MEAL Officer Job Vacancy at the International Rescue Committee

Requisition ID: req49257

Job Title: MEAL Officer

Sector: Monitoring & Evaluation

Employment Category: Regular

Employment Type: Full-Time

Open to Expatriates: Not Applicable

Location: Kibondo, Tanzania

Work Arrangement:

Job Description

Background/IRC Summary:

Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to serious humanitarian crises around the world and helps victims to survive and rebuild their lives.

For over half a century, Tanzania has been a country of asylum, hosting one of the largest refugee populations in Africa. Currently, the country hosts approximately 287,903 Burundian and Congolese refugees, many of whom arrived in 2015 as the crisis in Burundi increased. To date, refugees continue to co-exist with the host communities in Kigoma region expressing multiple reasons and needs. Within this context, IRC provides protection and basic assistance in the areas of Safety (comprises of Protection and Rule of Law, Women Protection and Empowerment, and Child Protection), Health (mental health and psychosocial support services and reproductive health), and Education.

Job Overview:

Reporting to and technically supported by the MEAL Manager, the MEAL Officer will work closely with the program staff to support data collection, data quality checks, data analysis and systems contributing to strengthened monitoring efforts of IRC programs with the aim of optimizing monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning capacities. The MEAL Officer will support the MEAL Manager in managing day to day MEAL tasks arising in the Field Office and providing technical support to field teams to ensure effective implementation of the project.

Major Responsibilities           

• Assist in routine data collection and entry for various project interventions implemented in the field and ensure that complete, accurate, clean, and consistent data is shared with the MEAL Manager for data analysis and action planning.
• Ensure proper filing and storage of MEAL documents including questionnaires, monitoring reports, datasets, among others.
• Participate in regular data verification and audit exercises to assess the quality of data reported and address any anomalies identified.
•  Submit to the MEAL Manager weekly and monthly updates on MEAL activities conducted in the field.
• With support from the MEAL Manager, conduct capacity building and mentorship to field staff in MEAL related issues.
• Keep the MEAL databases up-to-date and support program staff to prepare periodic high-quality reports.
• Assist program staff during survey planning and implementation especially preparing logistics needed, participating in data collection and cleaning.
• Develop project monitoring and evaluation tools with support from MEAL Manager and Project managers.
• Keenly track project progress through standardized data collection tools and methodologies
• Maintain confidentiality and observe data protection and other associated guidelines.
• Support MEAL Manager in the compilation of Monthly, Quarterly, Biannual, and Annual reports through provision of timely accurate and updated data.
• Support project teams to prepare activity reports and documentation of best practices, lessons learnt, assessment reports.
• Analyze data and support analysis, interpretation, and visualization to inform implementation and monitoring and regional updates or reports.
• Support program staff to engage in continuous data quality improvement and support project staff to frequently use data for program improvement.
• Participate in quality of intervention monitoring together with stake holders while ensuring availability of data for assessing program quality.
• Support the operation of feedback channels (logbook, client satisfaction and engagement surveys).
• Support the recording of feedback, analyses, and accessibility of feedback data for   programmatic decision making.

Common Duties  

• Attend and participate in trainings identified/organized by your supervisor.
• Follow any new procedures and guidelines designated in circulars by the Country Director.
• Report any violations of IRC’s three core values (Integrity, Service and
• Accountability) as per IRC WAY reporting mechanism. The reporting of violations is an obligation on the part of all staff members.
• Assist where necessary in undertaking activities that aim to prevent the occurrence of sexual abuse and exploitation of beneficiaries by IRC and other humanitarian workers.
• Perform other duties as may be assigned by your supervisor.

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to: MEAL Manager
• Position directly supervises: MEAL Interns/Assistants (As needed)
• Other Internal and/or external contacts: Client Responsiveness Manager, Program Technical Coordinators, Program Managers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor Degree in Social Sciences, Statistics, Monitoring and Evaluation, Project Management, or related fields.
• Postgraduate qualification in Monitoring and Evaluation, Project Management, Data  Management, and IT is an added advantage.
• Minimum of 1 year of experience in Monitoring and Evaluation related assignments in humanitarian/development contexts.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies    

• Familiar with digital data collection and analysis packages (KOBO Toolbox, ODK Collect,
• MS Excel, Access, SPSS, STATA, CommCare)
• Experience in data analysis, trend analysis and interpretations.
• Strong facilitation skills, and strong understanding of how to collect feedback safely and accurately from all members of a community regardless of their age, gender, or other diversity factors.
• Demonstrated understanding of project management and proven experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning
• Experience in creating and maintaining feedback mechanisms. These may include surveys, focus group discussions, hotlines, suggestion boxes etc.
• Experience in analyzing and presenting data in a way that facilitates effective decision making.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks, proven self-initiative and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency in computer skills, including in MS Word, Excel (data analysis and visualization) and PowerPoint.
• Demonstrated ability to train and build capacity of others in multi-cultural contexts.
• Proven technical skills in monitoring and evaluation, including qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis.
• Proven Technical skills in data quality audit.
• Proven abilities in developing monitoring plans, data collection, information management, use of databases, and analysis and performance monitoring.
• Strong planning, organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent analytical, presentation, and reporting skills;
• Demonstrated experience using data visualization software (Power bi, Tableau, etc.)
• Demonstrated experience working with multiple partners and stakeholders.

Language/Travel        

Good written and spoken English and Swahili is required while some knowledge of Kirundi and French will be an added advantage.

Working Environment: Security level yellow – The situation in most of the country is calm. Some parts of Kigoma region experience insecurity-highway banditry.

Partnership: The IRC is committed to working with partners as our preferred operating model and adhering to our six partnership principles: equality, complementarity, mutuality, solidarity, results orientation, and humility.

Commitment to Client Responsiveness: By committing to Client-Centered Programming, at the IRC Tanzania, we place the people we serve – our clients – at the center of our programming and services. The IRC Tanzania Staff have an important role to play in supporting the implementation of client-responsive programming through raising awareness to the community and clients about the existing feedback mechanisms and how to use them including the response processes, access, and eligibility to services, and contribute to building an institutional culture that prompts staff to listen to clients and to communicate and respond to their requests, feedback, and complaints.

Professional Standards: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

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