PIN Volunteer – MEAL Officer, Moldova

Country Programme: Moldova

Base: Chisinau with frequent travels to the field

Reports to: Head of MEAL

Contract length: 6 months

Starting date: ASAP

About the Moldova programme of People in Need:

People in Need (PIN) has been working in Moldova since 2003, providing development support to the local population in three focus areas: agriculture and economy, social protection and inclusion, and civil society empowerment and engagement. Since the conflict in Ukraine escalated in February and brought the consequent displacement into neighboring countries, PIN has been providing humanitarian assistance focusing on protection and cash transfers to host population. PIN has been implementing large scale multipurpose cash intervention reaching up to 40,000 people prior to the refugee influx and scaled up to extend the support to vulnerable families hosting refugees. Protection assistance focuses on psycho-social support for refugees and hosting population and support local civil society organizations who are working with refugees. PIN emergency programme portfolio in Moldova is currently funded by DG ECHO, WFP and PIN Public Appeal collection.

Position Summary:

Under overall supervision of the Head of MEAL, the MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning) 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 Head of MEAL.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

– MEAL Officer implements ethical principles in her/his tasks and duties, and promotes and strengthens the understanding of them among other team members.

– 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.

– Drafting the Results Framework(s)/MEAL Framework(s), which will serve as a base for MEAL planning, expanding the project’s logical framework, clarifying the methods and frequency of measurement for each of the indicators, as well as the roles and responsibilities of each team member in collecting, analysing and disseminating the data.

– Developing and/or contributing to specific M&E Narrative Plan(s) for programming and/or particular sector, component, project/donor that will describe MEAL approaches and activities reflecting in narrative and in greater detail Results Framework/MEAL Framework.

– Draft and regularly update MEAL workplan(s) and data collection plans and agree workplan with stakeholders across the organization.

– Collaborate with program staff to ensure timely execution of assigned MEAL activities. As well as ensures smooth cooperation between MEAL team and project team.

– Oversee planning, preparation, organization and conducting of monitoring and evaluation activities per dedicated project (including and where relevant routine/random monitoring activities, baseline and end-line studies, Post Distribution and Post Intervention Monitoring, (if applicable), support mid-term and post-project evaluation etc.), including monitoring of local partners and grantees and provide support to external evaluators as required, in particularly is responsible for:

• 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 quantitative (e.g. surveys) and qualitative (e.g. FGDs, KIIs, etc.) data collection 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 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.

– Assist the project teams in strengthening the accountability mechanisms at project level, including performing beneficiary verification process.

– MEAL Officer participates in collecting beneficiary feedback received through the complaints and feedback mechanism, as well as through observation and direct interaction with beneficiaries and other stakeholders 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.

– Provide MEAL related inputs to project proposals, project reporting, and any other relevant internal and external reporting.

– 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, analyses and reporting.

– Engage in relevant external working groups, if found relevant.

– MEAL Officer provides support to Head of MEAL and MEAL department 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.

And fulfils any other tasks as required and assigned by the Head of MEAL during the assignment as programming and context evolve.

Main Requirements:

• 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
• Proven experience in humanitarian assistance in emergencies and/or development contexts;
• Strong grasp of all stages of programme cycle management and quality standards in humanitarian and development aid programming, including accountability mechanisms;
• Excellent knowledge of English, knowledge of Russian or Romanian as an advantage;
• Experience of working in an international team is an advantage
• Good communication and organizational skills, resistance to stress
• Independence, reliability and ability to complete tasks to a given quality and time
• Diligence and detail orientation
• Ability to organize work independently, prioritize individual tasks and handle different assignments simultaneously
• Ability to deal flexibly with new situations
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office tools

What we offer:

• Work experience in a well-established and continuously growing humanitarian organization in a challenging context;
• Work in an international team;
• Monthly subsistence allowance of 1350 EUR;
• Shared accommodation (guesthouse)
• 25 days of paid leave annually;
• Travel health insurance;
• Free access to e-learning sites, global PIN’s Induction Training, and other capacity building opportunities;
• Reimbursement of travel expenses to and from Moldova;
• Reimbursement of costs of visas and vaccinations; assistance with visa application procedure;
• Reimbursement of the medical check-up before and after the deployment;
• Free medical helpdesk and psychological consultation available online.