Position Summary

The MEAL Officer will support the MEAL department in the design, coordination, and implementation of the M&E monitoring plan for Search’s programs. The officer is also expected to support the learning strategy. He/she will ensure that qualitative and quantitative evidence are timely and accurately gathered in all projects.

S/he will be in close coordination with the program team, and on an occasional basis, S/he will work with the Regional Institutional Learning team based in Brussels. The incumbent of this position will be based in Beirut with frequent travels/visits to the field.

Team Summary

The Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning (MEAL) team plays a key role within the program department to support projects’ adaptation based on evidence that Search’s Global Programs generate in each country. MEAL implements best practices in monitoring, research and evaluation, and contributes to the broader organizational learning across programs; under the technical support and in collaboration with the Institutional Learning Team (ILT). MEAL also contributes to business development processes ensuring quality of program design which integrates lessons learned and evidence collected and alignment with global and conflict geography strategies. MEAL is responsible for ensuring alignment of country programs with global standards, including the Evidence and Learning Protocols and the Peace Impact Framework (PIF). The local MEAL team will include two members. The team engages at multiple levels of the program structure and with other departments within the country’s structure, such as finance, P&C, Logistics, etc.

Roles and Responsibilities

The position holder will more specifically have the following Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Review and ensure a common understanding of the project logic framework, indicators, targets, data collection tools, M&E plan by the teams;
• Ensure that all Search’s projects are properly monitored and all monitoring tools are developed according to the M&E plan in a timely manner;
• Lead on collecting data through conducting surveys, key informant interviews, phone interviews, pre/post testing, focus group discussions, and community visits as required;
• Lead on cleaning, organizing, and analyzing, and reporting data as against indicators;
• Support the MEAL in timely reporting including quarterly, annual, and final reports for all projects in accordance with stated deadlines and quality standards;
• Develop M&E plans, monitoring tools, case studies, success stories, snapshots and visualization documents for Search projects;
• Maintain a country-level database as well Search system database to ensure all project outputs and results are accurately recorded and coordinated to inform project staff and other Search staff.
• Support the MEAL, and in close collaboration with project teams, to implement and properly utilize the feedback and response mechanism that can be used across the country portfolio.
• Support the MEAL, in designing and implementing a reflection & learning process. In particular, Support the facilitation of cross-organizational learning activities, which includes providing information, guidelines, lessons learned, reflection workshops, and user-friendly learning tools on DM&E designed by the Institutional Learning Team of Search.
• Provide timely and quality support and guidance to the project team to meet the project’s specific M&E needs;
• Meet regularly with project staff to review the progress of the projects against their objectives, indicators, and deliverables, and give meaningful input and recommendations into the project management and institutional learning.
• Strengthen DM&E capacities of Search program staff and partners by designing and implementing capacity-building activities;

Safeguarding

• Remain alert and responsive to any safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills which will enable promoting strong safeguarding practices, understanding the safeguarding policy and procedures.

Required Profile

Education

• Preferred Bachelor’s Degree in any of Social Science, Economics, Business Administration
• Advanced Degree is a plus.
• Preferred certifications in statistics, research methodologies, monitoring and evaluation, international development, or related fields are desired.

Experience and Qualifications

• Minimum 6 years is required for this position, preferable in humanitarian sector
• Preferred work experience in monitoring, and evaluation methodologies in the M&E and in Peacebuilding programs;
• Proven experience of using qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis tools;
• Knowledge of participatory methods, mixed methods, outcome mapping and/or impact evaluation techniques;
• Collaborative working style that enables coaching and training in M&E principles and best practices;
• Demonstrated capacity to coordinate evaluations, including experience developing evaluation terms of reference and recruiting and managing consultants;
• Extensive knowledge and application of proposal design principles;
• Knowledge of data software such as STATA or SPSS is an extra;
• Excellent analytical and report-writing skills;
• A demonstrated commitment to high professional ethical standards and the ability to work in diverse workplace environments; and
• Ability to prioritize, plan, and organize workflow to tight timeframes, handle multiple tasks, and be flexible with changing priorities.

Officer – Behavioral Indicators

• Initiates brainstorming or problem-solving meetings. With time in job, develops skills for analyzing and communicating program successes and failures; reports lessons learned to the team and other members.
• Represents Search at local and international events and meetings for professional organizations, vendors, partners, and funders. Develops skills to independently initiate and maintain relations with vendors, partners, and funders. Articulates Search program/project goals and objectives within Search and to external audiences.
• Demonstrates appreciation for diversity of thought. Builds cross-functional relationships with other functional departments.
• Demonstrates ability to be adaptable and willing to confront and change own ideas and preconceptions with the resiliency and flexibility to make changes based on hearing a diversity of thoughts.
• Drafts team documents, briefing materials, and presentations. Articulates program/project objectives and how they fit into a team’s goals and/or Search’s mission and adapts to the communications setting.
• Applies standards, identifies areas for standardization, and coordinates across functions from a multicultural perspective that reflects consideration of other cultures, other viewpoints, and other ways of doing things.
• Takes into account the environmental landscape, assesses one's own and others' viewpoints in their environment, and proposes solutions from an ethical perspective.
• Recognizes the options available for solving problems, conducts analyses, and calculates metrics and other technical tools to support informed decision making.
• Conducts Quality Control of team documents, briefing materials, presentations, and systems data. Carefully reviews and checks the accuracy of information in work reports, management information systems, or with other individuals and groups. Checks the accuracy of one’s own and others’ work. Proactively informs management of potential risks and concerns; suggests resolutions.
• Independently prioritizes time to reach deadlines and reaches end results of assignments with ability to accomplish multiple steps with limited to no supervision.