Senior MEAL Expert

Job Description

Organization Profile and Background

Welthungerhilfe/German Agro Action is an international NGO with Head-Quarter in Bonn and working in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Welthungerhilfe/GAA is fighting to help free the world of hunger and poverty. This vision is the basis of our organization’s character and activities. Welthungerhilfe/GAA secures funds from private donations and international funding organizations, for example, EC, USAID, UN-OCHA, ECHO and German Government. We work in the sectors of Agriculture, WASH, Natural Resource Management, Nutrition and Social & Economic Development as well as Civil Society Strengthening. Welthungerhilfe/GAA Ethiopia follows a partnership approach for project planning, implementation, and administration with Ethiopia Partner-NGOs and in exceptional cases WHH/GAA implements projects by itself.

 What We Offer

·        A multicultural work environment where differences are accommodated

·        A continuous learning cultures

·        Innovative and creative work practices

·        A highly committed team

·        Attractive pay and benefit packages (life and medical insurance, Provident fund & Pension)

·        Working with an organizational philosophy: “help the poor to help themselves”

Short description:

The overall objective of the program is to contribute to the strengthening of local civil society organizations (CSOs) in Ethiopia and thus contributing to them becoming active actors of governance and development.  This action is designed to strengthen Ethiopia’s civil society through i) capacity-building and ii) improving of the enabling environment for civil society. In doing so the program will take advantage of the current momentum of the political and legislative reform building on the progress of the EU Civil Society Fund (CSF). The program will be implemented in four administrative regions (Afar, Benishangul-Gumuz, Oromia and Amhara) as well as in Addis Ababa.

General Information 

·       Duty station: Addis Ababa, with frequent travel to the  Program target regions

·       Job Title:  Senior MEAL Expert

·       Reports to: Program Manager   

·       Contract Period:   till  31.01.2028

Objectives of the position

The purpose of this position is to put into place and implement a functional MEAL system for this complex multi-partner Program and ensures progress and achievement are assessed, learning and improvement takes place, and accountability to people we want to assist, donors and other stakeholders is ensured, and MEAL capacities are strengthened. The position holder will work closely with the Program Coordinator, the Country Office MEAL coordinator and the partners. S/he will ensure that learning from the Program is systematically captured and used throughout the Program and also transferred to the country office and other Programs. S/he will work closely with Program team to develop high quality monitoring and evaluation systems which assess and reflect the Programs’ achievement and other criteria as the Programs’ relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability. S/he will take learning needs into account and with support of the MEAL Unit conducts capacity strengthening for Program and partner staff. The position holder is expected to have a high level of self-initiative and use critical thinking skills. S/he should have the ability to work sensitively and positively with the Program team, partners, communities, and other stakeholders and promote a learning environment as the success of the post relies on this.

 Duties and areas of responsibility

Key Responsibilities: Panning, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning and Capacity building

Planning

•   Design/adapt MEAL tools adapted to the Program (such as activity & budget plan, MEAL activities time plan and indicator tracking, reporting, learning tools, accountability plan)

•  Design ToR to guide the external baseline survey and closely support the selection the consulting team and working with the team especially on ensuring the quality of methodological approach and report

•  Ensure the baseline studies meet the quality and WHH and donor standards and expectations and is well adapted to the Program. 

Monitoring

• Ensure MEAL tools and action plans are regularly updated and implemented on timely base and data/ evidence are shared with the Program team

• Undertake timely- qualitative and quantitative data collection at regular basis to measure the result progress of the output/outcome indicators according to the Programs’ MEAL plan
• Ensure the CO MEAL minimum standards are part of the day-to-day Program implementation and quality monitoring practices
• Ensure M&E database is developed and implemented (e.g. Digital based beneficiary master distribution list)
• Assurance data quality for surveys and qualitative tools (from design to data analysis)
• Support partners to conduct/lead post distribution monitoring (PDM) for relevant activities in the Program
• Conduct MEAL capacity building training for Program and partner HO staff
• Independently develop Program MEAL tools based on observed gaps or requests
• Ensure WHH standards for output monitoring are fulfilled
• Manage, facilitate and / or implement the conduction of any monitoring activity in the project (surveys as well as qualitative methods).
• Provide data quality assurance for surveys and qualitative tools (from design to data analysis)

• Ensure the monitoring data and documents are well captured/stored and up to data in the internal Program management system (ProMIS)
• Conduct Program monitoring visits, discuss observations, and develop improvement plans with the Program team and share the findings with the Program team as well as the CO MEAL team

 Evaluation

• Design ToR to guide the process of the external evaluation and working with the evaluation team closely especially on ensuring the quality of methodological approach and report
• Ensure the evaluations meet the quality and WHH and donor standards and expectations and are well adapted to the objectives.
• Carry out spot checks and real-time evaluations

 Accountability

• Rollout of the country office accountability standards in the Program
• Build the teams and partners capacity on accountability
•  Lead the Program level CRM plan
• Support Program activities related to accountability
• Support the roll-out of the WHH Code of Conduct to the program implementing teams

 Learning

• Support the Program team in capturing lessons learned and effective use of monitoring data (including the facilitation of learning sessions or development of tools and templates)
•  Together with the Program coordinator organise exchange among partners or with other Programs or NGOs
• Engage in sharing of experience with other programmes
•  Share learnings of MEAL activities (on process, methodology and content) with the CO-team
•  Support the technical staff in developing technical manuals or quality checklists

•   Assure learnings are implicated in subsequent project revisions or new plans

Capacity strengthening

• Develop a standard capacity development manual on MEAL tools and standards
• Initiate and lead capacity building trainings on MEAL tools and standards for project and implementing partner staff and sub-grantees.
• Support and facilitate the establishment of learning and exchange platforms among subgrantees and provide continuous support to strengthen the platform.
• Initiate and facilitate Peer Exchange and Learning activities among the program team and subgrantees  

Reporting

• Compile reports for the Program based on the WHH and donor requirements

Additional tasks may be assigned based on need by the Program Coordinator or the CO team.

Job Requirement

·       Bachelor or Master degree in a relevant field of studies such as rural development, developmental economics, development related discipline (agriculture, nutrition, WASH. NRM, statistics)

·       At least 7 years of total experience in development sector; and at least 4 years in MEAL (for BA holders a minimum of 9-year work experience in related sectors in INGO setting)

·       Language proficiency in English, and at least one additional local language (more is an advantage)

·       Coordination and organization skill

·        Exceptional analytical and writing skills

·        Good knowledge of statistical tools, data analysis and research processes

·        Ability and experience on digital data management and analysis Apps.

·        Experience in working in a participatory way and applying qualitative and quantitative tools

·        Experience in establishing MEAL System including Complaint Response Mechanism

·        Experience in facilitating interactive workshops and trainings

·        Experience in mentoring and coaching local partners

·        Specific experience of managing capacity strengthening or civil society Programs is an advantage

·        Experience with consortia/multi-partner Programs is an advantage

·        Integrity and trustfulness

·        Creative, flexible, and proactive

·        Excellent communication and interpersonal skill

·        Ability to manage stressful situations and work under pressure and meet deadlines

·        Willingness to work in the field and travel to remote and unstable areas

 The position holder should work in a team-oriented manner and adhere to standards and principles as described in the “Welthungerhilfe Code of Conduct”, Child Protection Policy; the Core Humanitarian Standard and Do No Harm.