GRADE: 4

TEAM/PROGRAMME: PDQ

LOCATION: Bardibas, EFO

CONTRACT LENGTH: Fixed term until December 2018 with possible extension

CHILD SAFEGUARDING: Level 3: the post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE: 

The MEAL Officer will execute the MEAL system in all programme interventions within designated field areas through PNGOs and government partners. MEAL Officer, with the support of the Senior MEAL Coordinator, shall lead the PNGOs MEAL team and local government partners and provide quality technical support for quality control, program planning, capacity building of program and MEAL staffs in Monitoring & Evaluation, setting up and managing program quality monitoring and accountability systems in the field and PNGOs.

S/He ensures smooth functioning of the MEAL system in all PNGOs under the Field Office; conducts monthly quality monitoring (75%) in line with quality benchmark (QB) and drafts report for the same. S/He conducts output monitoring quarterly and prepares project tracking (activities planned vs. achievements) report on quarterly basis. The position holder conducts complaint satisfaction survey and prepares its report; be a team member of comprehensive compliance monitoring and supports the team in drafting its report. S/He will be a team member of intensive monitoring and support the team in drafting its report support field with data quality assurance (via on-site verification and validation). He conducts PNGOs MEAL capacity assessment survey and drafts its report; mentors and capacitates PNGOs MEAL team in MEAL approach (handle toll free number, register issues and suggestions in CFM-Excel database, update CFM-Excel database in the OPMIS; maintains action plan tracker generated through field visit report in Excel database; updates the action plan tracker excel database in the OPMIS). S/He will technically support the Program Team/Consultants during baseline survey design/formative and operational research/evaluation (mid-term as well as end-line); documents case studies quarterly; reviews program periodic reports; ensures smooth functioning of complaint & feedback mechanisms (CFM) in field as well as PNOGs. S/He will also ensure the CFM and Action Plan Tracker are up-to-date in the OPMIS.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY : 

Planning:

• Develop/review monitoring checklist based on quality benchmark. Translate it into Nepali, if required.
  
• Assist Sr. MEAL Coordinator and program team while developing program/project M&E plan (indicator definition, indicator calculation process; data collection tool/methodology, frequency for data collection, responsible person and use of the information).
  
• Technically support Sr. MEAL Coordinators in developing monitoring tools and approaches.
  
• Support program team in finalizing quality benchmark (making it more monitor-able, specific, measurable, achievable, attainable, relevant and time-bound).
  
• Support program team during project planning (project planning meeting workshop, annual review meeting workshop).

Monitoring: 

• Capacities, mentor and supervise PNGOs MEAL Officer(s) in quality monitoring against quality benchmark.
  
• Organize 75% field visits to monitor program activities/interventions against quality benchmark; share monitoring reports in line with pre-set quality benchmark findings and prepare action plan jointly with program team. 
  
• Perform MEAL quality monitoring field visits during humanitarian response activities (viz. temporary learning centres/safe space, temporary schools) and while distribution of food items (FIs) and non-food items (NFIs).
  
• Ensure that the action plan tracker has been maintained in the excel database and has also been successfully updated in the OPMIS.
  
• Conduct follow-up monitoring visits to materialize action agreed in action plan tracker and maintain 'Monitoring - Action Plan Tracker' at field level.
  
• Conduct quarterly output monitoring and share its finding with concerned program team.
  
• Prepare project tracking (activities planned vs. achievements) along with the reason for its variance (quarterly).
  
• Conduct joint monitoring in coordination with program and finance team and produce its report.
  
• Be a team member during comprehensive compliance monitoring of PNGOs and support the team member while drafting its report.
  
• Be a team member during intensive monitoring of PNGOs and support the team member while drafting its report.

Evaluation: 

• Technically (comments on TOR and methodologies, finalize indicators, provide inputs in research questions, perform/advise sampling tools and techniques, proof read draft reports) support program team and consultants while conducting situation analysis study, baseline, midterm evaluation and end-line evaluation. 
  
• Provide technical support in the field to program team while conducting CRSA, CEMIS, QLE, child participation quality service delivery survey.
  
• Provide technical support to program team, consultants and Operation Research Coordinators while conducting formative and operational research.
  
• Analyze (conduct cross tabulations, perform statistical tests) baseline, midterm and evaluation datasets as per the need and requirement of program team.

Accountability: 

• Ensure that all staffs in the field including partner staffs fully understand and promote accountability in general and to children in particular through training and coaching. 
  
• Establish an effective functional system for complaints/feedback handling and response mechanisms at field and PNGOs. 
  
• Support PNGOs MEAL team in designing community sharing tools (pocket/wall calendar, hoarding boards, master flex prints and radio jingles).
  
• Ensure PNGOs MEAL team has shared community sharing tools (pocket calendar with MEAL's information, master flex print, radio jingles, toll free number and objectives of the activity/project) with the beneficiaries.
  
• Capacitate, mentor and supervise fields as well as PNGOs MEAL Assistant(s) in managing complaint and feedback mechanism (accountability concerns).
  
• Ensure that the complaints/feedback mechanism issues are addressed on time.
  
• Ensure the complaints and feedbacks have been successfully and timely updated in the OPMIS.
  
• Perform regular trend analysis (of various variables present in the CFM recording form) of complaints/feedbacks at field level and share it with program team.
  
