MEAL Coordinator -Jigjiga

Relief and Development for Vulnerable (RDV) is a non-governmental, non-profit making, non-political and non-religious Civil Society Organization (CSO), initiated by multidisciplinary pastoral background youth, committed to contribute to living condition of marginalized, vulnerable and fragile part of pastoral community.  RDV is registered under the Ethiopian civil society charity organization number 11/10/2016. RDV mission is to ensure that pastoral communities have sustainable livelihood, access to basic services, healthy and prosperous pastoral and agro pastoral societies in Somali region through provision of basic service, income generation and social empowerment, for all vulnerable groups (particularly women, children and disabled) living in the Somali Region of Ethiopia.

Somali region is highly vulnerable to climatic shocks and is one of the most drought-prone regions of Ethiopia, and the severe drought that began in late 2020 has continued into 2023 with the passing of five poor to failed rainy seasons. As per the recent Food Security Monitoring System (FSMS) assessment, an estimated 2.2 million people are targeted for humanitarian response in drought-affected areas (composed of severely food insecure and moderately food insecure people depending on food assistance as the main food source. RDV has received funding from World Food Program and will implement a project named Provision of life-saving general food and cash assistance to food insecure population and internally displaced persons in the Somali region to meet their basic food needs in cluster two target woredas namely East-Emay, Dhanan, Adadle, Abakorow, Gode, Kalafo, Mustahil, Fefer, Berano, Elele, Elwayne,  Horashagah, Elkari, Hargelle, West-emay,  Raaso,  Gorabaqasa, Guradhamole, Lagahida and Salahad.

Purpose

The MEAL Coordinator will ensure that monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and data management system is in place, sufficiently resourced, and successfully implemented from collection to visualization. She/he will be responsible for building the capacity of staff in all MEAL related work based on identified needs including providing technical support on data collection methods, data analysis, data quality assurance, client responsiveness, gender analysis, and result-based management. She/he will also ensure quality data collected is entered into a data platform, data analysis is completed by project teams, and will play a key role in the process of reporting on the impact of the RDV program to donors.

Key Roles and responsibilities

1.Technical leadership and management

ü  Provide overall monitoring, evaluation, accountability, & learning leadership of the program, bringing coherence to all MEAL activities and setting priorities in designing and overseeing the implementation of the project’s MEAL activities in collaboration with the other technical advisors and the implementation team.

ü  Working with the technical and MEAL advisors across the partners, ensuring shared, harmonized, and integrated MEAL approaches across the partners.

ü  Provides capacity building and leadership of MEAL staff to ensure innovative, adaptive, and iterative learning approaches across the consortium.

ü  Ensure the use of digital technology for information data collection, sharing, evidence generation, learning and technical approach adaptation.

ü  Works in close coordination with executive director, ensure strong MEAL alignment with RDV’s overall program and strategy.

ü  Provide leadership for Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement measures in governance work.

2. Monitoring:

ü  Ensure that the program has a solid MEAL plan, Indicator Performance Tracking Tables (IPTT) and log frames.

ü  Conduct frequent visits to field operations to assess the quality of the program, MEAL work, and ensure understanding and compliance with MEAL procedures and provide guidance and coaching to staff.

ü  Support the Program and MEAL teams in updating the indicator tracking tables and provide necessary MEAL guidance regarding project performance.

ü  Lead in the development of harmonized tools and guidelines for data collection, collation and reporting across the consortium.

ü  Maintain a program database and ensure that the databases are updated regularly.

ü  Capacity building of program staff on project related M&E templates/forms for data collection; like Indicator Performance Tracking Table (IPTT) etc.

ü  Organize field visits to monitor program activities / interventions against Quality Benchmarks/Quality Checklists and produce & share reports with program team as well as management team based on quality and accountability findings.

ü  Leads in the quality of program design – reviewing log-frames, results frameworks, project plan, strategic plans, MEAL Plan etc.

ü  Lead in conducting data quality assessment to ensure that data reported is validated, is accurate and consistent while providing feedback as necessary to program teams;

ü  Analysis against the performance indicators and targets on periodic basis

ü  To carry out follow-up monitoring visits to materialize actions agreed and update these in the online “Monitoring-Action Plan Tracker’.

ü   Support program teams in developing quality program report

3.REPORTING

ü  Ensure quality and timely reporting of weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reports to RDV and donors.

ü  Create and maintain a system of communication, storytelling and case studies generated by RDV activities;

ü  Ensure timely responses to donors and partners regarding M&E requirements, including follow-up of result frameworks, projects’ theories of change, risk matrix and other follow-up tools as needed.

ü  When needed and upon requirement of the RDVMEAL Strategy, support in the development of proposals.

4. Accountability, learning, dissemination and use of findings

ü  Support Program teams in planning for and implementation of Beneficiary Feedback Mechanisms (BFMs) providing opportunity for beneficiaries to receive information about food distributions and standards, raise suggestions and recommendations for improvements, and understand protocols for action to be taken in response

ü  Provide technical support in developing and managing Complaints Response Mechanism (CRM) tools to ensure accessibility by beneficiaries and stakeholders

ü  Support Program teams in the identification and documentation of lessons learned and best practices

ü  Facilitate dissemination of assessment and MEAL findings to stakeholders via preparation of learning/MEAL briefs, fact sheets, and presentation

ü  Promote accountability, learning and knowledge management as part of the implementation of the MEAL framework.

ü  Contribute to creating and maintaining the proper conditions for documentation of learning opportunities and best practices. Help establish a safe environment for the sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to deficiencies.

ü  Establish and maintain a system of project review in collaboration with project managers, implementing partners and the MEAL Team

ü  Work with the MEAL officer and program team to set up, implement and monitor suitable feedback and accountability mechanisms for the food assistance project.

5. Capacity Building and Management

ü  Coordinate technical assistance and capacity strengthening for MEAL and program team in project management standards and related MEAL activities. Help identify training opportunities, develop training schedules and deliver trainings where possible.

ü  Provide leadership and manage the MEAL team by providing sufficient support and guidance for the team members to achieve their tasks/objectives in the best quality possible while ensuring an open and engaging environment focused on supportive supervision, constructive feedback, recognition of effort and respect of work/life balance

Key qualifications

ü  University degree or/and Master’s degree in social sciences, statics, program evaluation, data science, economic, econometrics and operations research, or a related field

ü  Minimum 7 years of solid experience working in MEAL for INGOs and UN agencies in the humanitarian or development sectors.

ü  Fluent in Somali and Strong written and oral English skills

ü  Demonstrated ability to conduct rigorous quantitative and qualitative analysis using appropriate analytical methods(Excel, SPSS and STATA); design and implement quantitative and qualitative rapid appraisals, etc.

ü  Extensive experience in database management, quantitative software applications and qualitative methods

ü  Demonstrated knowledge of institutional donors and their MEAL requirements (USAID and WFP)

ü  Ability to work both in an advisory and a hands-on implementation capacity

ü  Strong ability and interest to working with local partners and building their capacities

Experience in team management