Monitoring & Evaluation Coordinator

JOB DESCRIPTION NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL   JOB TITLE:                              Monitor and Evaluation Coordinator   DUTY STATION:                       Beirut with extensive travel throughout Lebanon CONTRACT PERIOD:                 6 months with possible extension STARTING DATE:                     1st January 2013 PROJECT NUMBER:     REPORTING TO:                      Programme Director   NRC opened its office in Lebanon in 2006, in response to the July 2006 war where it first began humanitarian operations with provision of shelter for the displaced Lebanese population in Southern Lebanon. Since then, NRC has rapidly responded to needs and increased project activities to include shelter support to Palestinian refugee communities, non-formal education provision to refugees from Iraq, and teacher training for school personnel in UNRWA supported schools. In 2011 and 2012, NRC also expanded to provide Improved Services Provision activities and commence its Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance programme. Current project areas include: the Beirut suburbs, Southern Lebanon, The Bekaa valley and Northern Lebanon.   With a well established programme for Palestinian in Camps and gatherings in the South and North of the country, NRC has since June 2011 also emerged as one of the main actors within the response to the Syrian crisis in Lebanon.   As the country programme increases, NRC has recognised the need to establish a separate Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) unit which can set up a structure, systems and tools to measure the impact of NRC Lebanon’s work.  The M&E Coordinator will be the first staff member to set up and work within this unit.   JOB PURPOSE The M&E coordinator is responsible for guiding the overall M&E strategy and implementation of related activities within the NRC core competencies programmes in Lebanon, providing timely and relevant information to project stakeholders. This entails close communication with all involved in programmes design and coordination: core project staff; representatives from primary stakeholder groups; and the project director, external consultants and field staff when appropriate.   Critical tasks for the M&E coordinator are setting up the M&E system and tools and ensuring it is implemented effectively at programme/project level. This is undertaken through the joint development of a shared M&E system that is based on existing formal and informal mechanisms and systems among the projects.     REPORTING TO The      M&E Coordinator reports to the Programme Director   TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES Help revise the      project log-frame matrix, particularly in the areas of the objective      hierarchy, indicators and monitoring mechanisms. Prepare a workplan and      action plan for the establishment of the M&E unit in NRC Lebanon. Act as focal point for      the NRC Global CAD application in Lebanon, and harmonising this to NRC      Lebanon tools and activities. Develop the overall      framework for project M&E, for example, annual project reviews,      participatory impact assessments, process monitoring, operations      monitoring and lessons-learned workshops. Assist with guiding      the process for identifying and designing the key indicators for each      component, to record and report physical progress against the log-frame      and action-plans. Also steer the process for designing the format of such      progress reports. Guide the process for      identifying the key performance questions and parameters for monitoring      project performance and comparing it to targets. Design the format for      such performance reports. Clarify the core      information needs of central project management, the steering committee      (or similar body), funding agencies and the cooperating institution. With stakeholders, set      out the framework and procedures for the evaluation of project activities. In coordination with      PD and PMs, develop tools and templates to be used for measuring impact of      each core competency. In coordination with      PD and PMs, review their existing approaches and management information      systems and agree on any required changes, support and resources. Identify other M&E      staff that the project needs to contract and assist with their      recruitment. In coordination with      PD, PMs and PCs guide and cooperate with advisors/consultant who are      contracted to implement special surveys and studies required for      evaluating project effects and impacts. Develop a plan for      project related capacity building on M&E. In coordination with      PD and PMs, organise and undertake training with field staff in M&E      skills, including participatory aspects.     Implementation of M&E Based on the projects documents and in particular the log-frames, design the framework for the physical and process monitoring of project activities. And particularly:   Guide staff in      preparing their progress reports. Together, analyse these reports in terms      of problems and actions needed. Prepare consolidated progress reports for      project management to submit to the relevant bodies, in accordance with      approved reporting formats and timing. Review monitoring      reports, analyse them for impact evaluation and to identify the causes of      potential bottlenecks in project implementation. Collaborate with staff      on qualitative monitoring to provide relevant information for ongoing      evaluation of project activities, effects and impacts. Foster participatory      planning and monitoring by training and involving the staff in the M&E      of activities. Ensure that, in      general, project monitoring arrangements comply with the projects documents      and, in particular, the provisions of this project documents are fully      observed in the design of project M&E. Inform and join      external supervision and evaluation missions – of funding and other      agencies – by screening and analysing monitoring reports as well as by      furnishing direct personal knowledge of the field situation. Organise (and provide)      refresher training in M&E for project staff, including local      organisations and primary stakeholders if need be. Plan for regular      opportunities to identify lessons learned and implications for the      project’s next steps. Participate in these events when possible.     Communication Prepare reports on      M&E findings, as required, working closely with financial controller, programme      directors and technical staff. Undertake regular      visits to the field to support implementation of M&E and to identify      where adaptations might be needed. Guide the regular      sharing of the outputs of M&E findings with project staff and primary      stakeholders. Provide the Programme      Director and the Programme Managers with management information that      she/he may require. Make regular reports      to the Senior Management Team, highlighting areas of concern and preparing      the documentation for review at meetings. Check that monitoring      data are discussed in the appropriate forum and in a timely fashion in      terms of implications for future action. If necessary, create such      discussion forums to fill any gaps. Participate in      external missions and facilitate mission team members’ access to M&E      data and to stakeholders.                           PROFILE OF PERSON At least 5 years of proven experience with: the logical framework      approach and other strategic planning approaches; M&E methods and      approaches (including quantitative, qualitative and participatory); planning and      implementation of M&E systems; training in M&E      development and implementation; facilitating      learning-oriented analysis sessions of M&E data with multiple      stakeholders; information analysis      and report writing.   She/He must also have: a solid understanding      of humanitarian interventions, with a focus on participatory processes,      joint management, and gender issues; familiarity with and a      supportive attitude towards processes of strengthening local field      operation and building local capacities for self-management; willing to undertake      regular field visits and interact with different stakeholders; computer skills; leadership qualities,      personnel and team management (including mediation and conflict      resolution).   Desirable: experience in M&E      system and tools design; experience in data      processing and with computers.     FORMAL EDUCATION Relevant experience and/or higher education, preferably within social sciences, economy & finance or related fields of study   PERSONAL QUALITIES Goal oriented Ability to work under pressure, independently and with limited supervision Ability and willingness to work and live under difficult circumstances Flexible, creative and co-operative Practical sense and willingness and ability to contribute to logistics Security, political and cultural awareness Sense of humour