MEAL Officer

The Opportunity

The MEAL Officer will be responsible for monitoring project activities, including conducting post-distribution monitoring and supporting project assessments in close collaboration with data collectors. The role also involves supporting external evaluation processes, ensuring the effective implementation of accountability systems in project intervention areas, and capturing learning insights for the field office under the Strengthening Climate Resilience through the Integrated Landscape Project, in close coordination with the project field team 

The MEAL Officer will be responsible for collecting essential performance monitoring data, conducting quality benchmark monitoring, and preparing monthly accomplishment reports for submission to the MEAL Coordinator. Furthermore, he/she will support and facilitate MEAL-related tasks in collaboration with the MEAL team to ensure the timely delivery of activities with the desired quality standard.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY: (MEAL officer)

Job specific roles and responsibilities 

Finalize and operationalize the MEAL Plan, IPTT, SOPs, aligning indicators with PMF/logical frameworks of the project

 Finalize and operationalize other MEAL toolkits, such as MEAL PIRS, Action Tracker, Feedback Tracker, and Quality Benchmarks

Develop and update MEAL plan and log frame on PRIME, ensuring indicator progress and means of verification are adequately updated by project teams.

Lead set-up of database design, digital data collection (Kobo), data management pipelines, and Power BI dashboards for near real-time performance monitoring.

Establish Data Quality Assurance (DQA) procedures and verification sampling frames

Reporting

Oversee routine monitoring cycles, ensuring completeness, timeliness, and disaggregation (gender, age, inclusion, and participation of women, youth, children, and persons with disabilities in project‑relevant activities and decision‑making.

Design and implement DQAs, spot checks, back-checks, and collect the relevant beneficiaries' data from project livelihood officers.

Supervise the project progress with a standard checklist in project intervention kebeles and triangulate among their monthly progress reports, then identify data quality gaps.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Minimum Qualifications and Experience Required

Essential:

BA/BSC Degree in Monitoring & Evaluation, Statistics, Agriculture, Livelihoods, Rural Development, Economics, advanced degree preferred.

3 years MEAL experience in livelihoods, economic empowerment or market systems programs, with at least 2 years directly to FSL projects.

Strong practical experience with digital data collection tools (Kobo/ODK), data management systems, and dashboarding tools.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITY 

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in difficult environments
• Experience in pastoral contexts, preferably Afar region; knowledge of the Afar language mandatory
• Excellent report writing and English proficiency.
• Strong interpersonal, advocacy, communication, and facilitation skills

The Organisation

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 realise 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 

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued. 

Application Information:

Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application and include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations.  A copy of the full role profile can be found at www.savethechildren.net/careers

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply!

All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our global anti-harassment policy.