MEAL Officer

Background:

SHiFT - Social Innovation Hub is dedicated to promoting social cohesion, empowerment, and innovation through various community-based initiatives across Lebanon. As part of its efforts to ensure effective program delivery, SHiFT places significant importance on Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) to improve performance, enhance learning, and ensure accountability to beneficiaries. The MEAL Officer will play a critical role in maintaining robust MEAL systems to support SHiFT’s programs, including social innovation, education, and peacebuilding projects.

Job Summary

The MEAL Officer will be responsible for overseeing all MEAL activities for SHiFT's programs. This includes developing and implementing MEAL frameworks, collecting and analyzing data, ensuring accountability mechanisms, and contributing to program learning and improvement. The Officer will also train staff and partners to implement effective MEAL systems, ensuring that projects meet internal and donor requirements.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities

1. MEAL System Development and Implementation:

• Design and update MEAL frameworks and tools to align with SHiFT’s program goals and donor requirements.
• Implement MEAL systems for tracking outputs, outcomes, and impacts of SHiFT’s interventions.
• Coordinate with project teams to ensure accurate data collection and reporting.

2. Data Collection and Information Management:

• Develop and refine data collection tools (e.g., surveys, checklists).
• Ensure accurate and timely data entry, cleaning, and analysis.
• Manage the organization and storage of all MEAL-related data.

3. Reporting and Accountability:

• Draft MEAL reports that provide insights on project performance and suggest areas for improvement.
• Support the implementation of SHiFT’s complaints and feedback mechanisms to ensure transparency and responsiveness to beneficiaries.
• Compile success stories, lessons learned, and best practices for internal and external use.
• Report to and alert the project team on regular basis regarding any anticipated project issues, risks and any emerging opportunities and threats to the project implementation related to this role.

4. Capacity Building and Support:

• Train SHiFT staff, volunteers, and partners on MEAL tools and processes.
• Conduct field visits to provide technical support to project teams and ensure compliance with MEAL standards.
• Assist in building the capacity of partners and beneficiaries to contribute to MEAL activities.

5. Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

• Facilitate learning events and workshops to share key findings and lessons from MEAL activities.
• Support mid-term and final evaluations of projects.
• Collaborate with program staff to integrate learning into future project design and implementation.

6. External Representation and Networking:

• Represent SHiFT in relevant MEAL networks and forums.
• Maintain relationships with donors and partners regarding MEAL issues and requirements.

Qualifications and Experience

Essential:

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, international development, or a related field.
• At least 2 years of relevant experience in MEAL, preferably within the NGO sector.
• Proven ability to collect, analyze, and present qualitative and quantitative data.
• Fluency in English and Arabic (written and spoken).
• Proficiency in MS Office, particularly Excel, and experience with digital data collection tools (e.g., KOBO).

Desirable:

• Experience in developing MEAL frameworks for community development or social cohesion projects.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks under tight deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity.
• Experience in facilitating learning and capacity-building initiatives.

Inter-Relationships

The MEAL Officer will report directly to the Program Manager and work closely with SHiFT’s project teams, partners, and volunteers. The Officer will also collaborate with external evaluators, donors, and other stakeholders as needed.