ROVING MONITORING, EVALUATION, ACCOUNTABILITY AND LEARNING (MEAL) MANAGER Full Time

BACKGORUND OF VSF GERMANY

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Germany (VSF Germany) is an International non-Governmental Organization (INGO) providing humanitarian aid and development assistance to pastoralists and vulnerable communities in areas where livestock is of importance. VSF Germany supports livestock and agricultural production systems, marketing, food safety, drought responses and mitigation, capacity development of communities and governmental institutions, peace and conflict resolution. The desired impact of VSF Germany interventions is to increase agricultural and livestock productivity as well as related incomes; and subsequent improvements of food security and livelihoods for millions of people in the countries of operation in the Greater Horn of Africa. Country programs are designed to deliver integrated programing solutions that address the key challenges and needs that enable the affected population, disadvantaged and marginalized groups to access skills, opportunities and resources that contribute to the improvement of their productive lives and development of communities.

VSF Germany currently implements activities in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda. Country programs are coordinated from the Regional Office Nairobi (RON) which plays a key role in facilitating the Country Offices and its national partners to deliver on inclusive, sustainable pastoral livelihoods through implementation of livestock and agricultural development programmes. In addition, RON supports monitoring of successes and challenges of country-specific interventions and partnerships’ development; ensuring best practices and lessons are documented and disseminated for review and continuous improvement. To achieve this goal, VSF Germany is looking for an energetic and dynamic individual to fill the advertised position.

POSITION: ROVING MONITORING, EVALUATION, ACCOUNTABILITY AND LEARNING (MEAL) MANAGER

The position will be contracted on an annual basis, and renewable, subject to satisfactory performance and contingent upon donor funding.

DUTY STATION AND SUPERVISION

The position holder will be based at the Regional Office in Nairobi as the duty station but roving, with at least 50% travels to the project field sites across the countries. The position shall report directly to the Regional Head of Programs. S/he shall be responsible to the program monitoring and evaluation teams in the countries. S/he shall also work directly with all other program staff, including HQ, partner organizations and implementing partners.

PROGRAM DEPARTMENT SUMMARY MANDATE

VSF Germany currently implements programs in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda. The organization currently manages a program portfolio of about 15 million Euros with multiple projects spread across the six countries.

The program department aims to strengthen the implementation of an efficient MEAL system to ensure quality assurance and compliance standards in program delivery through improved tools, frameworks and up to date technology-enabled data bases that allow effective program implementation, informed decision-making processes and knowledge management.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

This is a regional position that will oversee the implementation of a MEAL system designed to ensure an effective program delivery, regular monitoring, foster accountability, learning and knowledge management. The Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Manager shall be responsible for leading the overall integration of an effective MEAL system in program management, including supporting our program partners to develop Monitoring, Evaluation systems and frameworks tailored to the specific needs of the program and projects.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. MONITORING AND EVALUATION

• Lead program-level Monitoring and Evaluation planning, tools and system development at project start-up and follow up through the project implementation cycle.
• Ensure that Program is planned in accordance to the agreed donor standards by providing requisite tools including templates, guidelines and review tools.
• Develop and share for use requisite standardized MEAL programming tools including templates, guidelines and review tools for assessments, designs/plans, baselines, evaluations and reporting.
• Ensure timely analysis of monitoring data and dissemination to key stakeholders for management decision making.
• Contribute to and facilitate project logframe planning and design during project proposal development
• In collaboration with the country program managers and M&E Managers/Officers, define program indicators and targets and establish a tracking system to ensure achievement
• Lead the program in the design of a detailed monitoring and evaluation plan, including design of data collection tools and methodologies, M&E workflow, data flow, data integrity, data quality assurance, database design and protocols.
• Take charge of collating and analysing data and synthesizing information, updating the monitoring matrix and other monitoring tools in place.
• Support secondary research to inform baseline assessments and measurement frameworks for projects and support indictor revisions during projects inception phases
• Coordinate assessments, evaluations and monitoring surveys in areas of operation across the countries in collaboration with the country M&E designated staff. This will entail development of scopes of work, development of survey tools, trainings and management of data collectors, report writing and facilitating results discussion.
• Champion the inclusion of qualitative data collection and analysis for both direct and supplemental measurements of program performance.
• Train country teams in appropriate methods for focus group discussions and key informant interviews and lead field-based qualitative data collection as needed.
• Coordinate inter-country exchange meetings on M&E for lessons learnt and upscale to regional programme level intervention
• Coordinate effective implementation and delivery of measurements (characterization, studies, baseline and evaluation surveys) in collaboration with key program staff and partners.
• Coordinate and facilitate timely review and sharing of program documents; plans/designs and reports both internal and with donors

