Job Description Summary

The purpose of Monitoring, Evaluation, Adaptation and Learning (MEAL) Director is to lead the establishment and implementation of the MEAL system of anticipated USAID New Primary Education Activity (Project), including obtaining, analysing, organising, and interpreting project data and ensuring compliance with MEAL requirements as specified by USAID. The MEAL Director would also be responsible for the evaluation that will sum up the grant’s accomplishments in an accurate and objective way.

Implementation/Execution

• Oversee and execute M&E activities with particular focus on results and impacts as well as in lesson learned

• Undertake regular visits to the field to support implementation of M&E and to identify where adaptations might be needed

• Lead the development of the MEAL plan, including the identification of key performance indicators, MEAL standard operating procedures and MEAL tool of the project.

• Lead the roll-out and implementation of the project's MEAL system, strategies, requirements and country-level activities; roll-out orientation/training sessions to MEAL and relevant program staff of World Vision Ethiopia and its implementing partners.

• Maintain MEAL systems and tools used to track project implementation progress and analyze information on inputs, outputs, outcomes, and impact of the project for learning and adaptive management.

• Ensure data quality through the implementation of effective data verification mechanism and undertaking routine data quality assessments at all levels.

• Undertake/coordinate periodic joint field supportive supervision to project implementation and implementing partners' sites. 

• Ensure a strong beneficiary feedback mechanism is implemented.

• Contribute to GoE M&E system strengthening efforts at national and local level including supporting the use of data for decision making at all levels

• Contribute to the development of national and local level ECDE indicators and SDG 4.2 tracking at national level including the use of early learning and development assessment data, data on classroom environment quality using tools such as IDELA or other GoE recommended tools

• Utilise qualitative and quantitative methodologies, as appropriate and necessary.

Learning and Collaboration, and Knowledge Management 

• Build a database system for managing project-related data and evidence.

• Lead the implementation of Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) mechanism to ensure intentional learning, collaboration, and adaptive management.

• Lead the research initiative of the project with other partners 

• Ensure that relevant project documentation is well organised and best practices, lessons, success stories, case studies, etc. are well captured, synthesised, packaged, produced and shared to relevant stakeholders using different technologies and methods.

• Ensure MEAL evidence is available to management for decision making and continuous performance improvement.

• Plan and manage any research-focused deliverables or other evaluations throughout the life of the program and oversee any MEAL-related consultancies.

• Organise/facilitate regular project implementation and performance review sessions and learning events.

• Define MEAL-related inputs required from partners and oversee the quality of deliverables

Management and Leadership

• Serve as part of the project's leadership team, contributing to the development and implementation of annual program work plans, performance milestones, and project monitoring.

• Provide overall leadership and supervision on the MEAL function, supporting successful delivery of the project.

• Ensure that the required budget allocates appropriately for the implementation of MEAL activities and provide oversight of the MEAL budget, ensuring its effective and timely utilisation.

• Manage MEAL staff, including handling ongoing coaching, supervision and performance management and annual evaluation; develop the capacity of the team and facilitate their professional growth.

• Encourage a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.

• Represent the project and participate in different MEAL related forums bringing together like governmental and non-governmental organisations working on the same or related themes.

Reporting

• Guide staff and executing partners in preparing their progress reports in accordance with approved reporting formats and ensure their timely submission.  This includes quarterly progress reports, annual project reports, inception reports, and ad-hoc technical reports.

• Prepare consolidation progress reports for grant management including identification of problems, causes of potential bottlenecks in the project implementation, and providing specific recommendations

• Identify strengths and weaknesses in existing data collection and management systems and propose solutions to improve knowledge management activities

• Lead and coordinate the development of required program reports, in accordance with World Vision Ethiopia and donor requirements and standards.

• Draft tools and their revisions as well as data collection procedures (e.g. logical framework, project performance tracking, indicators, data flow chart, M&E manuals)

Capacity Building/Continuous Learning

• Design and implement a system to identify, analyse, document and disseminate lessons learned.

• Identify MEAL capacity gaps and facilitate training opportunities for project staff.

• Build the capacity of GoE and partner staff on effective learning in Emergencies (LiE) Activity M&E systems.

