Senior Project Officer, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Learning (MEAL) at Catholic Relief Services

CRS Background

Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.

Job Summary

As a monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) lead, you will facilitate the achievement of project objectives through coordinating and reporting on all project MEAL activities and providing MEAL-related technical guidance and advice to staff and implementing partner(s) advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work serving the poor and vulnerable. Your coordination and relationship management skills will ensure that the project for which you are responsible applies best practices in MEAL and constantly works towards improving the impact of its benefits to those we serve.

Job Responsibilities:

General

· Organize and lead the implementation of all assigned project MEAL activities as outlined in the detailed implementation plan in line with CRS program quality principles, standards and MEAL policies, procedures, and practices, donor MEAL requirements, and industry good practices.

· Lead the launch 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.

· 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.

· Consolidate data for monthly donor reporting; perform data consistency checks for donor reporting and coordinate with partner staff for any discrepancies identified.

· 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.

· 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.

· Support and coordinate key sector related evaluations and other learning initiatives, including reflections on Theory of Change and identification and documentation of lessons learned for future projects through After-Action Reviews, Midterm Reviews and Final Evaluations.

Staff Supervision and Capacity Building

· Supervise Accountability and ICT4D Project Officer 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.

· Support and coordinate capacity building and technical support for staff to ensure assigned MEAL project activities are implemented per project guidelines and standards. Optimize partner participation and capacity development in the implementation of MEAL systems.

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements

Education and Experience

· Bachelor’s Degree required. Master’s Degree in International Relations or in the field of MEAL would be a plus. Additional experience may substitute for some education.

· Minimum of 2 years of work experience in project implementation, ideally in the field of MEAL and for an NGO.

• Staff supervision is a plus.

· Experience working with stakeholders at various levels and strengthening community partnerships.

· Proficient in MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

· Experience working with partners, participatory action planning and community engagement.

· Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data.

· Experience utilizing ICT4D platforms and solutions.

Personal skills

· 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.

· Ability to contribute to written reports.

MEAL Competencies (for CRS MEAL Program Staff)

Each staff member in this position is expected to have solid knowledge and ability and can apply the following competencies with minimal or no guidance, in the full range of typical situations, while requiring guidance to handle novel or more complex situations:

· Monitoring

· Accountability

· ICT4MEAL

In addition, each staff member in this position is expected to have basic knowledge and ability and, with guidance, be able to apply the following competencies in common situations that present limited difficulties:

· MEAL in Design

· Evaluation

· Analysis and Critical Thinking

Required Languages: Greek and English.

Travel Required: Non expected.

Key Working Relationships:

Supervisory: ICT4D and Accountability officer.

Internal: Programming Teams, MEAL Technical Advisor.**

External: Caritas Athens, Ministry of Migration and Asylum, Implementing partners.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfil his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Trusting Relationships
• Professional Growth
• Partnership
• Accountability

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer; CRS is always looking for qualified, diverse and compelling candidates to join our agency and support our great work.

By applying to this job, I understand and acknowledge that CRS requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. Further, I understand that if I am a successful candidate, I will be subject to a comprehensive background check, and my personal/professional references will be asked to evaluate my behaviors related to the above safeguarding-related topics.

Please note that applications will be continuously reviewed, and CRS reserves the right to close the vacancy before the deadline once a suitable candidate is identified.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.