Senior Project Officer-MEAL at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

As a Senior Project Officer MEAL for the Advancing Cross-border Resilience and Opportunities for Safety and Security (ACROSS)  Project team, you will facilitate the achievement of project objectives through coordinating and reporting on all project MEAL activities and providing MEAL-related technical guidance and advice to staff and implementing partner(s) advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work serving the poor and vulnerable. Your coordination and relationship management skills will ensure that the ACROSS project applies best practices in MEAL and constantly works towards improving the impact of its benefits to those we serve.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Organize and lead the implementation of all assigned project MEAL activities as outlined in the detailed implementation plan in line with CRS program quality principles, standards, and MEAL policies, procedures, and practices, donor MEAL requirements, and industry good practices. This includes coordinating MEAL-related logistical and administrative support to staff and partners. 
• Ensure learning properly accompanies project activities throughout the project cycle. Integrate adaptive learning and operations research practices to ensure documentation of lessons learned and utilization of best practices. Support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities and guiding partners in their efforts to reflect on project experiences. Analyze implementation challenges and report any inconsistencies and gaps to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules.
• Lead the roll-out and implementation of the project’s feedback, complaint, and response mechanism (FCRM). Support actively seeking and responding to feedback from all members of targeted communities and other stakeholders as defined by the FCRM.  
• Implement monitoring activities and processes according to the project’s Detailed Implementation Plan, MEAL system and donor requirements. Ensure the quality of monitoring data through annual data quality assessments.  
• Coordinate and oversee MEAL-related working relationships with all local project stakeholders and serve as the liaison between them and the project team to mobilize local actors and promote project activities and impact. Identify and respond to key stakeholders’ information needs in MEAL activities, using a range of appropriate communication methods. This will also include supervising and performing ad hoc inspections of various MEAL processes and resources at project sites to ensure timely project activities implementation and adherence to established process standards and procedures. 
• Support and coordinate MEAL capacity building and technical support activities to ensure assigned project MEAL activities are implemented by project guidelines and standards. Optimize partner participation and capacity development in the implementation of MEAL systems. 
• Develop a MEAL system outlining indicators, tools, data sources, data flow, procedures, staffing, and statistical procedures required to monitor implementation and assure quality project interventions.
• Ensure timely, project documentation for assigned MEAL activities is complete with all required documents and is filed according to agency and donor requirements. Assist with the preparation of trends analysis reports and documentation of case studies and promising practices. When required, provide accurate data and information to meet agency (Global and Country Program) information needs and other initiatives.
• Provide leadership and direction on M&E activities to ensure technical and financial integrity to achieve the project’s goal, objectives and targets.
• Lead the design, development and implementation of project monitoring and evaluation framework, indicators and tools related to data management, collection, aggregation and data quality assessment and QA/QI to guide all activities
• Make regular visits to project and partners sites to oversee and ensure the efficient implementation of M&E activities
• Undertake regular verification monitoring of ongoing program implementation in close coordination with the Program Managers
• Regular update of reporting formats to capture key results, challenges, lessons, success stories and opportunities
• Assist in the formulation of recommendations for improving implementation performance including direct training and mentoring at program and partner staff.
• Ensure that project M&E system and reporting are enhanced through innovative approach
• Facilitate and participate in the periodic review of program implementation and progress towards achieving results and adjustment of expected results
• Assist in the formulation of recommendations for improving implementation performance including direct training and mentoring at program and partner staff.
• Perform any additional duties as required to support the successful implementation of project activities.

Required Languages - Fluency (written and spoken) English, Hausa and other local language preferred.

Location: Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State

Travel - Must be willing and able to travel up to 75 %.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), ability to portray complex data sets in easy-to-understand formats, including visualizations. 
• Demonstrated ability to perform complex data analytics utilizing software such as Microsoft Excel, STATA, Tableau, PowerBI, and/or other analytic software.
• Knowledge of technical principles and concepts in development projects and infrastructure. General knowledge of other related disciplines to ensure a proper cross-sectoral approach.
• Knowledge of capacity-strengthening best practices.
• Experience with program monitoring and evaluation and analysis.
• Strong relationship management skills with ability to influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision and to work with individuals in diverse geographical and cultural settings.
• Good strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment
• Good technical writing skills.
• Proactive, resourceful and results oriented.
• Analysis and problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment. 
• Attention to details, accuracy, and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills: must be able to interact in a mature, professional, and friendly manner with local and international colleagues of differing religious and cultural backgrounds. 
• Able to work independently, take initiative and be committed with few guidance in the implementation of directions. 
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and privacy.
• Experience with Accountability and feedback systems 
• Flexibility to work both in a team and independently.
• Cultural sensitivity, patience and flexibility.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in information and technology management or Statistics/Mathematics, Computer Science, project management, International Relations or in the field of MEAL would be a plus. 
• Experience working with partners, participatory action planning and community engagement. 
• Good technical knowledge and experience in managing MEAL in a Resilience, Developmental or Emergency context. 
• Demonstrated experience in database management and appropriateness of quantitative statistical management programs including Microsoft Access, SPSS, EPI-INFO, STATA, and Microsoft Excel. Familiarity with GIS and GPS technology and Knowledge of CommCare and Microsoft Power BI will be added advantages. 
•  Strong group process design and facilitation skills, including developing and leading workshops. 
• Demonstrated commitment to gender-responsive programming. 
• Staff supervision experience a plus

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Statistics, Data science, Public Health, Global Health Research, or related field required.
• Minimum of 5-6 years’ relevant work experience with progressive responsibilities, ideally with an international NGO, with minimum of 4 years in MEAL roles relevant to field-based experience in development, social services and infrastructure development monitoring. 
• Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Proven experience in monitoring and evaluation of light to moderately complex projects
• Demonstrated commitment to improving gender equality and gender responsiveness in programming and operations.
• Experience with participatory methods and partnerships required. Demonstrated capacity and experience with institutional strengthening of local civil society and government agencies.