2. ACCOUNTABILITY

• Support establishment of accountability mechanisms for the program to enhance information sharing and complaints and timely feedback flow to the beneficiaries
• Coordinate, participate and report on technical field monitoring visits.
• Establish and operationalize a system for remote sensing and GIS mapping of program activities, outputs and beneficiaries across the countries.

3. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT & LEARNING

• Establish effective knowledge management mechanisms including documentation and sharing of innovative/promising/best practices or lessons learned and impacts;
• Organize and conduct learning forums/events at regular points to facilitate learning by the consortium partners
• Build a collaborative network of relationships with implementing partners and other stakeholders to encourage learning networks that promotes shared learning, aligned approaches, and mutual accountability to quality data collection and programming.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of knowledge management systems to further stimulate use of evidence for learning and high-impact programming.
• Contribute to program communications and advocacy work by assisting in dissemination of program research, lessons and learning information.
• Coordinate closely with implementing partners to ensure our activities and data are shared and synced up together and tell one cohesive story.
• Connect best practices and learning from within the program and across countries to ensure an evolving and effective learning system for improving program implementation.
• Work with country program team to capture lessons learned during program implementation, and feed this information into ongoing program management and program design.
• Collect and compile impact / success stories, video clips, pictures, participatory maps and any other body of evidence from the program on a regular basis.
• Manage an efficient data archiving system for all program related data.
• Supervise projects mid-term and end-evaluations

4. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

• Serve as technical advisor for technology for data management systems and real-time data flow, utilizing appropriate software platforms for cloud aggregation, data processing and manipulation, and data visualization and utilization.
• Endeavor to learn and test new software platforms, as well as working with tech partners, to develop both project and country level information management systems.
• Assist teams in setting up appropriate summary statistics and relational calculations in program databases and link them to tracking dashboards.
• Understand, maintain and innovate the technical components (including hardware, software, database, etc.) MEAL information and data management system that improves VSFG’s ability to implement quality programs through better collection, management, analysis and presentation of data, and represent impact to donor, government bodies, peer organizations and communities using standard technologies.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Degree of Arts/ Science or equivalent experience in international development, economics, agricultural economics, statistics, bio-statistics, nutrition or other relevant subject with strong quantitative background, and at least 5 years of experience in progressively increasing M and E responsibility in international development projects.
• The candidate must have experience in leading the M and E of a large portfolio. Previous experience working in international organizations in humanitarian and development programs. Experience of having worked in project implementation at field will be an added advantage.
• Desired experience with German donors and/or BHA and UN organizations.
• Strong conceptual knowledge about theories of change, logic model, food and nutrition security indicators, M& E plan, data quality assurance, data utilization, and gender integration into M &E systems.
• Demonstrated experience and expertise in developing and operationalizing a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan.
• Demonstrated expertise and experience in developing and operationalizing routine monitoring system designed to track both output and outcome indicators.
• Demonstrated expertise in designing qualitative studies/evaluations, in-depth knowledge about qualitative sampling, and experienced in using interview and interactive tools to generate qualitative information and analysis.
• Experienced in developing data quality assurance strategies, data management, and data visualization.
• Demonstrated expertise and experience in data utilization strategies and can creatively think about active data sharing techniques.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and other language(s), as required.

Tagged as: Kenya, Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Germany