CARE is Looking for Area Field MEL Officer

CARE seeks a world of hope, inclusion, and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and all people live in dignity and security. CARE provides cross-border humanitarian assistance in Syria, and refugee assistance within southern Turkey to people affected by the Syrian crisis. In response to CARE increased Syrian response cross-border humanitarian works the program is now endeavoring to undertake an inside NW Syria direct implementation to address humanitarian needs, enhance the quality of our programming and maximum response capacity and support to CARE’s partners. We are looking for a trustworthy, dynamic, innovative, and resourceful person to join the Area office in the capacity of Field MEL Officer to be based in Jarablus, northern Aleppo, Syria.

Job Summary

The Area Field MEL Officer will be part of the Area office team and report directly to the Area MEL coordinator. The Area Field MEL Officer is responsible in implementing a functional MEL system at Area level. S/he provides support to the program team in designing, monitoring, and evaluating all projects’ interventions. Moreover, he/she works with the direct supervisor in the coordination and/or the implementation of projects’ baselines and evaluations, as well as the implementation of standardized MEL processes and tools for all sectors at field level.

The post holder under the supervision of the Area MEL Coordinator will work to continuously improve project level MEL with specific focus on the following areas: qualitative and quantitative data collection, assessment scheduling and coordination, data analysis and use, and quality monitoring. The Area Field MEL Officer will ensure that all assigned CARE activities in northern Aleppo are continually monitored for their effectiveness and appropriateness and that lesson are documented and communicated to inform on-going implementation and future programming.

The person is expected to have strong interpersonal skills, understanding, cooperative, organized, a high ability to work within a team to take initiative and skills in influencing to support policy and advocacy.

Responsibilities and Tasks

Job Responsibility #1 MEL System development 20%

• Ensure that the reporting system is used, maintained, and up to standards in terms of managing quality data.
• Ensure the availability of the needed and updated data collection tools in coordination with the Area MEL officer in the country office.
• Ensure SADD data and data on gender dynamics is regularly collected.
• Encourage a culture of data use and evidence-based decision making by using and displaying updated data in the office to demonstrate progress and areas of concern.
• Ensure that all the relevant CARE and program staff know, meet, and apply CARE MEL minimum standards and requirements.
• Ensure proper scheduling of monitoring and evaluation activities per project.
• Ensure effective scheduling of program assessments as well as the analysis and dissemination of findings.

Job Responsibility #2 MEL Data gathering, Information management and reporting 60%

• Support in setting the MEL plan for the responsible projects in the area office in coordination with the program coordinators and Area MEL officer in the country office.
• Support in tracking the implementation of MEL plans across the different programs as per the MEL plan.
• Participating in grants opening meetings, grants review meetings, and grants closure meeting at area office.
• Maximize the use of the data collected from the feedback handling mechanism by sharing trends, findings, and recommendations for programs.
• Support in ensuring all stakeholders have safe access to CARE accountability channels.
• Conduct routine field visits to ensure data collection quality and M&E ethics.
• Plan and conduct monitoring visits as per MEL work plans per project ensuring that quality data is submitted to the Area MEL officer in the country office.
• Conduct interviews with direct and indirect beneficiaries to get feedback on quality of CARE’s programs and suggestions for improvements.
• Ensure all monitoring visits is ending with a report highlight the results and main findings of the trip based on data collected from the field in addition to Area Field MEL Assistants observations.
• Contribute to program updates for response management and internal information sharing, including 3Ws, communications information.
• Coordinate the application of CARE verification standard operating procedures for all assigned projects.
• In collaboration with the Area MEL Coordinator and Area MEL officer, lead field-level assessments, including baseline, mid-term, end-line, KAP and post-distribution monitoring surveys.
• Work with program staff to ensure quality programming and adherence to minimum standards well as the mainstreaming of cross-cutting themes (Gender, Protection and Disability).
• Ensure Area Field MEL assistants are aware of their monthly responsibilities, field visits have to be planned and coordinated in advance between Area MEL officer and logistics.
• Ensure positive and effective communication between the Area MEL field team and program team.
• Ensure that MEL and program staff fully understand the function of MEL in quality assurance and strengthen a culture of open reflection and improvement.
• Work with data team on ensuring the CARE projects are using the right beneficiaries lists and databases and collecting the minimum gender and age disaggregated data as per CARE’s requirement.
• Contribute to data protection protocol and streamline its implementation.
• Feedback to Data Management team all data related issues and concerns, and work with them on improving the data quality and reliability.

