MEAL Officer at Hope for Victoria children (HOVIC)

Reports To: Project Coordinator

Position Type: Fixed Term

Duration: 1 year (Renewable based on successful completion)

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Project Coordinator, the MEAL Officer is responsible for the day-to-day tracking and reporting of activities under MWENDO project. The role includes rolling out standardized data collection tools and database systems; monthly data collection; verification of results reported; analysis and presentation of findings and project progress; set up of project accountability and learning mechanisms; and documentation of feedback and response from and to LIP and project beneficiaries.

The MEAL Officer will ensure that systems are in place to measure the project’s impact and progress and that data is readily available to be used as a foundation for programmatic adjustments and evidence-based decision-making. The MEAL officer will ensure that the capacity of project team is enhanced, beneficiaries and other stakeholders have opportunity to give and receive feedback, and documentation of project learning is consistent with project learning agenda.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Ensure accurate data collection, data entry, data cleaning & maintaining the OVC filing system
• Ensure MWENDO MEAL systems comply with both CRS global and regional policies, procedures, standards, and strategic initiatives, as well as core team standards
• Ensure roll out of standardized forms and tools to collect relevant disaggregated data on project monitoring indicators, effects, and impacts using CRS’ SMILER methodology (Simple Measurement of Indicators for Learning and Evidence-based Reporting).
• Systematically collect, validate, and analyze data and ensure that it is accurate and of the highest quality by conducting regular data quality assessments and verifications
• Work closely with MWENDO LIP staff to produce high-quality data and progress reports as per the reporting intervals (monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, annually)
• Support other key LIP staff to design and implement project assessments including, gender analysis, stakeholder analysis, hotspots mapping and other data regular and adhoc data collection and analysis activities.
• Ensure that all project monitoring arrangements comply with the project and donor agreements and ensure that agreements are concretely operationalized.
• Work with MWENDO CRS MEAL staff to identify community defined indicators that will show success in the eyes of the project beneficiaries
• Work with MWENDO CRS MEAL staff to set up feedback and response mechanisms that will allow the project to receive and respond to feedback from the project beneficiaries
• Coordinate documentation of lessons learned, best practices, program data, evaluations, and other information to generate donor communication pieces, success stories, case studies, and other high-quality, results-based documentation at LIP level
• Facilitate the use of Project data by Project staff, and other stakeholders to inform decision-making and to identify lessons learned and promising practices
• Participate in regular site monitoring and support supervision through administration of the SIMS to help track quality of services to the OVCs and their households
• Coordinate monthly data review meetings at LIP level

MEAL COMPETENCIES

• Design: Familiarity with PEPFAR/OVC related MEAL system tools and components, and CPIMS/OLMIS is an added advantage
• Monitoring: Ability to implement monitoring activities including timely collection of quality data, facilitation of participatory reflection of monitoring data and submission of timely progress reports.
• Evaluation: Ability to support project evaluations and reviews and to facilitate the use of evaluation results to inform decision making and enhance learning.
• Accountability: Ability to ensure accountability to stakeholders through increased participation, transparent communication, responsive feedback mechanisms, and adherence to internal and external quality standards and requirements.
• Learning: Ability to establish knowledge management and collaborative learning processes at the LIP level, generate evidence for project and programmatic learning that leads to action, decision making and influence.
• Analysis and Critical thinking: Ability to engage with data, challenge biases and assumptions, pose thoughtful questions, pursue deeper understanding of evidence through reflection and perspective taking, and make informed programming decisions.
• ICT4MEAL: Ability to apply knowledge on ICT for opportune and accurate data collection, database management, conduct analysis and make information easily accessible
• Report writing and documentation: Has demonstrated ability in documentation and consolidation of reports

Supervisory Responsibilities (if none, state none):

• Data Assistants

Required Qualifications and Experience:

Education 

• Diploma with at least 3 years relevant experience or Bachelor’s degree in related fields with least 2 years’ experience

Knowledge

• Relevant professional experience in project-level MEAL, including development/review of data collection tools, reporting forms, and project database management skills
• Experience with PEPFAR HIV and/or OVC programming is desirable
• Familiarity with principles and current approaches to project monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning
• Excellent analytic and computer skills; skilled in MS Office Suite including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access
• Experience in using data analysis software, preferably SPSS
• Skills in developing project M&E databases desired
• Working knowledge of CPIMS/OLMIS is an added advantage

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills as well as good judgment and vision
• Excellent organizational skills, team work and ability to prioritize tasks in a timely manner
• Sound coordination skills and a demonstrated ability to multi-task
• Demonstrates diplomacy, flexibility, and resourcefulness
• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills
• Excellent computer skills (Microsoft Office).