Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability Research and Learning (MEARL) Officer at Danish Refugee Council

Overall purpose of the role: 

• The Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Research and Learning Officer will provide technical support to all projects and oversee all MEAL activities, including assisting project teams in defining indicators, developing data-collection tools and methodologies, and leading data and project assessments and project compliance audits For Boresha project in the Mandera Field Office. The MEARL Officer will collaborate closely with the Nairobi-based MEAL Coordinators, MEAL coordinator Emergency and field programme team to ensure compliance with DRC’s MEAL requirements and best-practices. The role will also ensure programme data and other protection data is accurately and ethically collected, stored, analyzed & shared in strict adherence to DRC’s data protection policy and MEAL guidelines.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Ensure full compliance with DRC’s Minimum Monitoring Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Standards in the project implemented in the field office. 
• Lead the development of MEAL components of project proposals or concept notes, including the development of indicators and project-specific MEAL plans. MEAL plans and DIPs will be developed in close collaboration with programme teams and will be used to populate DRC’s Indicator Performance Tracking Tool (IPTT), which will be used by the program and MEAL teams to provide monthly updates and analysis of progress against indicators.  
• In close collaboration with the Nairobi-based MEAL Coordinator and the program team, develop sector-specific data collection tools and ensure their proper use by implementing teams. The position will ensure the timeliness and quality of data collection, and ensure all captured data is managed according to protection information management standards and best practices.  
• In collaboration with the MEAL Coordinator, lead field-level assessments, including baseline, mid-term, end-line and post-distribution monitoring surveys.  
• Produce monthly analysis reports with updates on the implementation status of all assigned projects. This will entail flagging areas of concern, developing recommendations for corrective actions to share with the Area Manager, implementing teams and MEAL Coordinator, and documenting lessons learned.  
• In collaboration with the MEAL Coordinator, facilitate field-level learning events to capture, document and disseminate lessons learned for internal and external purposes.  
• Under the technical guidance of the MEAL Coordinator, conduct internal project audits with an eye to ensuring means of verification are documented and reflect data reported by the implementing teams.  
• In collaboration with the country-level MEAL Coordinator or Programme Coordinator, assume responsibility for the implementation of and compliance with DRC Kenya Community Feedback and Response Mechanism, and all associated tools and SOPs, in the Mandera field office. 
• Coordinate with the programme development team for reporting purposes and during project monitoring exercises and end-of-project evaluations. 
• Provide support in preparing and reviewing reports and verifying consistency between collected data, means of verification, the IPTT and donor reports.  
• Support on any other MEAL tasks assigned to you from within Kenya program

Experience and Technical Competence 

• A minimum of 4 years of MEAL experience within the humanitarian or NGO field.  
• Demonstrated experience translating theories of change, log-frames and results frameworks into monitoring plans, developing data-collection tools and protocols, leading data-collection and management process, designing and managing databases, and analyzing data.  
• Proven technical skills in monitoring, evaluation and experience with both qualitative and quantitative data-collection and analysis. 
• Excellent analytical, presentation, and report-writing skills. 
• Strong background in the use of computers including the use of software applications such as Excel, Access, PowerPoint, statistics software such as SPSS.
• Experience in the use of the EU MEAL and reporting procedures will be an added advantage
• Previous experience with electronic or mobile data-collection such as Kobo
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work under pressure to tight deadlines.  

Education

• A Bachelor’s Degree in the Social Sciences, Economics, Statistics or Information Management Sciences.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Swahili is essential  .

Key stakeholders: 

• Programme implementation teams and MEAL staff in Mandera Field and Country Offices.
• National and county government authorities
• INGO/NGOs
• Donors
• Implementing partners

About you:  
In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies:  

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.   
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.   
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.   
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.   
• Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.