Oxfam Novib Somalia is looking for a MEAL Coordinator

Duty station: Hargeisa, Somaliland

Type of appointment: Fixed term

Contract duration: 12 months with possibility of renewal

Work schedule: Full-time (40 hours per week)

Reports to: Program Quality Manager

Start date: As soon as possible

Deadline for applications: 29 October 2024

TEAM PURPOSE: To lead and support country programme in implementing its MEAL and Social accountability objectives.

JOB PURPOSE: To establish, support and advice for the implementation of integral monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning system for the country programme implemented by Oxfam and partners with the aim to improve the quality, impact and influence of the program and to ensure appropriate level of accountability at all levels. The position holder will also be responsible for contributions in organizational decision making, accountability, learning, capacity building, research, Knowledge generation and development of new projects/programmes.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Programme planning development and quality:

• Support country programme processes, particularly on logic of intervention (program logical frameworks and Programme MEAL plans), and contribute to ensuring adherence to Oxfam’s programme quality standards.
• Provide technical input in LFA and monitoring framework development for new project proposals by ensuring project indicators are SMART.
• Assist Oxfam and partners’ teams in ensuring to integrate the feedback of stakeholders into programme planning and design especially the feedback from men and women from vulnerable community groups
• Lead on the development of MEAL plans for the programmes, in consultation with the HRPM and program teams.
• Support in the programme review/programme quality reviews as well as monitor the compliance to the improvement plans.
• Responsible for estimating and setting MEAL resources in proposals’ budgets.

1. MEAL system development and implementation

• Develop and establish an integrated participatory monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning framework for the programmes based on OCS as well as the MEAL frameworks and systems of individual projects.
• Ensure that the MEAL system incorporate Oxfam MEAL principles, ensuring that all MEAL processes, methodologies and tools are gender sensitive.
• Develop MEAL action plan and devise activities of monitoring team accordingly to achieve targets and results.
• Identify the learning needs of the humanitarian programmes (e.g. key assessments, evaluations and other learning exercises) for effective documentation and management of humanitarian strategy and programme impact.
• Oversee and support Oxfam and partners program staff in timely implementation of monitoring framework and tools, including supervising field MEAL exercise & undertaking monitoring field visits to ensure quality & consistent information is available on programme performance and impact.
• Provide program level outcome and impact monitoring, evaluation, learning and accountability report based on project and program MEAL system and findings.
• Act as focal point for Oxfam’s beneficiary counting methodology and lead on the establishment of an improved beneficiary database system and support on the program’s Global Output Reporting.

1. Accountability

• Develop and continuously update accountability strategy and lead on establishment of a program feedback and complaint mechanisms in line with Oxfam standards and in coordination with other programs.
• Ensure that accountability mechanisms and a feedback system are developed and utilized.
• Ensure minimum standards of accountability at all levels corresponding to Oxfam standards,
• Overseeing and quality assurance of accountability mechanisms within the program.
• Share accountability findings with programme teams and senior management and support their used for improved programming, impact and influencing.

Capacity building and technical supervision for partner and Oxfam staff:

• Promote understanding and capacities within project and programme teams on MEAL, and the use and /or analysis of MEAL systems at the project and partner levels.
• Provide high-quality technical advice to Oxfam and partners team in monitoring progress as well of the results/ objectives/outcomes and impact in different field locations,
• Facilitating capacity building process, using various approaches and methodologies, of partners and Oxfam staff on knowledge, skills and competencies necessary for effective MEAL based on capacity assessment on MEAL.
• Support the efforts to upgrade and improve partners’ assessment system and tools to ensure improved partnership management as well as capacity development plans based on the capacity assessments.
• Facilitate and support the team and provide technical guidance in the quantitative & qualitative data collection, analysis and management and report back in an effective manner.
• Train program teams on using analysed data to inform program quality control, document lessons learnt and future project development.

Evaluation, Review, and Learning:

• Develop a knowledge management system and organizational learning (risks/opportunities, challenges/successes) framework of the country humanitarian programme in consultation with program team and partners to facilitate access to different project and program level learning.
• Contribute to the design of mechanism for the dissemination and effective utilization of information for improved quality of programme and for influencing as well as to donor reports.
• Based on key field findings, draw strategic mechanisms for the MEAL improvement for the programmes and for the overall country humanitarian strategy.
• Act as lead and liaison point for internal and external evaluations and initiatives including design and manage evaluations in compliance with Oxfam’s evaluation policy, from development of ToR, to advising management on approval of final report, to dissemination of evaluation findings and recommendations with intended audiences and ensure that learning from these processes is disseminated and acted upon.
• Monitor and ensure that a management response to the findings and recommendations of evaluations is completed, recorded, and followed up for implementation.
• As part of the learning function, take lead in identifying learning points across the range of work carried out and identify opportunities to share this learning through meetings, workshops, reflection reviews, reports and document best practices and lesson learned etc. and demonstrate areas of improvements for future Oxfam program planning and strategies and of influencing.
• Support the organization and (co) facilitate program and project monitoring and quality reviews and learning events.
• Facilitate partners in devising systems to manage knowledge to make it available for future use.
• Oversee the overall knowledge generation component (both documenting and research) of the program and projects on gender justice and women empowerment issues.
• Share relevant MEAL findings with programme teams and management in appropriate format to ensure the whole organization benefits from and applies program learning.
• MEAL budget monitoring
• Monitor the MEAL budget and ensure the regular tracking of variances and advise management on any over/under spending of MEAL allocated resources.

Coordination and networking

• Maintain effective coordination with Oxfam programme team, MEAL staff, influencing and communication teams and other programs in Somaliland/Somalia as well as Partners affiliate and regional platform as relevant.
• Engage with Oxfam and external professional peers in and outside the country to share knowledge and to identify best practice in other countries/agencies relevant to Oxfam which can contribute to our own understanding and development of MEAL.
• Ensure that MEAL efforts in the same location, with same partners or target group are coordinated with other programs to avoid duplication and maximize impact.
• Ensure proper MEAL coordination and streamlining structures between Oxfam and partners are in place.

People management

• Provide leadership to the team, ensuring clarity over MEAL plans and priorities, encouraging effective teamwork and inclusiveness, and building a team spirit through regular meetings and team events.
• Provide leadership to the team, ensuring clarity over MEAL plans and priorities, encouraging effective teamwork and inclusiveness, and building a team spirit through regular meetings and team events.
• Oversee the administrative functions for the MEAL team
• Ensure OXFAM’s performance management system is effectively implemented across the MEAL team, with goal setting, probationary reviews, regular check in, annual performance reviews.
• Support the implementation of OXFAM’s staff learning and development policy, including personal and career development planning, across the MEAL team in a way that is consistent and transparent.

Technical skills, knowledge and experience

• University degree in social sciences, economics, monitoring and evaluation or relevant discipline
• At least 4 years’ experience in an INGO environment, including multisectoral programmes for both humanitarian and development in Somali setting.
• Expert-level understanding of monitoring and evaluation including assessment and tracking of indicators, comparative analysis, development all programme MEAL systems etc.
• Familiar with data management systems and applications used to retrieve information for analysis.
• Preparation and facilitation of programme reviews/learning events, and compilation of review report covering main findings, action points, recommendations and learnings for future programming.
• Strong experience in both humanitarian and development programmes in the Somali setting
• Excellent coordination with relevant programme stakeholders on various monitoring evaluation activities, and support understanding and implementation of MEAL system.
• Conduction and management of multisectoral surveys employing both qualitative and quantitative methods, using a variety of digital data collection technology platforms.