MEAL Assistant

Note: SIF is an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. The Hiring is subject to donor funding*

SIF reserves the right to check criminal records according with the current law. The SIF has a zero-tolerance policy towards any type of fraud, corruption, moral harassment, abuse or violence of any kind whatsoever and more generally any violation of legislation, regulations or its code of conduct.

SIF respects the humanitarian principle of "Do no harm"and ensures child security as a primary consideration.

Based in Lasbela, Balochistan the MEAL Assistant will work under the direct administrative supervision of the Project Manager and under direct technical supervision of the MEAL Officer. He/she must have experience in I/NGO project Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning. The MEAL Assistant will support SIF in the implementation of a project.

He/she:

• Is part of the MEAL department;
• Is a key member of Program quality support team within the SIF Pakistan mission
• Will be managing monitoring and/or evaluation/assessment and survey related activities (for designing basic data collection tools, data collection through FGDs, Questionnaires and Interviews as well as through direct observations and to generate monitoring visit reports, do basic data analysis)

Objective 1: Surveys & Assessments

• Facilitate program department in-need assessments, baseline, end-line, and post-distribution monitoring surveys in terms of forming data collection tools, sample size, and training of data collection team.
• Conduct interviews with line departments, conduct PRA exercises, and administer questionnaires.
• Ensure data quality and data consistency during data collection and data entry, manage database, and facilitate data analysis. Conduct data audit of up to 50% sample of the field data collection as well as data entered into the database by project or data entry staff and generate data audit report and share with MEAL Officer.
• Facilitate program department in the first draft report of surveys (baseline & end-line and assessments) 

Objective 2: Project design and implementation

• Assist supervisor/line manager in documentation/desk review for the project and give feedback and ensure alignment to minimum standards;
• Extract and analyze firsthand information of the existing surveys carried out in the program base and provide key findings to be incorporated in the need assessment section(s) of the proposals or concept notes. 
• Ensure that the implementation of field activities adheres to SIF’s monitoring and evaluation system;
• Provide technical inputs in the program development process and facilitate log frame formation (e.g. indicators, MOVs, and risk & assumption matrix development) 

Objective 3: Monitoring and Evaluation

• Develop M&E Plan for the project in the PMP tool with coordination with the project manager and get it approved by the immediate supervisor; and follow the M&E Plan during project implementation.
• Carry out regular and routine field monitoring of program activities and produce monitoring visit reports on the given format; conduct debriefs sessions with relevant program staff and develops an agreed action plan; and report to MEAL Officer.
• Carry out follow-up monitoring visits to materialize actions agreed in the action plan, also maintain Monitoring-Action Plan Tracker at field level; and report to line manager.
• To assist in planning and implementation of internal monitoring and evaluation exercises and impact assessments in terms of case/success stories and during project evaluation when needed.
• Manage all internal evaluation activities of the base; systematically ensure the analysis of results is shared with stakeholders.
• Ensure and support the completion of the beneficiaries’ database in coordination with the program team.
• Review and update the PMP of each project in his/her respective program base during monthly review meetings and share with the line manager along with complete MOVs.
• Support line manager in developing TORs for evaluation of the project(s) and support external evaluator in conducting independent evaluation at project sites.

Objective4: Accountability

• Ensure accountability at the field level during program implementation by orienting the program team and beneficiaries during activities on SIF CRM/CBCM.
• Ensure beneficiaries have been oriented by the project and MEAL team before the start of each project activity and make sure that complaints and feedback are properly acknowledged, registered, processed, resolved timely, and responded to by the complainants and feedback provider.
• Share updated CBCM/CRM database routinely with the line manager on monthly bases.

Objective 5: Learning

• Take minutes of the review meeting and lessons learned workshop and share with Line Manager.
• Identify and document from time to time the key learning points during project implementation in the field and share them during monthly reporting submissions to MEAL Officer.
• Lead in developing case studies or success stories to be used as lessons learned and for monitoring/evaluation purposes.

Objective 6: Coordination

• Ensure smooth coordination with key working groups in the field level and other stakeholders such as VDCs, Committees, Cooperatives, and Government Line Department in terms of monitoring.
• Ensure involve the stakeholders in project monitoring and supervision and build their capacity therein.
• Ensure very good upward, parallel, and downward inter and intra department coordination with his/his line manager and sub-ordinates and with other team members and act as a pro-active team member.  

 Objective 7: Reporting & Communication

• Meet the reporting deadlines on weekly and monthly bases and share MEAL reports timely with Program Project Manager and MEAL Officer.
• Ensure MEAL Officer and Project manager are equally informed about the future task and ongoing activities.
• Ensure proper communication protocols while sharing general and confidential information sharing with targeted and concerned audience/staff and keep updated his/her technical supervisor MEAL and Program about every development at each stage of project implementation.

 This list is not limited; the employee may be required to perform any other task necessary and compatible with its functions assigned by the supervisor.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

• A university degree (Master) in Project Monitoring, Project Management, Social Sciences, Statistics, Economy, Econometrics, or similar is required
• At least 2 years relevant work experience in Monitoring and Evaluation, or Project Management with good knowledge of MEAL mechanism
• Experience in international development and/or non-profit organisations
• Experience in writing reports in English
• Good computer skills; Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and database

View as an asset:

• Experience in conducting surveys, and evaluations as an internal auditor or external consultant
• Knowledge of KPK context
• Computer software skills: SPSS or other

Behavior:

• Very good communication skills and team player, as well as the ability to work individually
• Fluent in Urdu English and local languages
• Demonstrated organizational ability is a strong desire
• Ability to liaise with national authorities, NGO and other agencies
• Flexibility and adaptability are required