Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Officer – CST Ethiopia

Description of the Unit/Department CST Ethiopia represents the overseas development and humanitarian agencies of the Catholic Church from England and Wales (CAFOD), Scotland (SCIAF), and Ireland (Trócaire) in Ethiopia. The three agencies have over 40 years’ of experience in international development and humanitarian response and are each members of worldwide networks, including Caritas Internationalis. Currently, the three agencies jointly operate a single, integrated country programme in Ethiopia through the legal entity CST Ethiopia.

Due to ongoing growth and expansion of the CST Ethiopia country program, CST Ethiopia is currently looking for a position of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Officer based in the CST Ethiopia Mekelle Field Office.

The MEAL Officer reports to the Project Coordinator and functionally reports to the MEAL Advisor of CST Ethiopia. The MEAL Officer will manage the MEAL for the IcSP Project based in Tigray, an EU funded project, to deliver the intended results in collaboration with the IcSP team and six local partners.

The MEAL Officer will be responsible for:

•  Ensuring a systematic approach to Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) in line with the Trocaire MEAL Policy in the CST Ethiopia Mekelle Office Programme and will support the implementation of MEAL system for the Project.
•  Working closely with partners on improving their internal M&E systems, providing training, coaching and accompaniment to partner staff in MEAL capacities, skills and tasks.
•  Develop a documented MEAL System plan which will based on the project logical framework, and include clear data collection and analysis plan, responsibility, timeline, and budget.

Commitment to Safeguarding Programme Participants from Exploitation and Abuse : CST Ethiopia is committed to safeguarding people within our programmes from exploitation and abuse and has specific policies on this commitment (including a Global Code of Behaviour), which outlines the expected behaviour and the responsibility of all staff, consultants and other organisational representatives.

Additionally, CST recognises the personal dignity and rights of children, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect. CST Ethiopia and all its staff and volunteers undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for all people, including children and young people, and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse.

Any candidate offered a job with CST will be expected to sign CST’s Safeguarding Policies and Global Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents. All roles will require reference checks, which include reference to safeguarding, child protection and code of behaviour, while specific roles may require additional police vetting.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Design and Implement the MEAL System Plan for the IcSP Grant

• Lead, in conjunction with the Project Coordinator, on the design, documentation, and implementation of the Project MEAL System plan and project logical and results framework.
• Lead in the design and documentation of the guidance and data collection & analysis tools for all project indicators and ensure they are in line with International best practice and GBV International Standards.
• Lead, in conjunction with the Project Coordinator, the design and management of Project Assessments, reviews, evaluations, baseline.
• Ensure counting reach data is collected and reported on internally in a timely manner.

Provide technical support to EU IcSP Programme Team

• Provide training and technical advice on monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning, including results-based management, counting people supported, targeting, data collection and analysis to programme staff.
• Support Programme teams in conducting timely monitoring and learning activities, including quality assurance of the design and use of data collection, and analysis tools that contribute to quality reporting, increased accountability, visibility of programme impact and continual programme improvement.
• Provide technical support to the Programme Team on measuring reach including the annual collection and reporting of reach and using M&E information to inform and adapt programme implementation.
• Support Programme Team to champion the importance of gender sensitive data collection, sex, age and disability disaggregated data and analysis, including the use of the Washington Group Short Set practical indicators and monitoring tools.

Build/ strengthen MEAL-related partner capacity in collaboration with Project Coordinator

• Develop and implement a partner M&E capacity building plan, generating training materials and resources where needed but also utilising the global available where possible.
• Train the partners on participatory approaches, GBV Guiding Principles and WHO ethical considerations for GBV data collection, and monitor the level of survivor-centred, gender-equitable attitudes of the team throughout training and implementation.

Documenting learning and sharing MEAL experiences of CST Ethiopia

• Document and share partner M&E tools and training resources developed at Mekelle office and organisation level and share other global tools/resources with Mekelle office and Partners.
• Learn from other organisational and external documented learning in rolling out new approaches and methods (e.g. digital data monitoring and innovative participatory M&E methods) and explore how to apply these in the region context.
• Ensure learning properly accompanies project activities throughout the project cycle. Support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities and guiding partners in their efforts to reflect on project experiences. Analyse implementation challenges and report any inconsistencies and gaps to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules.

Represent CST Ethiopia

• Actively participate in the in-country and Global MEL cluster meetings to get and share experiences.
• Participate in wider organisational learning opportunities, planning and review work where appropriate.

Other

• Undertake all other duties as may be assigned by the Line Manager and Functional Manager that are consistent with the nature of the job, its level of responsibility and requirements of the CST country programme

Reporting to: GBViE Project Coordinator

Managing: (Individuals/Team) No direct line management

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract with possibility of extension

Contract: Duration 12 Months

Grade and Scale: Grade 6A

Location of Position: Mekelle, with frequent travel to project sites in Tigray