MEAL Officer People in Need

Location: Mongu (with frequent field visits)

Contract duration: until December 2023 with a possibility of extension

Start Date: 01/03/2023

Line Manager: Programme Quality and Development Manager

Application deadline: Depending on the magnitude of responses.

People in Need works in Zambia since 2017 delivering lifesaving and development assistance to vulnerable people in the sectors of nutrition, livelihoods, WASH, environment and good governance.

Position Summary

Under the direct line management of the Programme Quality & Development Manager (PQDM) and with the support of Regional MEAL Advisor for Africa, the MEAL Officer (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning) tracks closely projects’ MEAL system and ensures proper tools and processes are in place to allow for relevant and effective data collection in the field, data analysis, management and protection. She/he is responsible for Country Programmes CFRM (Complaint and Feedback Response Mechanism). She/he is supporting new programmers/projects design (in line with results-based programming).

Main Duties and Responsibilities;

M&E quality management

• With support of PIN Programme Quality & Development Manager (PQDM) and MEAL Advisor, ensures PIN’s and partners’ MEAL planning, monitoring and evaluation processes comply with internal (PIN Policies, guidelines and RDD strategy – Strategic indicators) and external (donor) requirements
• Maintain consistency in monitoring and evaluation processes across all Programmes
• Ensures lessons learned are collected and feedback provided to project teams

M&E planning

Project level:

• Participates in grants-opening meetings when the new project starts – take lead on the MEAL planning part (agree on timeframe of preparation of MEAL plan, review indicators, roles and responsibilities in MEAL activities)
• Provides technical support during project MEAL planning, including guidance on developing the Results Framework, Indicator Tracking Table (ITT), methodologies and MEAL tools, and project work plan (Gantt chart or similar)
• Participates at regular project review meetings (on quarterly basis)
• Maintains an updated annual MEAL workplan of planned MEAL related activities (baselines, mid-term, endline surveys, other data collection and research activities, and evaluations) and CFRM related activities to be undertaken in ongoing projects
• Maintains reporting deadlines overview

Country Programme level:

• Maintains an updated annual MEAL workplan of planned MEAL related activities (baselines, mid-term, endline surveys, other data collection and research activities, and evaluations) and CFRM related activities to be undertaken in ongoing projects
• Maintains reporting deadlines overview

Implementation, progress tracking and reporting

– Coordinates assessments and compiles assessments data into brief Reports providing essential key figures and analysis

– Ensures timely implementation of baseline and endline surveys

– Provides technical support in activity and results-based monitoring (surveys, FGDs, KIIs, etc.) in the field, including ensuring that project teams, implementing partners and enumerators follow the instructions/agreed methodology

– Checks the quality of data collected continuously as it comes in, and follows up on any errors or challenges arising in the process

– Supports Project Manager in setting up and maintaining the databases

– Conducts data analysis and supports project teams in interpretation of findings, formulating recommendations and reporting

• Supports project teams in preparation for regular project review meetings, including regular update of ITT and meaningful reporting on indicators, and organizes dedicated MEAL meetings as needed
• Regularly informs line manager about findings and about any issues arising from findings (present data in concise reports and fact sheets using PIN templates and share these with line manager for reporting and circulation – clusters, communities, etc. – as appropriate);
• Initiates independent monitoring visits of projects with the aim of receiving or validating data/information on specific projects and strengthening accountability (activity monitoring, distribution monitoring, post-distribution monitoring, CFRM etc.) on each project at least once in 3 months.
• Supports organized storage of data collected (primarily responsibility of PMs/POs) in ELO and SharePoint;
• Ensures that all the data related to the projects is updated, handled and stored safely in line with PIN’s Data Protection Policy;
• Supports consultants and research partners in conducting commissioned evaluations/activities (e.g. interpretation, conducting FGDs or interviews, etc.)
• Provides technical support to evaluations and other research activities, incl. engaging in ToR preparation, selection of consultants, review of evaluation design and data collection methodology, data analysis, involvement of stakeholders and dissemination plan
• Examines the evaluation draft reports in relation to the ToR/contract and consolidates a written response. Ensures that key stakeholders are invited to respond to the draft report.
• Coordinates data collection for PIN core indicators across programmes for HQ/global reporting
• Programmes survey questionnaires in KOBO and provides KOBO training to data collectors

Administration & Archiving

• Approves and archives all the relevant documentation to PIN’s internal databases – ELO, SharePoint etc., according to PIN and donor guidelines
• Ensures that data is collected, managed and stored in line with PIN’s Data Protection Policy
• Together with the PM collects lessons learnt, best practices and challenges and actively re-incorporates them across all the project portfolio

Accountability, learning, dissemination and use of findings

• Supports project teams in planning for and implementation of beneficiary Complaint and Feedback Response Mechanism (CFRM) providing opportunity for beneficiaries to receive information about our commitment and standards, raise suggestions and recommendations for improvements, and understand protocols for action to be taken in response.
• Manages relevant CFRM tools, and tracks projects’ responses to complaints using standard PIN templates together with its national counterparts (designated CFRM Focal Points)
• Ensures CFRM analysis are being conducted regularly (quarterly) and lessons learned are feeding programming
• Guides PMs in the use of all CFRM project templates as per PIN Zambia CRM Framework Policy and Procedures
• Facilitates capturing (Lessons learned template) and discussion of the most important findings and recommendations from MEAL (regular and dedicated meetings) and systematically support the project teams in using MEAL results and findings for modification of project strategy and/or formulation of action points
• Supports project teams in transferring agreed action points into implementation work plans
• Facilitates dissemination of assessment and MEAL findings to stakeholders via preparation of learning/MEAL briefs and fact sheets and presentations
• Participates in grants-closing meetings when the project ends – takes lead on the MEAL part (review of achievements and lessons learnt to improve future programming)
• Shares relevant lessons learned, challenges and successes with the Regional MEAL Advisor for Africa

Capacity building

– Identifies MEAL capacity Development needs of staff, provides MEAL training to project staff or organizes external training

– Provides induction training in MEAL to new project and Programme staff

– Ensures that all project teams’ members and implementing partners’ staff understand and know how to use MEAL tools. This is to be achieved through intensive, direct on the job training with a focus on practical application of MEAL tools

– Trains project teams and implementing partners in using PIN’s CFRM and/or ensures that implementing partners’ own CFRMs are effective

– Trains project teams and implementing partners in assessment methodologies and tools