MEAL Specialist (USAID Experience) at Wildlife Conservation Society

Overview:

• The MEAL Specialistwill ensure the implementation, coordination and administration of all activities supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Responsibilities:

The MEAL Specialist will be responsible for coordinating the monitoring and evaluation of the program in addition to managing the Performance Monitoring Plan. These will include:

• Building and supervising the MEAL unit. The MEAL unit supports all departments and directly informs program management.
• Working with the Chief of Party and Deputy Chief of Party, managing the implementation of the results framework.
• Catalyse studies and collection of required data for the results framework to adapt programs and activities, inform decision-making and planning on several key dimensions, including:
• Quantifying the changes in the well-being of communities (ensuring that all data are disaggregated as appropriate).
• Measuring the impacts related to agricultural production and transformation.
• Measuring environmental impacts on critical habitats, ecosystem services and conservation targets.
• Building a network of partners and collaborators to conduct surveys, collect data, and analyze.
• Promoting theory-of-change, design thinking and results-based management.
• Promoting learning across the organization from analyzing and interpreting data and results.
• Developing data collection tools (including, for example, KoBoToolbox) with department heads to ensure accurate data collection.
• Using and adapting appropriate monitoring and evaluation tools – KAP, METT, Capacity Scorecards, Financial Sustainability Scorecards, etc.
• Working with other team members to ensure that data required for donor reporting (including donor-specific results frameworks) are collected, collated, analyzed and prepared for reports promptly.

Assisting with the process of writing reports

Requirements

Qualifications:

Candidates will need to demonstrate clearly that they have the necessary experience and skills to

• work with other team members to collect and collate data,
• carry out qualitative and quantitative data collection and analyses,
• build and maintain databases,
• contribute to the process of writing reports,
• providing rigorous analysis to feed into strategic decision-making processes and
• promote learning from the monitoring and evaluation processes.

This requires:

• A post-graduate degree (master’s or PhD) in a relevant subject.
• Five to seven years of relevant experience, with experience with a non-profit organization (s) and on donor-funded project(s) in developing countries, a plus.
• An interest in conducting rigorous analysis that will inform strategic decision-making.
• Strong qualitative and quantitative skills, proven IT skills including database management and knowledge of statistical software (e.g., R or Stata), and use of data collection tools such as KoBoToolbox (or equivalent).
• Knowledge of GIS is an added advantage.
• Experience in and commitment to working through systems of community participation and accountability.
• Previous experience in managing a team and managing projects.
• Demonstrated skills in oversight of research, assessment and evaluations.
• Hands-on experience in strategic planning processes.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills.
• Excellent understanding of different components of MEAL and skills in leading MEAL systems.
• Sound conceptual understanding in advancing gender equality in programming and the workplace.
• Written and oral fluency and excellent writing skills in English are required.
• Ability to work with a diverse, interdisciplinary team of people.
• Demonstrated openness and sensitivity to the socio-cultural environment.
• Dynamic, energetic, creative and ambitious.

Benefits

• Full Pension Contribution (20%) by WCS Nigeria
• Competitive Salary
• Comprehensive Health Insurance
• Monthly Communication Allowance
• Learning & Development Opportunities
• Pension
• 21 days of annual leave + bank holidays
• Group life insurance