Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Advisor (MEAL)

TITLE: Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Advisor (MEAL)

TEAM/PROGRAMME: Joint Trafficking In Persons (JTIP)

LOCATION: Lusaka

GRADE: 3

Safeguarding:

Save the Children does not tolerate any form of exploitation, abuse, or harassment against any person. It is the responsibility of all employees and representatives to protect all people who come in contact with our organization. Save the Children commits to applying the same standards to all its employees and subject them to the same processes regardless of their position, influence, or reputation within or outside of the organization.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Save the Children International’s Diversity Policy, aims to promote equal opportunity in employment and to ban any kind of discrimination based on sex, age, social class, disability, HIV status, religion, race and ethnicity.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to:  Deputy Director -Technical.

Staff directly reporting to this post:  Project Officers

ROLE PURPOSE

The main purpose of this role is to lead on enhancing the quality and accountability of the DOS/Government of Zambia Bilateral Trafficking in Person’s program. The MEAL advisor will provide leadership in the design and implementation of an effective monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning system for the project in collaboration with the programmes team and partners. The role will include capacity building for programme/partner staff, strategic and annual planning, internal reporting, and evidence generation among others. The MEAL advisor will guide the programmes team and partners in achieving outcome/impact focused results and accountability to beneficiaries in line with Save the Children’s and donors’ policies and practices.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Ensure that the program delivers on all internal and external MEAL requirements in a timely manner and with high quality information.
• Develop a comprehensive project MEAL plan (includes indicator and performance tracking tools, data collection tools, accountability plan, project quality benchmarks) in close collaboration with the Programme and Program Development and Quality Departments in line with SCI’s Quality Framework and JTIP MEAL framework.
• Lead use of the monitoring framework, tools and processes to measure performance and quality. This includes supporting operation staff and partner staff to develop and monitor Quality Benchmarks.
• Develop outcome and learning indicators for log frames and other purposes.
• Ensure that verifiable, quantitative data is routine collected and analysed for the projects, across all operational sectors.
• Ensure that data collection methodologies used at field level are standardised, enabling the specific vulnerabilities of different target groups to be captured and analysed.
• Track core programme indicators using JTIP MEAL framework, undertake meta-analysis and communicate this monthly, quarterly to the programme team and implementing partners.
• Work together with the core programmes/operations teams, organise and conduct routine monitoring and evaluation of the programme/projects and work closely with, implementing partners and beneficiaries to improve attainment of program/project goals.
• Provide support for annual reviews and reflections with the programmes team and partners and analyse data trends towards objective achievements.
• Support the project in designing and conducting baseline surveys, mid-term evaluations, specialized studies and final evaluations to include sampling methodologies, data collection instruments, analysis and report development.
• Ensure that monthly quantitative data analysis is shared with relevant stakeholders to inform programme implementation and iteration.
• Ensure that all project reporting requirements are met with timely, relevant, triangulated and well analysed data.

Accountability & Participation

• Develop and support implementation of accountability feedback, complaints and response mechanisms (both digital and conventional) in the impact area.
• Lead routine collection, analysis and use of evidence, including disaggregation for age, gender, disability and the most marginalized and deprived, to document impact, innovate and learn what works for children, and inform management, policy and programme solutions.
• Champion knowledge management through the development and use of platforms that store and display evidence and learning that is made accessible and actively used between Save the Children, its partners and donors.
• Explore innovative opportunities to pilot approaches that are new or could expand to further areas of programming.
• Ensure that participation activities are well documented, and learning is shared across the project.

Learning

• Support the program team and partners on learning (through document sharing, presentations, etc).
  Participate in designing and implementation of studies, assessments and learning in coordination and cooperation with sectors’ technical coordinators and programme staff.
• Seek opportunities for information sharing and learning exchanges among the program team and partners.

Others

• Comply with all relevant Save the Children policies and procedures with respect to child safeguarding policy, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies.
• Contribute to ensuring that programme’s delivery happens in strict adherence to security policy and procedures.

The post holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values.
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same.
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others.
• Future orientated, thinks strategically.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters.
• Values diversity sees it as a source of competitive strength.
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential

• A minimum of Bachelor Degree in Public Health, Economics, Statistics, Demography, Development Studies or related field.
• Minimum 5+ years of experience in MEAL role in INGO sector/ experience in working USAID, United States Funded projects (USG) projects is an added advantage.
• Experience in social research, both qualitative and quantitative methods, analysis and report writing.
• Experience & knowledge of social research analysis software (both qualitative and quantitative, examples SPSS, Stata, NVIVO,  ATLAS, MAXQDA, etc.).
• Demonstrated diplomacy in building relationships and working with diverse cultures and audiences and sensitive situations and subject matter.
• Experience in supporting the roll out of online data management system.
• Experience in strategic planning approaches – including, needs assessment and programs design, logical framework development, selecting indicators, implementing monitoring plans, supporting evaluations and data analysis.
• Ability to work both in an advisory and a hands-on implementation capacity.
• Ability to facilitate/conduct large technical trainings for staff.
• A high level of written and spoken English is a must.
• Commitment to Save the Children values, including willingness to abide by and enforce child safeguarding policy.

Desirable

• Language skills in English.
• Experience or knowledge of working and living in relevant regions/contexts.
• Specific experience of designing and managing DFID, OFDA, ECHO and other major donor projects.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

QUALIFIED APPLICANTS SHOULD ONLY ATTACH A COVER LETTER AND AN UPDATED CV.

The closing date for receipt of applications is Monday 1st July 2024. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Save the Children reserves the right to re advertise if suitable applicants are not found.

Save the Children will never ask that you pay for anything as part of the selection process or thereafter.