Job Advertisement: MEAL OFFICER (Baringo/Bungoma,Wajir & Turkana), Save the Children
ROLE PURPOSE:
The MEAL officer is accountable for all tasks related to Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning of the Watoto Rudi Shule Project in Bungoma and Baringo Counties in Kenya. The job holder will be responsible to support and enable the project in the two regions to plan and execute quality and comprehensive MEAL Framework, ensure that timely and accurate data are collected and analyzed to measure and demonstrate our impact on children and to inform, increase quality in our programming through championing for continuous use of Quality Benchmarks and help us to be accountable to children and key stakeholders, working closely with other project staff.
The MEAL Officer under this function will:
be accountable for all tasks related to the Monitoring, Evaluation and Accountability and Learning of UNICEF Watoto Rudi Shule Project
Consolidate; in coordination with implementing partners for Watoto Rudi Shule Project and UNICEF; data reporting and make sure they are aligned with donor requirements.
S/he will report directly to MEAL Coordinator and will provide support to implementing partners including Ministry of Education, Teachers Service Commission, Youth, Gender and Social Service Department, County Directorate of Education Office and Public Health as well as other education stakeholders in the targeted Counties.
In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly
Reports to: MEAL Coordinator
Staff reporting to this post: None
KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITIES
Monitoring & Evaluation:
•Lead in the development of tools and guidelines for data collection, collation and reporting, ensuring that the project has clear MEAL plans, Indicator Performance Tracking Table (IPTT) as well as regular tracking of total beneficiary reach.
•Maintain a program database and ensure that the databases are up-to-date. S/he will contribute to program design by ensuring accurate and up to date MEAL plans, – reviewing log-frames, results frameworks, project plans per project site including supporting teams to include an element of quality monitoring
•S/he will be responsible for ensuring that programme teams have the best project data collection and entry tools to maximize quality and effectiveness of data. Seek solutions for more complex data management requirements by working with IT colleagues.
•S/he will be responsible to ensure that timely and accurate data are collected and analyzed including analysis against the performance indicators and targets on periodic basis to inform the programme management.
•Manage information generated through MEAL activities, such as feedback and response mechanism databases, Quality Action Tracker and Quality Benchmarks dashboards’, implementation and follow-up of evaluations, including preparation of Terms of References, preparing literature review packs, planning evaluator itineraries, planning staff workshops, report review and participate in evaluations where required.
•S/he will regularly update the mapping and dashboards of program locations, activities, available MEAL systems across the Watoto Rudi Shule Project.
•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.
•Support program staff to strengthen joint planning and monitoring with stakeholders.
•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.
•To assist in planning and implementation of baseline surveys, monitoring and evaluation exercises and impact assessments when needed;
•Support program teams in developing quality program reports
•Produce and share MEAL monthly and cumulative yearly annual reports with the MEAL Coordinator and project lead as well as program teams.
Accountability and Learning:
•Ensure that the agreed action plans are followed in timely manner by program team and that the feedback loop is closed.
• S/he will support the implementing partners to ensure the appropriateness, quality and effectiveness of accountability systems across the Watotot Rudi Shule project in the two project sites.
•Regularly collect data on and analyze the Feedback and Response Mechanism (FRM) accountability data ensuring complete feedback loop and quality improvement.
• Share all MEAL related information and reports (monitoring reports, CFM databases, preliminary verification reports, case studies etc.) with the support of MEAL Coordinator.
• Share MEAL best practices, FRM analyses in Monthly MEAL reports.
• Conduct training and awareness raising activities for operations and programme technical staff at country-office level regarding MEAL priorities and quality standards.
•Build capacity of staff through training to ensure adoption of new data monitoring tools and quality of data collected.
• With support from the Head of MEAL and MEAL coordinator and/or other senior programme staff, assist in advocacy activities that target decision-makers in country.
• Supported by SCI Research and Learning Manager champion knowledge management (KM) through the development and use of platforms that store and display evidence and learning that is made accessible and actively used between projects, counties and countries.
• Working with project team and partners, systematically identify, document, share and use learning from project implementation in order to continuously adapt and improve our programming. This includes learning agendas, learning workshops and after action review, action planning and tracking of learning uptake.
Contract Duration: 12 Months (with possibility of extension)
Number of Vacancies: 1
Work Location: Nairobi
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
Essential
- A minimum of 3 years of similar work experience working in INGO’s and or UN Agencies in developmental or in humanitarian programmes
- Experience of, and commitment to working through systems of community participation and accountability
- Demonstrated strong monitoring and evaluation skills, including planning/participating in evaluations
- Experience of training and capacity building at different levels for staff and partners institutional donors and experience of developing proposals
- Ability to write clear and well-argued assessment and project reports
- A high level of written and spoken English
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Ability to work in challenging environment
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with experience working in multicultural, multi -location, values driven teams.
- Strong analytical skills and technique
- Proven knowledge and high degree of computer literacy including excellent word processing and spreadsheet/Excel skills.
- Demonstrated experience with of statistical packages and/ or data analysis software (STATA and/or SPSS, Excel, ATLAS.ti) are a must.
- Demonstrated experience in using IT applications to support MEAL and information management an added advantage.
- Basic knowledge of the Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability.
- Commitment to the aims and principles of Save the Children. In particular, a good understanding of the Save the Children mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin our support.
Desirable
- Good communication skills in Kiswahili and English
- Knowledge of the local languages in the assigned area will be an added advantage
- Experience in working on private and international donor funded projects and government partners in the Education sector
Knowledge and experience in implementing of education programme is an added advantage.
THE ORGANIZATION
We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realize the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.
We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:
- No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
- All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
- Violence against children is no longer tolerated
HOW TO APPLY
Please apply in English saving your CV and covering letter as a single document, including your salary expectations for this role. To see a full a job description, please visit our website at https://kenya.savethechildren.net/careers
We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse. Employment is subject to our Child protection standards including background checks and adherence to our Child Safeguarding Policy.
Save the Children is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to employ and assign the best-qualified talent.
Female Candidates are encouraged to apply.
Disclaimer:
Save the Children International does not charge any kind of fee at whichever stage of the recruitment process, nor request for medical examination or records and does not act through recruitment agents whatsoever…