JOB ADVERT 

Senior Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Officer

 (National Status)

Action Against Hunger is an equal opportunity employer

Women are strongly encouraged to apply

ABOUT US

International Non-governmental organization, Action Against Hunger has been working to fight undernutrition and support communities affected by crisis across the globe for almost 40 years and across nearly 50 countries. Action Against Hunger established its presence in both Liberia and Sierra Leone in 1991 during the Civil War and since then has been operational in the two countries by implementing various humanitarian and development programs related to health, nutrition, food security/livelihoods and advocacy geared towards the reduction of the prevalence rates of under-nutrition in both countries. The Sierra Leone Coordination office is based in Freetown, Sierra Leone overseeing the operations in Bonthe and Moyamba.

Action Against Hunger is recruiting a suitably qualified Sierra Leonean as the Senior Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Officer that will mainly be responsible to ensure the operationalization of the mission’s MEAL system and provide support to the program team in the monitoring of projects implemented by ACF in its bases of assignment.

KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES :

• Framework: Ensure proper and timely implementation of a MEAL tools and guidelines at field level 
• Provide support to the review and development of MEAL systems for new projects, in collaboration with the Country MEAL manager and projects teams at the field level.  
• Contribute to the development and appropriation at program level of MEAL tools to facilitate data collection, monitoring of activities, evaluation of results achieved, management of complaints and feedback mechanisms as well as capitalization of lessons learned and experiences. 
• Provide technical support to program teams in the development of project-specific MEAL plans.
• Ensure implementation of MEAL plans through routine monitoring of activities at the field level.  
• Plan and coordinate MEAL activities throughout the life of projects.
• Identify the constraints/problems encountered in the implementation of the MEAL strategy and propose solutions.
• Organize and facilitate information and training sessions on monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning for local field teams. 
• Support teams to pilot data collection tools and integrate the findings into the final tools by providing feedback/error reports to the MEAL Manager. 
• Ensure that program teams understand and correctly use the MEAL tools developed (MEAL guidelines, data collection tools, data management tools, etc.).
• Train and manage the MEAL Assistants to carry out regular MEAL functions, ensuring that all ACF procedures and policies are respected.
• Conduct entry level training for external stakeholders on basic MEAL concepts. 
• Ensure proper archiving (paper and online) of MEAL documents and support archiving by program teams. 

• Monitoring and Evaluation: Support for the implementation of the Monitoring and Evaluation activities at the field level 

• Support the MEAL Manager in the field-level implementation of the MEAL Plan for the mission in line with ACF strategy, tools, and guidelines.
• Organize regular field visits to monitor the quality of activities implemented. 
• Organize feedback sessions on the results of the surveys (PDM/PIM; Baseline/End line/ KAP) to detect points of attention and satisfaction.
• Timely report to MEAL manager on the team monthly workplan and objectives.
• Support the program manager in centralizing, processing, and analyzing data for filling in APRs.  
• Follow-up, consolidate and compile data for ACF’s International Strategic Plan (ISP) indicators.
• Provide relevant, accurate and timely information to the MEAL Manager and relevant program teams to support programme implementation. 
• Organize and carry out regular program MEAL reviews of the project progress against the targets, communicate to the program team of any deviation of the targets, provide clarity on how such need to be improved. 
• Provide support to local partners – based on their specific needs, sharing standardized data collection tools, monitoring feedback and recommendations, and strengthening their MEAL internal capacity.
• Monitor the external evaluation data collection process and alert the MEAL Manager if any problems are identified. 

• Data management: Ensure the quality and efficiency of the field data collection and processing process 
• Ensure timely and quality data collection, (needs assessments, household registration, baseline/endline surveys, PDMs, KAP surveys, FDG, KII and others) by drafting the necessary quantitative and qualitative tools (ToR and data collection tools, including coding) for review and validation by the MEAL Manager and technical team. 
• Ensure proper management of the devices used in the field, in support of the MEAL Manager. 
• Support regular data review and validation processes.
• Assist the MEAL Manager with database quality control and report any technical problems. 
• Monitor and ensure that data verification sources are collected and archived correctly. 
• Perform timely and quality data cleaning on all data collected and upload into the server.
• Train and supervise enumerators in data collection for MEAL activities.
• Perform timely and quality data analysis of MEAL data for different projects as needed through Excel or other statistical software for review and validation by the MEAL Manager. 
• Support Project Managers in reviewing the performance of existing programme data management tools in order to identify area of improving and modification of resources.
• Assist with archiving and ensuring that all means of verification documents for the outputs are uploaded regularly and inform the MEAL Manager if encountered any problems.
• Monitor whether the data collected meets the need for indicator reporting (project indicators and ACF ISP indicators) as described in the MEAL plan.
• Facilitate project’s use of mobile data collection by leading on the process and troubleshooting under the oversight of the MEAL Manager. 
• Accountability and Learning: Ensure that systems, tools and procedures are in place, understood and properly used to reinforce accountability and learning practices within projects 