Job Responsibility #3 Evaluation, Learning and other duties 20%

• Ensure all field activities are ending up with summary reports.
• Work with Area MEL Coordinator and Area MEL Officer in ensuring MEL reports are meeting CARE’s quality standards and program needs.
• Flag any issues or MEL related concerns to the Area MEL Coordinator on timely manner.
• Implement assessments, surveys, and evaluations, including facilitating itineraries, training field staff for data collection; facilitate focus groups and other qualitative data collection exercises, under the guidance of the Area MEL Coordinator.
• Facilitate all assigned projects-based assessments, evaluations and research including planning and reporting on the same, with guidance of the Area MEL Coordinator.
• Ensure that the minimum standards of humanitarian relief are maintained in accordance with the Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability and CARE’s Framework on Accountability to Affected Populations.
• Comply with CARE policies and practices with respect to gender and diversity, child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, and equal opportunities.
• Any other duties as required.

Qualifications (Know-How)

Education/Training

Required

• University degree in a relevant field (Computer Sciences, Social Work/Social Sciences, Information Management, Statistics etc.) or any other relevant major.

Desired

• Strong data management visualization software (PowerBi & Tablue).
• Certification in project management or MEL related technical course.

Experience

Required

• At least 3 years of experience in MEL, with 2 years in MEL Department.
• Experience of working in camps.
• Experience of working with software or programming.

Desired

• Experience in do-no-harm approaches in a humanitarian context, preferably in Syrian context
• Experience in working with INGOs and fully understand data management system.
• Demonstrated understanding of and experience with policies, protocols, and procedures of international NGO’s and donor agencies

Technical Skills

Required

• Can-Do Attitude
• Excellent proven communication skills, including working with multiple stakeholder groups, including children.
• Excellent computer skills, especially in MS Word, MS Excel, and MS Outlook.
• Ability to work both in an advisory and a hands-on implementation capacity
• Excellent communication and influencing skills.
• Ability to handle a high workload and to work independently.
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact, and diplomacy
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
• Flexibility and ability to multi-task under pressure.
• Ability to work well in unstable and changing security environments.
• Strong organization, multi-tasking, and time management skills.
• Strong skills in inter-personal communications, able to work effectively with multiple stakeholders in a complex, multi-actor environment.
• Strong skills in written communication, including effective report writing
• Sensitivity to cultural differences and the ability to work effectively across a wide variety of cultural contexts.
• Ability to communicate ideas in a culturally-sensitive manner and conducive to their practical application
• Strong team player, able to develop and maintain effective working relationships within a distributed and dynamic team.
• Ability to organize and plan effectively
• Fluent in Arabic and highly desired to have advanced English language skills.

Child Protection Policy

Child abuse in all forms is unacceptable to CARE Turkey, which recognizes its responsibility to protect children from harm in all areas of its work. CARE Turkey is committed to ensuring a child-safe environment and is applying a zero-tolerance approach towards any kind of child abuse and exploitation.

Discrimination, Abuse and Harassment Policy

CARE Turkey expressly prohibits and will not tolerate any form of discrimination, abuse, harassment (sexual or otherwise), based upon race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship status, disability, or military status. CARE employees and related personnel must under no circumstances take part in any form of discrimination, harassment, or abuse (physical, sexual or verbal), intimidation or exploitation, or in any other way infringe the rights of others inside or outside CARE.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

Employment is subject to the possession of valid identification documents (passport, residency card, temporary protection card, etc.) and successfully obtaining permission to work by the Government of Turkey (work permit). CARE will submit the work permit application on behalf of the selected candidate after the job offer accepted. Candidate can start to work for CARE only after the work permit is received. Failure to provide the required documents or rejection of a work permit application by the Government of Turkey will result in your employment offer being rescinded.