Monitoring ,Evaluation ,Accountability and learning (MEAL) officer

Finn Church Aid (FCA) is the largest Finnish international aid organization. We operate in 12 countries, where the needs are most dire. We work with the poorest people, regardless of their religious beliefs, ethnic background, or political convictions. FCA work is based on promotion of human dignity and fundamental human rights and freedom, and FCA?s operations are guided by equality, non-discrimination, and responsibility. FCA Ethiopia Country Office has been established in 2022 working in livelihood, education and peace sectors.

Primary purpose of the position: The MEAL Officer will provide support in developing, implementing and maintaining effective and appropriate monitoring and evaluation systems for all project activities implemented under their Field Office. The post will involve coordination with project implementation teams in line with reporting requirements, and with FCA guidelines, policies and best practices.

Main tasks

Data analysis and reporting

• Coordinate planning and execution of all data collection, cleaning and management; and related activities in Yumbe field office.
• Contribute to compilation and review of the monthly, quarterly and annual reports as per country program and donor requirements for all projects under the area program.
• Conduct data analysis and use quanititative and qualitative analysis to support writing.
• Cleaning, sorting, categorising all forms of program data under the area program
• Preparing internal evaluation reports, review of evaluation findings/ project results for donors and other stakeholders in the area program.
• Ensure an effective rollout of MEAL and reporting systems to all field staff and partners through training, site visits and other forms of techinal support as needed.
• Carry out quality assurance to all reports under the area program.
• Work with the area manager and project managers to ensure that projects? MEAL systems are well linked and or integrated with overll MEAL systems of FCA Ethiopia program.
• Ensure that information obtained through monitoring and is also shared with communities, teachers, parents and other relevant stakeholders through regular feedback mechanisms to ensure continuous performance improvement.
• Respond to all data requests from the country office or donors and donor representatives in the area.

1. Support financial accountability and audits whenever necessary through verification of delivered interventions and physical items or any other assigned related tasks.

1. Support program accountability through sharing client feedback (such as complaints from beneficiaries), and contributing to provision of the organisation’s feedback alongside program teams.

Planning

• Review and contribute to monitoring and evaluation plans for all projects under the area program.
• Work with partners in the area and project teams to popularise the reporting processes and ensure that all information and data is collected, documented and reported accurately in a timely manner
• Ensure that all projects in the area program comply to FCA?s MEAL requirements especially repoirting on all required indicators and targets for projects.
• Supporting proposal development and ensuring that MEAL components are catered for especially for projects targeting the area program.
• Based on project proposals and their implementation plans, contribute to developing systems for capturing and reporting data.
• Spearhead evaluation and other learning studies under the area program, observing high quality standards and guidance from the Country Office and or Head Office

Knowledge management and learning

• Work with the MEAL manager, area manager, project managers and other field staff to ensure that project MEAL systems are well linked and or integrated with overall MEAL priorities and systems for the FCA Ethiopia country program.
• Ensuring that information collected from communities, teachers, parents and other relevant stakeholders generate learnings for the country program to execute necessary improvements in projects and methods of work.
• Keeping record of information obtained during research (data bases, hard files etc) at area program level.
• Ensuring routine data collection, analysis, reporting and learning in the area program in a way that feeds into country program.

Coordination

• Coordinate, supervise, and build capacity of the field based MEAL team (MEAL officer and MEAL assistants) in the field officers

Contribution to the country program development outside the Yumbe area program.

• Support wherever called upon towards development of other area programs with data quality control, sharing best practices and capacity building efforts for new and exisiting staff.
• Support other FCA programs and projects whenever there is need in terms of extra work load, human resource gaps or new project interventions being undertaken as may be necessary.
• Undertake other duties as may be assigned by the main supervisor (MEAL Manager), the Area Manager or other members of the Ethiopia country program senior management team.

DUTY STATION : Addis ababa REPORTS TO : Head Of Program Deadline : May 4th 2025

Competence, experience, skills, knowledge needed

• Postgraduate study in Monitoring and Evaluation or any other advanced training in MEAL, quantitative analysis or data base management.
• Bachelors degree in statistics, social sciences, social work, development studies or a related degree from a recognized university.
• A Masters degree is of serious added advantage
• Minimum 4 years work experience in MEAL in any related field of education, community development, or related fields.
• Computer literacy and ability to use data analysis tools
• Sound strategic thinking and planning skills, including ability to think creatively, innovate, set priorities, manage work plans, and evaluate progress.
• Strong communication skills (both written and verbal), with ability to analyze complex data and summarize it for a range of audiences.
• Experience of working within budget constraints
• Knowledge of SPSS or other data analysis packages
• Experience in at least one of education (ECD, primary, secondary and TVET), Protection, livelihoods and peace building interventions.
• Experience with projects funded by UNHCR, UNICEF, PRM, ECHO, USAID is an added advantage.