Expert for MEAL

Objective:

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning (MEAL) for Welthungerhilfe (WHH) Programs and Projects  

Welthungerhilfe values diversity and ensures an inclusive, non-discriminatory working environment. We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community.\\\"

Context:

Welthungerhilfe wants to be successful and measures its success according to how much the conditions of people living in poverty and deprivation have improved. Welthungerhilfe uses field-based evidence, lessons learned from good practice and research by academic institutions in a feedback loop into our program management cycle.  Crucially, the field-based evidence and the participatory approaches we use leads to respect of the knowledge, experience and traditions of people and the communities with whom we work. Welthungerhilfe’s work is characterised by creativity and constant willingness to learn and innovate. In Country Office Pakistan, Welthungerhilfe Global MEAL standards and country MEAL framework is identified as being of strategic importance. For aid effectiveness, transparency, good documentation, and communication are known to be adequate responses when working in integrated development projects and with disaster-affected areas. To reach both the objective of the country program, results-oriented planning, monitoring, and evaluation, Welthungerhilfe standards and country MEAL framework is systematically introduced in all projects. To facilitate this process, MEAL unit provides necessary trainings, technical support, and mentorship to the field teams of Welthungerhilfe and partner organizations. The MEAL system is based on strengthening action and reflection to contribute to the empowerment and learning of the people at all levels.

Responsibilities:

1. Support the MEAL-unit in the Pakistan Country Program to ensure timely, effective, and high-quality MEAL standards and systems at project and program level
2. Support WHH Pakistan to become a learning organization by collating and organizing learnings on a virtual platform
3. Provide technical support to partner organizations’ MEAL units to become Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) compliant in their systems and operations
4. Ensure adherence and compliance to MEAL quality standards and country MEAL Framework in project planning, implementation and particularly learning outcomes.
5. Give organisational and conceptual support and guidance to partner organisation(s) on how to introduce and implement MEAL quality standards through-out project cycle in conjunction with WHH Pakistan MEAL Framework and Scope of Work
6. Coordinate assessments and provide guidance in conducting assessments to partner organizations in close cooperation with the technical Advisors
7. Coordinate capacity building and technical backstopping for partner organizations in CHS & Welthungerhilfe MEAL Standards (#ms indicators, qualitative tools, CHS 4, 5, 7 and output monitoring etc.)
8. Coordinate and steer that assessments, reviews, and evaluation results are being followed-up
9. Regular field monitoring visits and PDMs; develop data collection tools when required according to the project requirements, draft quality monitoring reports and share with appropriate audience for course correction and quality assurance.
10. Accountability: Ensure compliance with CHS and Welthungerhilfe Pakistan Beneficiary Feedback and Response Mechanism, and all associated tools and SOPs, in the country; follow-up on FCRM functionality during field visits and PDMs, review CRM database during data audits.
11. In collaboration with the Sector Advisor MEAL, facilitate field-level learning events (review workshops, reflection, lesson learnt and external/internal evaluation) to capture, document and disseminate lessons learned for internal and external purposes. 
12. Provide technical support in hiring of external consultants as and when required and Act as a coordination focal person with the external evaluators.
13. Report all security relevant issues and information to the Security Manager and the management
14. Ensure gender specific approach in project planning and implementation

RESPONSIBILITIES (Details)

1.   Support the MEAL unit in the Pakistan Program to ensure timely, effective, and high-quality MEAL standards and systems at project level

• Coordinate and Support projects and partners to set project MEAL system (as per WHH Pakistan MEAL framework incl. SOPs and WHH Global Standards), working closely with field-based MEAL Staff, and Program/ Project Managers.
• Organize and document MEAL Technical working group meetings and visits, share up to date information and ensure needed follow up
• Exchange and cooperate closely with project management, relevant project stakeholders and partner organizations
• Support the partner organizations to develop or adjust the context of the standard tools and formats according to the project/ programme needs
• Coordinate and conduct trainings of WHH and partner organizations project staff on information sharing (CHS 4), community consultations for CRM (CHS 5), project MEAL requirements, WHH Pakistan MEAL Framework, incl. application of standardized tools and formats,

2.  Provide technical support to partner organizations’ MEAL units to become Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) compliant in their systems and operations

• Support Sector Advisor MEAL Review capacity strengthening plans (CSPs) of partner organizations, and accordingly develop partner specific MEAL unit development plans
• Support Sector Advisor MEAL in reviewing partner organizations’ MEAL guidelines/ manuals considering CHS indicators and provide feedback for improvement in organizational MEAL system
• Support Sector Advisor MEAL in trainings, coaching and mentoring of partner organizations MEAL staff to implement MEAL unit development plans.
• Follow up annually on partner organizations CSPs with focus on MEAL-related capacity building needs and opportunities including Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS), and beneficiary feedback and response mechanisms and provide technical backstopping for MEAL system improvement

3.  Coordinate capacity building for partners staff on MEAL Systems and Functions

• Assist in organization of workshops and refreshers for partners on MEL skills, CHS and CRM.
• Organize and conduct trainings on participatory methods
• In close collaboration with the Welthungerhilfe Pakistan Sector Advisor MEAL, capacitate and provide technical back stopping on #MS quantitative indicators and #MS qualitative tools to DWHH staff and partners.
• In close collaboration with the Welthungerhilfe Pakistan Sector Advisor MEAL, capacitate and provide technical back stopping on #MS quantitative indicators and #MS qualitative tools to WHH staff and partners. The position will ensure the timeliness and quality of data collection, and ensure all captured data is managed according to data protection information management standards and best practices.  

