture and workforce. We are committed to providing all of our employees with an environment free from discrimination and harassment, where all are treated with dignity and respect. We do not tolerate, and explicitly prohibit, discrimination or harassment of any kind, at any time, in all aspects of employment. This includes recruitment, hiring, promotions, disciplinary measures, terminations, compensation, benefits, social and recreational programs, and training. EnCompass also does not tolerate retaliation against individuals who report discrimination or harassment. Our continuing commitment to the principle of Equal Opportunity Employment for all means all employment decisions are based only on the job requirements, the candidate’s qualifications, and the needs of EnCompass as a business—not on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, belief, sex (including pregnancy and related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability status, veteran status, genetic information, HIV status, family/marital/parental status, or any other status protected by the laws and regulations in the jurisdictions where we work.

For US based positions: The employer will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required of personnel so classified.

The incumbent must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle and prioritize multiple, competing tasks and demands and to seek supervisory assistance as appropriate.

If you require accommodations in line with the Americans with Disabilities Act to complete your application, please call 301-287-8700, provide your contact information and a description of your accessibility issue. We will make a determination on your request for reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case-basis, and we will call you back within approximately 3 business days.

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