Senior Project Officer – MEAL needed at Catholic Relief Services

Job Summary:

As Senior Project Officer – Capacity Strengthening (MEAL) for the ALLRight project team, you will facilitate the achievement of project objectives through coordinating and reporting on all project activities and providing technical guidance and advice to staff and implementing partner(s) advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work serving the poor and vulnerable. In this role you will accompany partners through their capacity building and institutional development efforts. Your coordination and relationship management skills will ensure that the project for which you are responsible applies best practices and constantly works towards improving the impact of its benefits to those we serve.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Organize and lead the implementation of all assigned project MEAL activities as outlined in the Activity Schedule, detailed implementation plan in line with CRS program quality principles, standards and MEAL policies, procedures, and practices, donor MEAL requirements, and industry good practices.
• Ensure learning properly accompanies project activities throughout the project cycle. Support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities and guiding partners in their efforts to reflect on project experiences. Analyze implementation challenges and report any inconsistencies and gaps to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules. 
• Lead the roll-out and implementation of the project’s feedback and response mechanism (FRM). Support actively seeking and responding to feedback from all members of targeted communities and other stakeholders as defined by the FRM. 
• Implement monitoring activities and processes according to the project’s Detailed Implementation Plan and MEAL system. Ensure the quality of monitoring data through annual data quality assessments. 
• Coordinate and oversee MEAL-related working relationships with all local project stakeholders and serve as the liaison between them and the project team to mobilize local actors and promote project activities and impact. Identify and respond to key stakeholders’ information needs in MEAL activities, using a range of appropriate communication methods.
• Supervise and perform ad hoc inspections of various MEAL processes and resources at project sites to ensure timely project activities implementation and adherence to established process standards and procedures. Ensure proper tracking of resource use for project MEAL activities through periodic budget reviews and follow-up with and assistance to implementing partner.
• Support and coordinate MEAL capacity building and technical support activities to ensure assigned project MEAL activities are implemented per project guidelines and standards. Optimize partner participation and capacity development in the implementation of MEAL systems.
• Develop a MEAL system outlining indicators, tools, data sources, data flow, procedures, staffing and statistical procedures required to monitor implementation and assure quality project interventions
• Coordinate provision of any MEAL-related logistical and administrative support to staff and partners.
• Ensure timely, project documentation for assigned MEAL activities is complete with all required documents and is filed per agency and donor requirements. Assist with preparation of trends analysis reports and documentation of case studies and promising practices.

Required Languages -English and Hausa languages are required. Proficiency in other local languages will be an added advantage

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 10%

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Analysis and problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment
• Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented
• Attention to details, accuracy, and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills: must be able to interact maturely, professionally, and friendly with local and international colleagues of differing religious and cultural backgrounds.
• Able to work independently, take the initiative and be committed with limited guidance in implementing received directions.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and privacy

 Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree required. A degree in information and technology management or Statistics/Mathematics, Computer Science, project management, International Relations or in Monitoring and Evaluation would be a plus.
• Minimum of 4 years of work experience in capacity strengthening, ideally in the field of MEAL, preferably for an international NGO.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate professionally internally and externally on financial matters. 
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with partners, participatory action planning, complexity-aware monitoring techniques, and community engagement.
• Good technical knowledge and experience in managing MEAL in a Resilience, Developmental or Emergency context.
• Demonstrated experience in database management and appropriateness of quantitative statistical management programs including Microsoft Access, SPSS, EPI-INFO, STATA, and Microsoft Excel. Familiarity with GIS and GPS technology and Knowledge of Microsoft CommCare and Power BI will be added advantages.
• Strong group process design and facilitation skills, including developing and leading workshops.
• Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data.