• He/She will contribute to ensuring the management and day-to-day implementation of the Feedback and Complains Mechanism at filed level. 
• Ensure that the feedback and complaints mechanism is accessible, and clearly understood by all stakeholders.  
• Provide support to PMs to ensure that they have adequate support to develop and implement the FCM within their programs.
• Ensure data collection, reporting, and follow-up on each complaint/feedback received.
• With technical support from the MEAL Manager, facilitate training for staff, partners, and local structures (focal points, community feedback and complaints committees, distribution committees, targeting committees, community leaders, etc.) on accountability, quality, and community engagement.  
• Ensure capacity building and coaching of teams on accountability mechanisms. 
• Ensure confidentiality of complaint data is respected. 
• Ensure regular maintenance of complaints and feedback database/information system, and ensure information is shared with the MEAL Manager on a regular basis. 
• Ensure the queries of callers using setup hotline are answered while respecting ethical and professional behavior in accordance with the ACF standard operating procedures. 
• Ensure complaints are referred to relevant personnel within ACF and sensitive complaints are referred to senior management, as per SOP.
• Support programming staff to ensure projects are implemented with the participation of all affected communities and information exchange with affected communities.
• Support program teams to identify lessons learned and best practices and produce case studies and human-interest stories through collation and analysis of MEAL information.  
• Proactively identify good practices based on MEAL findings and encourage utilization of data. 
• Facilitate learning processes (lessons learned, follow-up of recommendations), and capitalization in projects under the leadership of the MEAL Manager and program managers.
• Promote knowledge management on the base (storage on NHF) and provide support to the teams in the use of this platform.
• Provide support for donor reports and proposal inputs as requested by Field Coordinator or MEAL Manager. 

Gender Action

Activities:

• Ensure the inclusion of youth and women in the project in all project implementation especially in AAH supported communities;
• Help ensure all aspects of Action Against Hunger activities adhere to program quality standards and policies (accountability and mainstreaming) in a coherent and integrated manner.
• Work closely with other MEAL and project staff to enhance synergy
• Ensure that gender considerations are made with participants of projects to have clear statistics on gender inclusion.

Others

• Help ensure all aspects of Action Against Hunger activities adhere to program quality standards and policies (accountability and mainstreaming) in a coherent and integrated manner.
• Ensure the highest stands of accountability through ensuring good communication and information sharing within the organisation.
• Be aware of, understand, and comply with all of Action Against Hunger’s policies and procedures.
• Contribute to ongoing security management and planning as necessary.
• Actively participate in any emergency response if called upon to do so (within the existing programme area or in a new one).
• Undertake other related duties as may reasonably be assigned by the MEAL Manager, Field Manager, Health and Nutrition Program Manager, Food Security and Livelihood Manager.
• Ensure timely filling and submission of ACF timesheets

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Economics, International Relations/Affairs, Humanitarian Affairs, International Development, Public Health, Monitoring and Evaluation, Statistics, Epidemiology, Demography, or related field. 
• At least 3 years of proven experience in the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning of humanitarian or development programs
• Demonstrated knowledge of MEAL concepts and international humanitarian quality standards. 
• Excellent computer skills, particularly with Microsoft Excel, SPSS, SPHINX, or other statistical packages.  
• Proficiency with Open Data Kit (ODK), Kobo Toolbox and/or other mobile data collection. 
• Ideally knowledge of ACF intervention sectors: Health & Nutrition, WASH, Mental Health & Psychosocial support, Food Security & Livelihoods 
• Excellent verbal and written skills in English.  
• Knowledge of local languages spoken in the area of intervention.
• Flexibility – Dynamism – Perseverance – Analytical mind. 
• Proficiency in the use of geographic information processing software is a major asset (e.g. QGIS, ArcGIS, etc.) is an asset

REQUIRED SKILLS

• • Experience working in WASH, Health & Nutrition and Food Security & Livelihood.
  • Good motorbike riding skills with valid riders licenses
  • Excellent planning, communication and analytical skills    
  • Ability to work with and support different teams
• Willingness and ability to travel to remote project areas

WORK CONDITIONS

STARTING DATE: February 2024

MONTHLY BASIC SALARY: 6,148.94 SLE to 6,640.85 SLE based on profile.

HOUSING AND TRANSPORT ALLOWANCE: 15% of basic salary each

DURATION OF CONTRACT: Twelve (12) Months, with possible  extension

LOCATION: Mattru Jong – Bonthe, with possible travels to Moyamba, Freetown and other field areas

Send Motivation Letter, CV saved in your name – for example (Joe Blue CV) for your CV, and (Joe Blue Motivation Letter) for your motivation letter, with names of three (3) referees by EMAIL, under the Subject  “Senior MEAL Officer”  to

recruitment@sl-actionagainsthunger.org

Deadline for the receipt of applications is Wednesday, 17th January 2024. 

Due to the urgency of this position, applications may be sorted on a rolling basis.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for a written test and oral interview.

Please state the position applied for on the subject line of your email.

Action Against Hunger is an equal opportunity employer.

Women are strongly encouraged to apply