Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning (MEAL) Officer at CARE International

Job Summary

• The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs funded Catalyzing Strengthened Policy Action for Healthy Diets and Resilience (CASCADE) project aims to improve food security and contribute to the reduction of malnutrition of women of reproductive age and women under the age of 5 years.
• The CASCADE project, implemented in a consortium with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) will achieve this goal by:
  • Increasing access to and consumption of healthy diets amongst household members particularly women of reproductive age and children under 5 years.
  • Increasing resilience to economic and climate change related shocks and stressors of household members particularly women of reproductive age and children under five years.
• This position reports to the Monitoring Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator and is mainly responsible for providing technical support in all areas of monitoring, data collection, analysis, assessments, survey and learning activities.
• The MEAL Officer is a part of the MEAL/Program Quality Unit, supporting the implementation of the overall program MEAL system.
• The position holder will work closely with the program team in conducting filed monitoring, support capacity-building initiatives, and facilitate the collection of quality data for decision-making (both quantitative and qualitative).
• S/he will coordinate the refinement of Project feedback and accountability mechanisms, promote reflective review practices through learning sessions, tracking/collecting of participants’ information, conducting regular post-activity and distribution monitoring surveys, coordination, management and seldom collection of human-interest stories.
• S/he will continually review the practicality and effectiveness of project approaches and suggest modifications as necessary of the MEAL system.

Job Responsibilities
Supervision, Monitoring and Data Management:

• Work closely with the MEAL Coordinator to establish a mechanism for data collection tools (quantitative and qualitative) and reporting to ensure all monitoring requirement are met including monitoring.
• Organize, design, plan, and carryout the collection, verification, evaluation, analysis and compilation, and dissemination of program data.
• Conduct regular field visits to track progress against indicators and put in place systems for routing data quality checks and revisions.
• Conduct data quality assessment on key activities and develop analytical reports.
• Work with Project Manager, and program staff to ensure data on project deliverables and achievements against the log-frame is accurate and up to date as possible and manage according to agreed processes and standards.
• Assist the Program Manager to manage, train and develop the Monitoring and Evaluation team.
• Collate, analyze manage and report all program related data, including project participants database.
• Identify direct reports capacity development needs and in consultation with the project Manager.

Assessments, Surveys and Learning for the MEAL Sector:

• Guide the regular sharing of the outputs of M&E findings with project staff, implementing partners and primary stakeholders.
• Regular collect case studies, success stories and human-interest stories to tell an interactive story of the impact of the project activities.
• Support the dissemination of quality data for decision making and feedback via regular information sharing with stakeholders and project participants through publication of key project successes.
• Regularly conduct, analyze, and report post distribution monitoring and KAP survey.
• Develop monitoring, accountability and reporting tools for the respective projects and programs’ outputs, suggest modifications and develop new and appropriate tools as necessary.
• Keep up to date with development in the sector, including best practice examples in-country and internationally, and ensure ongoing personal development and learning.
• Provide routine guidance on improved creative and innovative systems for MEAL in the sector and for program achievement.

Capacity Building:

• Working loosely with the MEAL Coordinator, conduct capacity assessment of CARE and partners’ staff on MEAL.
• Take the lead in training all Sector staff in understanding and use of all monitoring and reporting tools and approaches.
• Organize and conduct result-oriented monitoring and evaluation training (including quantitative and qualitative data collection methods) for CARE and partners’ staff.
• In collaboration with the Project Managers, facilitate training and other capacity-building activities for all project key stakeholders.
• Provide regular MEAL trainings as needed, for field staff and partners to ensure proper implementation of the M&E plan.
• Build the capacity of MEAL and program staff on different aspect on MEAL inkling database management and impact assessment/measurement.

Reporting:

• Establish a filing system for various program activities to ensure easy retrieval of information as and when needed.
• Develop an appropriate project data base of the sector to facilitate processing of required information.
• Continually analyze Sector field data to verify status as and when necessary, and produce daily, weekly, monthly/quarterly data computation and analysis reports for use by project/project management.
• Participate in annual project reviews and planning workshop and prepare relevant reports.
• Ensure MEAL SharePoint folder for the project is regularly updated with supporting documents of the project implementation.
• Verify the validity of field data by making routine field visits to check adherence to agreed data collection methods and authenticity of collected information.
• Documentations of lessons learnt good practices for the sector.
• With assistance from the Project manager and the MEAL coordinator, lead the reporting of project information on Project and program Impact and Information Reporting System (PIIRS).

Resource Mobilization:

• Contribute to CARE’s resource mobilization efforts

Other Responsibilities as Assigned:

• Support the MEAL Coordinator with project design, on request, with information gathering as related to the sectors, needs analysis, logical framework designs, target participants computation and others.
• Support with information dissemination to CARE staff on MEAL activities and achievements.
• Support the MEAL Coordinator with Country Office MEAL requirements such as assessments roll out, trainings, analysis outside the scope of S/he individual project.
• Support the accountability officer with improving feedback and accountability systems.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience
Required:

• Minimum of First Degree in Statistics, Biostatistics, Agricultural economics, Social Sciences, Information Management, and other relevant discipline.
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience on MEAL in the field of development
• Working knowledge of information collection tools and methodologies with focus on data analysis and the ability to develop and apply methods and tools for capturing knowledge, preserving, and sharing.
• Good understanding of the country’s humanitarian context, empowering and advocacy issues in Nigeria.
• Excellent computer literacy with full knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, including database management systems.
• Excellent experience on conducting quantitative and qualitative research, studies, assessment from start to end including dissemination of findings to a wide range of diverse audience.
• Strong analytical skills and understanding of MEAL Framework, tools and indicator setting.
• Evidence-based monitoring and evaluation frameworks and program, with emphasis on participatory and partnership-based MEAL approaches.
• Strong knowledge of IT applications and development – especially spreadsheets and database management.
• Fluency in both written and spoken English and good report-writing skills.
• Ability to take Initiative, drive to achieve results, ability to develop effective organizations
• Understanding and experience of gender equity issues and their relevance to humanitarian response work.

Desired:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in Economics, Information technology, international relations, Agricultural Economics, and another related field.
• Strong data analysis skills
• Excellent facilitation, coaching and training skills
• Strong level of autonomy to provide independent follow through on processing issues and concerns

Competencies:

• Approachability
• Building Effective Teams
• Customer Focus
• Integrity and Trust
• Drive for Results
• Comfort around Higher management
• Business Acumen
• Negotiating
• Organizational Agility.