• Conduct preliminary verification and prepare preliminary report in case of serious nature of complaints filed by beneficiaries/communities. 
  
• Ensure that the complaints/feedback mechanism guideline has been followed by all staffs within the fields PNGOs (staffs and board members). 
  
• Conduct complaints satisfaction survey rating (quarterly) and share with program team.

Learning: 

• Document learning's generated through MEAL approach. 
  
• Compile two case studies (quarterly) related to MEAL good practices.
  
• Suggest program team to incorporate key learning's (generated via the CFM & Action Plan Tracker lodged in the OPMIS) in the upcoming plans and interventions. 
  
• Design and maintain innovative learning tools and approaches (via learning log) and ensure its use by the program team.

Leadership and Team Development:

• Provide management and technical support to PNGOs related to MEAL activities and issues.

Support PNGOs during MEAL staff (officer and assistant) recruitment process.

Solve MEAL related issues.

• Ensure proper MEAL documentation (systematic filing of: filled up CFM forms; monthly MEAL documents; case verification reports; meeting minutes during case verifications) maintained by MEAL team at PNGOs.
  
• Generate innovative approaches and ideas related to MEAL in-order to strengthen MEAL system in the field and at PNGOs (during annual MEAL workshops).
  
• Conduct PNGOs capacity assessment survey (on MEAL indicators).

Indicator finalization.

• Tool finalization (questionnaire development based on indicators).
  
• Sampling of PNGOs (staffs and board members) for the survey.
  
• Perform editing, coding and data entry of the filled up forms.
  
• Data analysis and report generation.
  
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• Capacitate PNGOs MEAL team (as well as program team) in DM&E and other aspects recommended by the capacity assessment survey (conducted on MEAL indicators).
  
• Share MEAL issues, concerns, status and updates during field review workshops.

Reporting:

• Generate monthly MEAL quality monitoring field visit reports (project/program intervention), quarterly output reports, project tracking (activities planned vs. achievements) report, MEAL field visit report (humanitarian response), comprehensive compliance monitoring report, intensive monitoring report, LQAS report, capacity assessment report and complaint satisfaction survey report.
  
• Compile MEAL reports at the field level (sent by all PNGOs MEAL Officers on monthly basis).
  
• Support Sr. MEAL Coordinators while compiling different thematic total reach data into total reach compiled sheet and prepare draft compiled total reach report.
  
• Support Sr. MEAL Coordinators while reporting global indicators.
  
• Ensure data quality of periodic reports; verify the data and information from sources periodically in sample basis.

Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS):

• Perform Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) to identify management issues within the project intervention as well as to track whether the project is in the stipulated track or not.
  
• Finalize indicators from M&E Plan in coordination with program team.
  
• Finalize questionnaire based on project indicators in coordination with program team.
  
• Assign supervision area (classification of 6 supervision areas) in coordination with program team.
  
• Randomly select 19 samples (interviewee) for interview from each supervision area.
  
• Conduct interviews
  
• Perform editing, coding and data entry of the filled up forms.
  
• Perform data analysis and interpretation.

Data Quality Assurance (DQA):

• Support program team in all three phases (before, during and after data collection) of DQA.
  
• Before Data Collection (first phase):
  
• Ensure M&E Plan has been executed.
  
• Support program team during sampling, designing methodologies, tools and instruments (questionnaires developed in line with the indicators).
  
• Support program team/enumerators by providing orientations on data collection.

During Data Collection (second phase):

• Perform onsite data verification, supervision and provide technical support to enumerators.
  
• Verify data and information randomly (10% of the total sample size in the case of survey and 5% schools/10% households in the case of census viz. CEMIS). 

After Data Collection (third phase):

• Technically support program team with data coding and editing.
  
• Ensure whether the data has been entered in the prescribed template or not.
  
• Cross-check data entry and support program team to maintain the quality of data (by ensuring no more than 5% data entry error).
  
• Support program team to analyze (cross tabulation and perform statistical tests) the data.

MEAL in Emergencies:

• Provide technical assistance during emergency preparedness plan.
  
• Support the field during risk assessment.
  
• Support in mitigating risk assessment.
  
• Assist field during emergencies. 
  
• Support in assisting the situation during emergencies.
  
• Support in preparing sector plan (thematic areas).
  
• Support in preparing sector MEAL plan.
  
• Perform MEAL monitoring at emergency sites.
  
• Prepare output tracker to identify the total number of survivors supported and rescued during the emergencies.
  
• Perform post distribution monitoring of non-food items (use and relevancy of the supported items).
  
• Support in performing evaluation of humanitarian responses.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
  
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
  
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
  
• Future orientated, thinks strategically.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
  
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
  
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
  
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

QUALIFICATION, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• Bachelor's degree in any discipline, preferably in related Social Sciences
  
• At least 2 years of experience in monitoring and evaluation and/or experience, preferably at INGOs
  
• Expertise in databases, MS Office.
  
• Ability to work under pressure and adjust to difficult living and working condition.
  
• Good Interpersonal and Communication skills.
  
• Proficient in report writing and documentation.
  
• Negotiation and interpersonal communication skills.
  
• Strong facilitating skills and use of Participatory approaches.
  
• Good stress management skills. 
  
• Knowledge of local languages will be an added advantage.