4.  Monitoring: Ensure quality standards in project planning and implementation

• Provide support in developing proposals, reports, and other documents in line with Welthungerhilfe and donor requirements.
• Support in the development of MEAL components of project proposals, including the development of indicators, budgets, and project-specific MEAL plans.  Ensure compliance with MEAL standards check list. 
• Provide technical support to the MEAL Coordinators in adaptation of standardized formats and tools to project requirements
• Provide technical inputs for planning workshops and midterm/annual/ internal reviews
• Undertake regular field visits to ensure quality control of agreed standards
• Guide and support partner organizations on preparation of M&E Plans as and when required.
• Work with the field project team in implementing MEAL plans, processes, and tools, ensuring quality and consistency with WHH standards and donor compliance.
• Produce quarterly analysis of the assigned project on M&E plan format. This will entail flagging areas of concern, developing recommendations for corrective actions to share with the program Managers/project coordinators, implementing teams and Sector Advisor MEAL, and documenting lessons learned. 
• In collaboration with Sector Advisor MEAL jointly collect and analysis WHH global sucess indicators and beneficiary’s data on a set time line.
• Under the guidance of the Sector Advisor MEAL, conduct internal project data audits with a purpose to ensure evidances are documented and reflect the data reported by the implementing teams.
• Providing guides to WHH MEAL field staff on data audit and data management as an when required. 
• Produce quarterly analysis on new M&E plan format the implementation status of all assigned projects. This will entail flagging areas of concern, developing recommendations for corrective actions to share with the program Managers/project coordinators, implementing teams and Sector Advisor MEAL, and documenting lessons learned. 

5.  Monitoring: Coordinate assessments and provide guidance in conducting assessments for new and ongoing projects upon request in close cooperation with the Sector Advisors

1. In collaboration with the Sector Advisor(s), develop appropriate tools, draft TORs, hire and train enumerators and monitor field-level assessments, including baseline, mid-term, end-line and post-distribution monitoring surveys.
2. Document and share findings of the assessments and surveys with Sectors Advisors, project teams and management for programmatic decisions and for use in future projects.
3. Coordinate with relevant project teams in setup of new projects by providing technical input and support for development of questionnaires, databases, and data analyses throughout the project implementation
4. Review and share the feedback on the final draft of the concerned documents (e.g., assessment, surveys & proposals) with the relevant sector advisors.

6.  Evaluation: Prepare, coordinate and follow-up on evaluations or reviews to steer and ensure action plans from reviews and/or evaluation results being followed-up and implemented.

• In collaboration with the Sector Advisor MEAL, facilitate field-level learning events (Review workshop, reflection, lesson learnt and external/internal evaluation) to capture, document and disseminate lessons learned for internal and external purposes.  
• Ensure adequate documentation of Evaluation findings on virtual learning platform.
• Act as a coordination focal person with the external evaluators and give technical support in hiring of external consultants as and when required.
• Review evaluation reports for compliance with TORs and reporting standard formats.
• Support in cross-organizational learning, which includes providing information, guidelines, lessons learned, and user-friendly learning tools on MEAL

7.  Accountability

• Support in setting up / strengthening and manage complaint and feedback mechanism for the program
• Share feedback and complaints with program teams and track follow-up.
• Assist project MEAL staff in methods of communication and information sharing with beneficiaries.
• Ensure proper information sharing regarding WHH key policies (especially Staff Code of Conduct) are shared with beneficiaries and all stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with Welthungerhilfe Pakistan Beneficiary Feedback and Response Mechanism, and all associated tools and SOPs, in the country and field offices. 

8.  Review and Learning

• Support WHH Pakistan to become a learning organization by collating and organizing learnings on a virtual platform
• Design a learning platform for WHH in consultation with Technical Advisor MEAL and through technical assistance from WHH HO.
• Share relevant MEAL findings with projects teams in an appropriate format and follow-up their implementation.
• Support in the management of evaluations and assist the project(s) team(s) and partners in implementing suggestions, lessons learnt and best practices for improved project results.
• Collect best practices examples, which demonstrate qualitative and quantitative changes over the period.
• Organize/support field-based reviews and learning events.
• Set up and maintain a knowledge management system e.g., human interest stories, visibility material, Complaint Response Mechanism, lessons learned, exchange meetings.
• Develop and update a sectoral learning matrix based on evaluation, review workshops and assessment findings as well as from on-line and off-line exchange events
• Ensure the timeliness and quality of data collection, and ensure all captured data is managed according to protection information management standards and best practices. 

Minimum Requirements:

• Minimum 5-8 years professional experience in MEAL on development and/or emergency response projects within a national or international INGO/NGO
• Experience with MEAL design and implementation (incl. development of tools, data processing, data analysis, knowledge management and learning dissemination)
• Knowledge of results-oriented planning and monitoring methods.
• Compilation of learnings in a centralised system would be an advantage.
• Very good communication skills.
• Very good contextual knowledge of community issues and social and cultural realities
• Good leadership skills
• Excellent command of written and spoken English, Urdu. Regional and local language(es) is an asset
• Good working knowledge of computers and MS Office (esp. Excel); MIS (Power BI) is an advantage
• Preference will be given to qualified female applicants

The position holder should work in a client and team oriented manner and adhere to standards as described in the “Welthungerhilfe Code of Conduct”.