Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Advisor/MEAL Officer

Professional Alliance for Development (PADet) is an indigenous, not-for-profit; a nongovernmental humanitarian organization established in 1998. It has been serving disadvantaged and marginalized segments of the community especially youth, women children in the areas of Reproductive Health HIV/AIDs Prevention and Care, Child Protection, Women Development and Livelihood &Food Securities for the last 25 years.

Project Background

PADet, as a consortium partner in a program led by SNV and funded by Mastercard Foundation will be implementing an anticipated flagship program focused on enabling 112,000 Rural young women (RYW) to access dignified and fulfilling jobs in Eastern Amhara regions. The program will target high-potential agricultural value chains (e.g., horticulture, poultry, dairy), using a market systems development approach. So PADet needs to recruit qualified and competent candidates in the following job opportunities.

Job title: Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Advisor/MEAL Officer

Grade level: IX

Location: Field office/Dessie

Report to: Cluster Coordinator

Number of staff required: 1

Summary of the Position

The position holder is responsible for leading planning, monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEAL) activities at the cluster level, working closely with program technical teams. It ensures that annual and quarterly plans are effectively developed and tracked, program performance is routinely monitored against targets, and quality data is collected, validated, and reported. The role maintains the cluster-level digital data system, supports timely and accurate reporting, and promotes the use of data for learning and adaptive management through regular reviews and knowledge sharing, and supports documentation of best practices and lessons learned. It also builds the capacity of data clerks and technical teams on MEAL tools, planning processes, and quality assurance to drive evidence-based implementation and accountability to target groups and donor.

Key Responsibilities:

Planning, monitoring and evaluation

• Lead the development and consolidation of annual, quarterly, and monthly cluster work plans in alignment with program targets and national plans.
• Facilitating the development of woreda level project, DIP preparation broke down by year, quarter and month.
• Monitor implementation progress against planned activities and outputs, identify challenges, and support technical teams in making timely adjustments.
• Plans and conduct quarterly and annual program review meetings to assess progress, adjust plans, and draw/disseminate lessons learned.
• Conduct regular field visits with technical teams using standard monitoring checklists to ensure activities meet quality benchmarks and verify reported results.
• Plan and coordinate regular field visits and review meetings internally and externally as needed- including government joint monitoring, mid and final review/reflection.
• Support the planning and implementation of surveys, assessments, and evaluations within the cluster, ensuring quality methodologies and proper documentation.
• Organize regular reflection and review meetings with technical teams to analyze data, extract lessons learned and identify areas for adaptive programming.
• Contribute to revisions of the program theory of change and ensure MEL systems at the cluster level reflect adaptive learning and evolving program realities

Data management, reporting and documentation

• Oversee routine data collection and ensure timely data entry, validation, and secure storage in the digital database at the cluster level.
• Prepare and submit high-quality cluster-level performance reports (monthly, quarterly, annual) that feed into national reporting requirements.
• Develop and share dashboards and summary visualizations with technical teams to inform progress reviews and decision-making.
• Ensure regular and timely submission of project quarterly and annual performance reports to CCU/regional government signatory bodies following the standard template requirement
• Support for compilation of annual ACSO reports following standard template requirement
• Coaches in reporting inconsistency by orienting all program staff on indicators, and reporting system
• Support the project team in the collection, compilation, consolidation and analysis of routine project data in the cluster.
• Works closely with the other team members to ensure data is timely and accurate from grass root level, follow up and doing data audits when necessary
• Conduct routine regular data quality assessments across data management and reporting system to verify reported figures; formulate and implement data management improvement measures.
• Ensure that data collection and reporting tools are consistently utilized at grass root level
• Coordinate closely with the national MEAL team to align cluster-level data, plans, learning outputs, and reports with SNV, donor, and government requirements.
• Document and share success stories, good practices, lessons learned, and innovative approaches.
• Ensure MEAL records and supporting evidence are well-organized and accessible for program audits, donor reviews, and internal learning.

Quality assurance & accountability

• Apply quality assurance tools and checklists to monitor adherence to program standards and technical guidelines.
• Support the effective use of accountability mechanisms, such as community feedback and complaints systems, and ensure responses are documented and inform program improvements.
• Conduct spot checks to validate data and verify the quality of services delivered.

Capacity building & technical support

• Build the capacity of data clerks and technical teams on planning processes, monitoring tools, data quality standards, digital data systems, and the use of data for decision-making.
• Provide practical support in developing cluster-level data collection plans, survey tools, and performance tracking templates tailored to interventions.
• Provide training and on-going coaching to program staff to strengthen their capacity in data management and reporting

Qualifications and Experience:

• Master’s /BA degree in Monitoring & Evaluation, Economics, Development Studies or a related field.
• At least 4 years of experience in MEAL systems, program performance tracking.
• Sound knowledge and experience in the concepts and application of theory of change, results measurement and monitoring systems.
• Experience in working with value chain development, agribusiness development and youth employment related projects and programs
• Experience in working in international and national organizations (public and private)
• Excellent analytical, report writing, and communication skills.
• Familiarity with youth-focused programs, particularly in skills development, financial inclusion, and gender equity.
• Fluency in English is required
• Willingness to travel to the field.

Personal Competency:

• Willingness to work extra working hours and weekends with staff.
• Highly motivated, self-managed and Strategic oriented.
• High level commitment to achieve project goal and Objectives.
• Able to work with minimum supervision.
• Ability to prepare and submit quality reports timely.