MEAL Officer

Operational Context/Role

Reporting directly to the project director, and with indirect reporting line to the Country Programs officer; The Project MEAL Officer is responsible for implementing and maintaining the project MEAL methodologies. The Project MEAL Officer will oversee the projects’ M&E plans in Adjumani, including the design and roll out of data collection tools, staff training, data analysis and the production of reports within Adjumani. She will supervise the accuracy of projects reports and data.

The MEAL Officer’s objective is to ensure that data on programme beneficiaries, processes, progress, and performance are effectively collected, entered, analyzed, and documented, in a way to inform timely decision-making and the adoption of sound corrective measures.

She works closely with Project Director and Country Programs Officers and with the support of the IO Programmes Officer for EAR and IO M&E Director.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical:

• In collaboration with the Project Director and project teams, prepare a detailed M&E Plan for on-going projects and new projects, including timeframe of activities, data collection methodology, tools to be used and expected delivery.
• Track the M & E plan and frequently provide the program with trend analysis of tracked indicators while identifying the outliers.
• Mentor and coach JRS staff on data collection, reporting and data cleaning to inform organizational and donor reports.
• Supports field office and project staff to frequently use data for program improvement.
• Support the project office to engage in continuous data quality improvement.
• Participate in quality of care/intervention monitoring together with the other stakeholders and JRS staff while ensuring availability of data for assessing program quality.
• Provide accurate information that informs the program review meetings.
• Maintain an accurate and up to date database for the JRS Adjumani office.
• Monitor the implementation of on-going and new projects and assure their adherence to the agreed processes and procedures: in collaboration with the Project team ensure the follow-up of projects indicators by sampling, collecting, and analysing data, guaranteeing quality data, and reviewing reports.
• Develop monitoring and evaluation tools and procedures to ensure quality tracking of project output and outcomes, including tools to assess impact of activities and beneficiary satisfaction (e.g., survey questionnaires, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and analysis plans); Support all project teams in conducting monitoring and evaluation assessment and baselines.
• Ensure that regular surveys are conducted to have an overview of the humanitarian context evolution and vulnerability of the populations affected.
• Ensure and support implementation of Accountability systems (e.g., complaint desk).
• Regularly visit the projects and encourage learning based on best practices, lessons and feedback captured from beneficiaries to guide the design and implementation of JRS projects.
• Support the operation of feedback channels (logbook, client satisfaction and engagement surveys).
• Support the recording of feedback, analysis, and accessibility of feedback data for programmatic decision making.
• Overview preparation of consolidated reports including concise narratives that capture progress against indicators and provide both management and donors with accurate and user‐friendly information.
• Manage electronic tools to prevent disorganization (Keep server data confidential).
• Coordinate with the Project Director and the Country Programs Officers to plan for JRS projects within Adjumani, especially regarding the needs assessments. Suggest new initiatives to the Project Director based on these assessments. Suggest new initiatives to the Project Director based on these assessments.
• Collaborate in programme/project proposals, aligned with JRS Standards; ensuring that relevant information from secondary data, assessments, monitoring, evaluations, and lessons learned are integrated in the proposals. Ensure that community inputs are considered in the project design process.
• In coordination with the County Office and with the support of the International Office, train project staff for MEAL and programming skills.
• Provide to the supervisor, technical coordinators, program staff and other stakeholder with monthly reports on indicator trends.

Reporting:

• In collaboration with the Project Director, ensure the follow-up of reporting priorities according to the timeframe as planned with the Country Programs Office.
• In collaboration with the Project Director, ensure that the reports are accurate, with appropriate data to measure the indicators and the quality of JRS intervention.
• Develop and adapt weekly and monthly quantitative and qualitative reporting tools and provide support to field-based staff in their use.
• Act as focal point for activity info and other quantitative donor reporting on project level (Respond to queries on number of beneficiaries reached and other quantitative indicators).

In collaboration with the Project Director, Country Programs Officer, and other departments, contribute to the project proposal writing process, especially while writing output and outcome project’s indicators, and monitoring plans.

Liaison

• Liaise with any existing district/partner M&E teams while ensuring that accurate and timely dataon the program is fed into the district information management systems and program reports.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in statistics, demography, Economics, M&E or related field. An advanced certificate in M&E, statistics will be of an added advantage
• Postgraduate studies in M & E shall be an added advantage

Languages

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English are required.

Required Skills and Competencies

• At least 2 to 3 years’ experience in a similar role either in humanitarian or development settings with proven success in implementing M&E systems from project initiation to close‐out stages.
• Experience in data quality assessment and oversight
• Experience in data analysis, trend analysis and interpretations.
• Experience in continuous quality improvement.
• Knowledge of the major evaluation methodologies.
• Previous experience with an NGO in similar program.
• Good experience of monitoring and evaluation of programs.
• Strong facilitation skills, and strong understanding of how to collect feedback safely and accurately from all members of a community regardless of their age, gender, or other diversity factors
• Proficiency in written and oral English.
• Very good pastoral sense, listening abilities and inter-personal skills.
• Willingness to work and live in West Nile region.
• Work with integrity, impartiality, fairness, confidentiality, and the ability to respect confidence.
• Demonstrable experience of working in an active team.
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent organizational skills used in planning own work and ability to work to targets and deadlines.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• High standard of computer literacy (Microsoft Office 365, and M&E tools and statistical packages).