• Check that monitoring data are discussed in the appropriate forum and in a timely fashion in terms of implications of future action. If necessary, create such discussion forums to fill any gaps.

• Monitor the follow up on evaluation recommendations

• Support project/program staff on ways to properly document, organise and capture program progress

• Facilitate, act as resource person, and join, if required any external supervision and evaluation missions

• Organise (and provide) refresher training in M&E for grants staff, implementing partners, local organisations and primary stakeholders with view of strengthening local M&E capacity

• Network with external and WV internal partners to promote learning and achieve M&E excellence

Management and Leadership

• Serve as part of the project's leadership team, contributing to the development and implementation of annual program work plans, performance milestones, and project monitoring.

• Provide overall leadership and supervision on the MEAL function, supporting successful delivery of the project.

• Ensure that the required budget allocates appropriately for the implementation of MEAL activities and provide oversight of the MEAL budget, ensuring its effective and timely utilisation.

• Manage MEAL staff, including handling ongoing coaching, supervision and performance management and annual evaluation; develop the capacity of the team and facilitate their professional growth.

• Encourage a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.

• Represent the project and participate in different MEAL related forums bringing together like governmental and non-governmental organisations working on the same or related themes.

Job Requirements

Required Professional Experience and required qualification

• Minimum of seven (7) years professional experience in a senior M&E position responsible for implementing M&E activities of international development projects.

• Minimum of six (6) years of experience in strategic planning and performance measurement, including indicator selection, target setting, reporting, and developing M&E and performance monitoring plans.

• At least five (5) years of experience with USAID grant experience, their history and their development; mastery of USAID regulations governing such programs.

• Proven success in leading the design, implementation, monitoring and learning of project MEAL systems for USAID-funded projects in Ethiopia.

• Ability to design and manage assessments, baselines, and evaluations including managing consultants to produce high quality reports on time and on budget.

• Knowledge and demonstrated experience implementing USAID’s MEL and Collaborating, Learning, and Adaption (CLA) systems

• Demonstrated high quality report writing, research, monitoring and evaluation skills

• Experience developing reporting tools, including in Microsoft Excel

• Proven experience creating and managing impact and reporting dashboards

• Experience developing and refining data collection tools

• Experience with data quality assessments and oversight

• Experience managing and providing ongoing training to M&E field officers

• Ability to facilitate and serve as a project liaison for externally managed evaluations

• Fluency in English is required

• Strong communication skills

• Excellent analytical, planning, organising and management skills

• Must be able manage multiple deadlines, fast paced environment and high demands

• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with absolute discretion

• Proven experience leading annual performance assessments, multi-faceted digital data collection systems including proven competence in Statistical package including but not limited to SPSS, STATA, ODK, etc

• Familiarity with Early Childhood Development and Education in Emergencies sector

• Strong data management and data quality assessment skills

• Master’s degree in statistics, demographics, data science, public policy, international development, information systems, business administration, economics, or related field

• Skills and training in data analytics, digital data platforms

• Proven skills in MEAL frameworks

• Conversant with USAID collaboration, learning and knowledge management requirements

• Advanced MS Office skills (MS Excel, MS Word, Power Point, Microsoft Office, One Drive, Share Point, etc)

• Previous experience with the culture and context of Ethiopia strongly preferred

• An advanced certificate in M&E, statistics, or data analytics preferred

• Work experience in international development and/or humanitarian assistance organisation preferred

• Proficient project management skills preferred

• Experience in managing inter-agency consortium preferred

• Strong capacity building skills using different methodologies preferred

• Facilitation skills, including in virtual settings preferred

• Knowledge of various technologies that can be leveraged such as GIS, Mobile solutions in research, etc.

• Ability to work in cross-cultural environments preferred

How to Apply

Interested interested applicants should follow the below link to apply HERE

World Vision is a child-focused organization that is committed to safeguarding all children as well as adult beneficiaries, and has zero tolerance for incidents of violence or abuse against children or adults, including sexual exploitation or abuse, committed either by employees or others affiliated with our work. Therefore, World Vision does not hire staff whose background is not suitable for working with children or vulnerable adults, even if their role does not interact directly with them.  

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