Senior MEAL Officer

Role Summary/Purpose:

Dedicated to SAMS Lebanon Office and working closely with Program and the Grants department, Him / Her Coordinates MEAL activities and contributes to programmatic reporting. The MEAL Coordinator will be reporting to the Program Director/Country Representative and technically supervising and following up on the MEAL team and department. Ensuring proper data collection and storage is being accurately done and reflected. The MEAL coordinator ensures targets on indicators are being met and flags on any shortcomings. The MEAL coordinator contributes to internal and donor reports by progress analysis.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Monitoring and Evaluation

• Provide technical leadership and orientation to the MEAL team in Lebanon.
• Provide supervision for overarching MEAL activities.
• Capacity assessments to be done periodically to the team and tailor support according to need identified.
• Train and mentor MEAL personnel and ensure improved capacity overtime.
• Develop MEAL and IM SOPs for SAMS Lebanon.
• Aggregate data from across program and projects for internal and external reporting duties and ensure SAMS data and knowledge is preserved and available for reference.
• Participate in performance appraisals of MEAL teams in terms of evaluating their technical capacities.
• Supervise timely submission of Monthly Quantitative report and Indicator Project Performance Tracker reflecting achieved targets of all projects in Lebanon by the MEAL team.
• Support in the design phase of project proposals (Logic models).
• Lead evaluation projects when needed (periodically).
• Ensure accountability mechanisms are in place and functional.
• Participate in developing logical frameworks for new and existing projects
• Develop databases and tracking tools as needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of project interventions
• Develop needs assessment and other tools that will generate data required to calculate baselines and/or information essential to project design and funding requests
• Develop project evaluation tools in line with the project log frame
• Initiate data analysis and action planning meeting with program teams to review data trends and overall project performance
• Participate in developing an M&E Plan in line with the projects’ thematic standards and practice

• Ensure accurate and timely collection of program data from the field
• Develop and/or update M&E tools, databases and monthly reports in close collaboration with the Program Director / Country Representative
• Clean data assigned to and submitted by program staff.
• Conduct data audits and analysis to ensure high quality data, compile a report with relevant indicator data per grant, showing targets versus actuals and an action plan
• Manage data collection efforts for planned surveys and/or assessments

Accountability systems

• Provide technical guidance on PSEA safeguarding as the primary focal point for SAMS Lebanon.

• Advise staff on data management and storage;
• Handle Complaint and Feedback Mechanism (CFRM): Hotline operation, safe logging, planning, follow-up and closure of cases
• Review all reports to ensure that data provided is reliable and accurate and that target indicators are met and explanations provided where indicators are not met

Reporting and Communication

• Participate in writing monthly, quarterly and annual project reports
• Maintain assigned Indicator Performance Tracking tools
• Create and integrate graphics in reports and information products to help visualize data in a meaningful way
• Report monthly activity plan to Program Director / Country Representative
• Adhere to, and promote the PSEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) and Child Safeguarding standards within SAMS and amongst beneficiaries served by SAMS;
• Uphold SAMS commitment to safeguarding donor funds and preventing of anti-fraud, bribery, and corruption, in line with donor regulations and SAMS policies and procedures.

Learning and Documentation

• Provide documentation and dissemination of key findings stemming from monitoring, assessment, and other learning activities.
• Track and ensure organized, comprehensive electronic filing of documented findings/analyses such as the MEAL Masterwork book.
• Provide input in defining and developing and/or reviewing the M&E Standards.

Any other duties as assigned by the direct supervisor.

Competencies:

• Bachelor degree in related subject such as social science, statistics, public health, international development from a recognized institution and relevant professional qualification in MEAL or qualified through experience.
• At least 3 years of relevant work experience in I/NGO. Experience of planning, coordinating and undertaking reviews and evaluations.
• Thorough understanding of and experience in using the main quantitative and qualitative methods used in monitoring and evaluating humanitarian programs
• Proven analytical ability, both qualitative and quantitative, including ability to process large amounts of information and to present data in creative and engaging ways.
• Experience in using MS Office, especially Excel
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience data collection and management software using ODK, KOBOTOOLBOX, SPSS
• Experience in using data visualization software such as Power BI, Tableau or other.
• Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to build strong and effective working relationships, and bringing people together to complete tasks in a timely manner.
• Good oral and written presentation skills and training/workshop facilitation skills
• Working calmly under pressure and meeting strict deadlines.
• An ability to work on own initiative, as part of teams of people of diverse backgrounds, and to have a flexible attitude towards work.
• Excellent communication skills in spoken and written English and Arabic

Personal Characteristics:

• Ability to work independently and within a team
• Enthusiastic and empathetic
• Approachable, trustworthy, and discrete
• Willingness to improve own knowledge and skills
• Committed to equity and social inclusion
• Conscientious, with an excellent sense of judgment