Senior MEAL Officer at Secours Islamique France (SIF)

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE POSITION:

• Under the direction and supervision of the Programs Coordinator, the role of the Senior MEAL Officer is to establish and implement systems to promote evidence-based decision-making and to ensure harmonized monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning practices across MEAL and program teams at the mission level. The position holder will support the design of standardized MEAL processes and tools in coordination with other departments. This will involve creating, developing, and supporting program teams to use MEAL systems to collect, aggregate and analyse data, and subsequently play a key role in ensuring that the reporting needs of key stakeholders are met. The office holder shall work with the programs team to utilise project implementation and monitoring data to develop concept notes and proposals for funding. S/he shall support the Mission partners in ensuring their MEAL systems are effective and responsive and in rolling out MEAL activities. Moreover, the Senior MEAL Officer acts as a custodian of the programmatic capitalisation of best practices, and actively seeks to enhance knowledge management, including the institutional memory conservation. Additionally, the post holder is expected to take a lead in MEAL budgeting and recruitment.

Duties & Responsibilities:

The Senior MEAL Officer will be responsible for the following function :

• Lead the development of MEAL systems, including procedures, guidelines, and tools.
• Advise management on MEAL solutions/options in the design of staffing, resourcing, and budgeting.
• Support in program design and proposal development, including theory of change development and logical framework design.
• Support the program teams in planning for and executing MEAL activities, including data collection methodologies and tools, and data management, analysis, and use.
• Support the implementation, dissemination and utilization of evaluations, assessments, and monitoring data in program development, adjustment, review, and reporting.
• Contribute to organizational learning through supporting specific analysis, lessons learned, and reports.
• Capacity building and training of program and support staff as well as of partner organizations on MEAL technical and conceptual areas.
• Ensure effective knowledge sharing within the mission.
• Ensure effective complaints handling mechanism is operational, including maintaining a current complaint register, and responses provided within the shortest time possible.
• Compile periodic complaints reports to management with recommendations based on data.
• Serve as focal point for the mainstreaming of specific cross-cutting subjects and ensure they are implemented and reflected in programs with special focus on protection, gender, environment, and child safeguarding mainstreaming.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior MEAL Officer will be responsible for the following specific responsibilities.

Monitoring

• Develop Mission MEAL Standard Operation Procedures and train relevant staff on them.
• Ensure MEAL plan is elaborated for each project and adhered to.
• Ensure that the minimum standards of humanitarian services are maintained during design of projects in accordance with the Sphere Charter and Core Humanitarian Standards.
• Support program teams in organisation of initial project kick-off meetings for each project, launching the monitoring part of the project management plan (PMP).
• Ensure periodic project reviews using the PMP Tool take place.
• Ensure program monitoring data is collected in timely manner and is reliable and valid.
• Support programs in data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Support programs in analysis of indicators and beneficiary data
• Contribute to the development of monthly, quarterly, annual, and donor reports including beneficiary counting.
• Contribute to the development of MEAL tools including data collection instruments to inform SIF strategic indicators.
• Ensure all information is centrally held, accurate and retrievable including that held in databases and guide and support the development of appropriate data management systems.

Evaluation

• Lead project specific assessments (baseline, end line) and a multi-sectorial needs assessment and support in beneficiary selection process.
• Lead and/or facilitate internal and external project evaluations and learning exercises.

Accountability

• Ensure project quality and accountability through field visits, providing support to program team and developing appropriate tools and mechanisms to enhance quality delivery of projects.
• Set up simple systems to manage information generated by MEAL activities, such as complaints register.
• Ensure feedback and suggestions are collected from affected populations and other stakeholders in adequate manner and followed-up.
• Provide timely information to country management team about risks related to the projects and share recommendations with the program team and partners based on available data analysis.

Learning

• Support Programs in organisation of lessons learnt or action review workshops.
• Support in capacity building the programs staff on MEAL aspects such log frame, results-based reporting, etcetera.

Management

• Supervise and support the MEAL Officers in the effective discharge of their duties.
• Offer capacity building to the MEAL Officers to improve their skills gaps and professional development.
• Report performed activities and achievements to line supervisor.
• With support from the Programs Coordinator and HR team, identify MEAL staffing needs and support on local recruitment, induction, performance management and training.
• With support from the programs, finance, and logistics teams, identify MEAL supply needs and coordinate with the logistics team to ensure timely procurement of acceptable quality materials.

External/Stakeholders engagement

• Ensure SIF reports timely relevant data to partners and within country coordination mechanisms.

Resource Mobilization

• Assist in developing high quality proposals and applications according to specific donor requirements/templates as well as developing thematic Concept Notes and proposals with information including, but not limited to Project nature, Objectives/Outcomes/Deliverables, Implementation methods, Timetable, Human Resources, Budget, Standards of Performance, and Evaluation
• Assist the process of needs assessment concept development aimed at developing responsive concepts in understanding the needs of the target beneficiaries.
• Aid in the development of programs strategy or drafting of position papers and other related initiatives leveraging evidence from programs.
• Support in preparation presentation on the proposal by emphasising summary, objectives, implementation methods, impact, monitoring, and evaluation as well as evaluating readability, graphics, design, binding and printing options.
• Participate in Interagency working group meetings.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

Technical knowledge

• A bachelor’s degree in Project Management, Economics, Social Sciences, Quantitative or Statistical Analysis or other relevant degree.
• A Master’s degree in MEAL, humanitarian aid, project management or any other similar area will be an added advantage
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning.
• Demonstrated experience in project proposal & report writing.
• Experience in project cycle management.
• Experience working in then humanitarian and/or development sector.
• Demonstrated experience in applied research in quantitative and qualitative fields including excellent command of sampling methods.
• Experience in working in collaboration with NGOs, government agencies & other stakeholders.
• Ability to build, manage and motivate teams and individuals to achieve set objectives and targets.
• Experience in and commitment to participatory management and maintaining a supportive, open environment to ensure the transferring of knowledge & development of all staff.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Computer skills (MS Package), knowledge of statistical software and/or qualitative data management software will be an advantage.
• Experience with mobile data collection software (ODK, KoboCollect);
• Knowledge of use of GIS is an asset.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to travel frequently and under the travel requirements of the assignment.

ETHICS AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

• Respect and promote SIF’s Policies and Agree to comply with SIF Code of Conduct and ensures Child Safeguarding standards are upheld.
• Report to your line manager any discrepancies of SIF’s policies among the team or partners
• Always maintain confidentiality