MEAL (Monitoring and Evaluation) Assistant/Officer, Chisinau/Balti/Comrat

Organization - People in Need

Job Title – MEAL Assistant/Officer           

Duty station - Preference for candidates from Balti or Comrat; minimum preference for candidates from Chisinau, provided they demonstrate willingness for mobility throughout Moldova.

Salary range - 12920,00 - 24960,00 MDL gross

Based on the assessment of the candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and previous experience.

Application Deadline – November 22, 2024, by COB

Type of contract - Employment contract; Full-time;

Expected Duration of Assignment - 15/11/2024 - 30/09/2025

Education & Work Experience:

·  Degree in social studies (e.g. sociology, statistics)/related fields or track record of relevant experience, including research experience and skills: designing a research, designing data collection tools, coordinating a research, and doing the actual data collection (quantitative, e.g. surveys and qualitative, e.g. various types of interviews or focus group discussion, etc.) in the field as well as analyzing data using various methods and tools.

·  Analytical skills, experience and ability in analysing and presenting data, but also reflective thinking, and being able to understand the stories behind the data.

· Report writing skills, being able to explain the insights, document field observations and information obtained through quantitative and qualitative methods and provide feedback to programme/project teams through clear reporting.

· Stakeholders engagement, communication skills and team work, ability to engage, manage and deal with different internal (team members from other departments, e.g. programme/project staff, logistics, finance, etc.) and external stakeholders, including different type of beneficiaries (individuals, representatives of other I/NGOs), representatives of different level authorities, civil society organizations and donors utilizing both written and oral communication skills.

· Technology and software related skills, ability to utilize computer packages and applications in data collection, data analysis, storage and dissemination.

· Availability, including ability to undertake regular field visits all over Moldova, if needed, few days in a row with overnight stays in different locations of Moldova.

· Experience in M&E activities is an advantage

· Experience in the NGO/INGO field with a focus on civil society development or emergency programs is an advantage.

· Experience in building capacity of other team members or teams and/or colleagues of other NGOs/INGOs is an advantage

·  English/Romanian/Russian.

Background:

People in Need (PIN) is a Czech non-governmental organization that provides relief aid and development assistance while working to defend human rights and democratic freedom. It is one of the largest relief and development organizations in post-communist Europe and has administered projects in 37 countries over the past 30 years. See here for more information about PIN: www.peopleinneed.net.

From 2009 onwards, PIN has added development programmes to its work in Moldova, building a vision and practices that keep people and communities at the center of our work. Throughout its presence in the country, PIN has been contributing to the development of the following sectors: Sustainable Livelihood and Environment, Social Inclusion and Protection, Good Governance.

Position Overview: 

Under overall supervision of the Head of MEAL and direct supervision of MEAL Coordinator or MEAL Officer, MEAL Assistant conducts monitoring activities such as structured field and phone interviews, field in-depth face-to-face interviews, field visits and observations and organises focus group discussions (FGDs) during MEAL related studies (e.g. PIM/PDM/endline/evaluation), supports other MEAL related activities and tasks and provides necessary support to Community Feedback and Response Mechanism (CFRM). The MEAL Assistant works in close collaboration with other members of MEAL department, the project managers and project team members and key stakeholders and reports directly to MEAL Coordinator or MEAL Officer.

MEAL Officer is in charge, designs, implements and keeps close track of the MEAL system under the dedicated project and/or sectoral programming for which acts as MEAL Focal Point. MEAL Officer supports corrective action where needed, and assist in collecting and documenting lessons learnt.  S/he is responsible for implementing the MEAL related activities and preparing high-quality deliverables, including MEAL analytical reports; and is responsible for the collection and analysis of different data in relation to the project activities. Besides s/he is responsible in receiving and processing feedbacks and complain from beneficiaries and other target groups. The MEAL Officer works in close collaboration with the project managers and project team and key stakeholders and reports directly to the MEAL Coordinator.

MEAL Assistant:

Duties & Responsibilities:

-    Assist in the formulation and adaptation of data-collection tools and perform data collection as instructed by MEAL Coordinator/MEAL Officer or head of department: field and phone via structured and in-depth interviews/key informants’ interviews, focus group discussions, and field visits and observations. Ensure quality of data and other information collected in the field and via remote means of communication.

-    Capture data using digital data entry technology provided, (e.g. KoBo forms or other relevant); Accurately enter data of the collected data daily, if required, including submitting completed questionnaires on paper or via digital data gathering platforms on tablets/mobile phones.

-    Draft reports, analyse and document all findings and provide recommendations as required for project planning, performance management, and reporting;

-    Perform field-monitoring visits to assess progress of the project implementation using standard monitoring and evaluation tools and methodologies;

-    Support in the reception and documentation of feedback from beneficiaries and other stakeholders during field monitoring visits and respond to complaint and feedback from beneficiaries and other stakeholders, including implementing partners and documents entire process of feedback reception; in case necessary, regularly alternate or temporary replace CFRM Hotline Operator/CFRM Assistant in his/her duties.

-    Support in follow up calls to beneficiaries to gather their feedback and closing the feedback in consultation with MEAL Coordinator/MEAL Officer and CFRM Hotline Operator/CFRM Assistant.

-    Provide sessions to beneficiaries in the field on Community Feedback and Response Mechanism.

-    Make efficient use of devices used for data collection and manage the devices well at field level.

