Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Officer

Job Title: Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Officer             

Department: M&E

Position Type:  Fulltime

Location:  Afmadow and Dhobley districts

Supervisory role:  MEAL Assistant

Reports to: MEAL Manager

Closing date for applications: 31st January, 2025    

Start date: February, 2025

BACKGROUND

WASDA is a non-profit national organization dedicated to creating an enabling environment for marginalized communities to break the cycle of poverty and exclusion. For the past 24 years, WASDA has been working with vulnerable internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities in Southern Somalia, primarily in the Afmadow, Badhade, and Kismayo districts of Jubaland State and Southwest State. The organization’s programs include Food Security and Livelihood, Nutrition, Health, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), Protection, Education, and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).

ROLE PURPOSE:

The MEAL Officer provides hands-on support and leads on specific MEAL activities. This includes designing and implementing a robust MEAL system in line with WASDA standards and procedures, Accountability and Learning Plans; conducting and supporting evaluation studies (baseline, midterm and end line), designing program monitoring tools, ensuring effective monitoring of program outputs and outcomes; and contributing to WASDA annual monitoring and reporting. The position also supports effective accountability systems, including beneficiary complaints and response systems; and will contribute to program and organizational learning processes. The Officer also provides MEAL capacity building for program staff. The MEAL Officer is expected to work in close collaboration with MEAL Team members and with program and staff. 

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support the development and implementation of quality program monitoring and evaluation systems, frameworks, methodologies, tools, analysis and reporting, in line with donor requirements, WASDA standards and procedures and priorities for specific projects.
• Support quality baseline, midterm and final evaluation studies. This includes developing evaluations TORs, supporting the recruitment of external consultants, liaising with consultants during the evaluation, reviewing evaluations reports.
• Conduct quality assessments including baseline, designing methodologies relevant to the program indicators, designing tools, training and supervising enumerators, conducting data cleaning and analysis, and writing clear evaluation study reports.
• Support all project staff in M&E activities and in particular ensuring good data quality, corresponding to good quality reporting and resulting in learning and adaptation or replication.
• In liaison with Sector heads, support in the compilation and submission of quality and timely periodical reports - (Weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual reports) and provide graphic/illustrated feedback to management of standard indicators for all sectors.
• Responsible for the establishment, implementation and improvement of WASDA Complaints and Response Mechanism in all sectors and components of the operations in the Area Program.
• Maintain a complaints database and manage the complaints feedback and referral system in close collaboration with the Focal Person(s)/sector heads and management.
• Support analysis and research to inform program planning and design; and to capture evidence of effectiveness
• Lead on specific project learning processes
• Build program staff capacities on MEAL activities
• Contribute to donor proposals and concept notes with MEAL related inputs on evidence, logical frameworks, indicators etc.
• Ensure gender sensitive, inclusive and participatory processes across MEAL components
• Conduct regular field visits to monitor project implementation and data collection processes.
• Responsible for representing WASDA at MEAL Initiatives/forums and meetings.
• Any other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

 Education/Professional Designations/Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences, Statistics or other related field.
• Proven experience of at least 4 years in implementing effective M&E tools and systems in preferably health, nutrition, WASH, protection, FSL and DRR in INGO context.
• Proficiency in data analysis software (e.g., SPSS, STATA, Excel) and familiarity with database management.
• Experience with Online Data Collection tools and techniques.
• Practical experience in Training of Trainers/Training of Facilitators skills.
• Possess working knowledge and experience of humanitarian principles, laws and standards – Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS), Sphere Minimum Standards, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), Rights Based Approach (RBA) and Gender Age Marker.
• Experience in dealing with sensitive socio-political situations and working and living under pressure in unstable security environments and with long and irregular working hours would be an added advantage.

If you feel you are the right candidate for this position, kindly send your application along with an up-to-date CV by email to: [email protected] before 5:00 PM Friday 31st January, 2025.

The email subject line should be marked: “MEAL Officer – Afmadow and Dobley districts”. Please do not send your academic and other testimonials as they will be requested at a later stage.

All WASDA staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the Code of Conduct. In accordance with these values, WASDA operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-fraud, bribery, and corruption.

WASDA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.