Qualification:

- Degree in social studies (e.g. sociology, statistics)/related fields or track record of relevant experience, including research experience and skills;

- Analytical skills, report writing skills, communication skills and team work, technology and software related skills;

- Experience in the NGO/INGO field is an advantage;

- Excellent command of English and Romanian. Good command of Russian is an advantage.

MEAL Officer:

Duties & Responsibilities:

• MEAL Officer promotes and strengthens understanding of the importance of MEAL among other PIN’s staff in Moldova.
• MEAL Officer as a MEAL Focal Point for designated project(s) is responsible for planning and coordinating implementation of regular MEAL related activities as required to be performed within the designated project(s). Moreover, MEAL Officer updates and coordinates data collection exercises, as per designed project; and contributes to the project ITT.
• Ensures preparation of MEAL related reports, including field report, baseline, PIM/PDM, endline, evaluation reports, analyses monitoring information and findings and provide recommendations as required for project planning, performance management, and reporting and ensures that they are shared with relevant project managers (PMs) and project’s team; The process includes:
• preparation of tools;
• mobilising and training enumerators;
• planning data collection activities in cooperation with the relevant project team, Civil Society Organization (CSO) and/or FSTP/Implementing Partner;
• facilitating survey activities through ensuring clear instructions and other necessary support to the enumerators;
• providing technical means for conducting survey (incl. preparing smartphones, tablets);
• ensuring daily updates on progress and challenges to MEAL Coordinator and Head of MEAL;
• analysing data obtained during data collection activities and secondary data analysis as well as drafting monitoring reports.
• ensuring proper dissemination of findings and recommendations that results from MEAL activities, including organizing feedback sessions/workshops with project teams.
• follow-up on the execution of the recommendations provided to the project team.
• Performs and organizes field-monitoring visits to assess progress of the project implementation using standard monitoring and evaluation tools and methodologies, including surveys, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, etc. Travels frequently to the field to interact with beneficiaries and other stakeholders and to monitor implementation of the activities.
• Performs monitoring activities to CSOs supported by PIN under FSTP schemes and pay special attention and organize capacity building of staff of CSOs in the domain of MEAL; facilitates quality improvement in relation to domain of MEAL of partnering CSOs.
• Support in the conduction of data quality assessments, including cross-checking of means of verification to ensure evidence-based programming;
• MEAL Officer participates in collecting beneficiary feedback received through the complaints and feedback mechanism, as well as through observation and direct interaction with beneficiaries during site visits. Support in the reception of feedback and respond to complaints and feedback from beneficiary and other stakeholders; in case necessary, replace CFRM Hotline Operator/CFRM Assistant in his/her duties.
• MEAL Officer recruits or participate in recruitment of personnel (e.g. MEAL Assistants, enumerators) dedicated to data collection exercises in the field; s/he directly manages (if relevant), MEAL Assistants, internal and external enumerators;
• MEAL Officer supports and mainstreams learning efforts at PIN Country Programme in Moldova: identify key learning areas for ongoing and new projects, mainstreams learning aspects in existing MEAL frameworks and studies, analyses and reporting and learning-related events, contributes to reflection workshops to ensure adaptation and integration of the findings in the current and future projects. MEAL Officer contributes to lessons-learnt on programmatic level.
• Support project staff in needs assessments studies; assist in designing the tools for needs assessment and support in carrying out quantitative data collection exercises.
• MEAL Officer provides support to MEAL Coordinator and Head of MEAL in analysing existing tools and procedures and developing new tools for MEAL related activities as requested. As well as critically reflects the tools, methods and data collection practice in everyday work in the field in order to improve the existing methodologies.

Qualification:

• Degree in social studies (e.g. sociology, statistics)/related fields or track record of relevant experience, including research experience and skills;
• Analytical skills, report writing skills, communication skills and team work, technology and software related skills;
• Experience in M&E activities is an advantage (designing and carrying out M&E studies, baseline, endline, PDM and evaluations);
• Experience in the NGO/INGO field with a focus on civil society development or emergency programs is an advantage;
• Excellent command of English and Romanian. Good command of Russian is an advantage.

Interested applicants must submit the following:

-    Cover letter (in English);

-    Full CV (in English);

-    Contacts of three references (one should include the supervisor in the most recent work assignment).

Deadline for applications: November 22, 2024, by COB.

The applicants will be invited for interviews on a rolling basis. The application process might be stopped earlier if a suitable candidate is identified before the application deadline.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the interview. No phone calls or inquiries are allowed.

People in Need is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behavior at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct and committed to promoting the welfare of children and adults with whom People in Need engages /is in contact with. People in Need expects all staff to perform job duties and responsibilities in accordance with People in Need code of conduct and key policies (available at: https://www.peopleinneed.net/key-policies-4142gp). People in Need Staff will undertake the appropriate level of training.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks.

We are committed to ensuring diversity (people from different social and ethnic backgrounds and of different genders, sexual orientations, etc.) within our organization and encourage interested candidates to apply.

By sending their CV and other documents to the aforementioned link the candidate implicitly consents to their personal data appearing in the CV and such other documents being held and processed by PIN exclusively with the view to analyzing the candidate’s suitability for the position and keeping such data in our files for a reasonable period of time in accordance with the PIN's Data Protection Policy. The candidate can revoke such consent anytime by sending an according notice. Kindly refrain from including any special personal data, whose processing, as per applicable law, requires the express written consent of the subject of such data.