MEAL Officer - Research / Assessments

ABOUT ACTED PAKISTAN:

ACTED is a non-governmental organization with headquarters in Paris, founded in 1993. Independent, private and not-for-profit, ACTED respects a strict political and religious impartiality and operates according to principles of non-discrimination and transparency. Acted has been present in Pakistan since 1993 and currently supports communities in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Azad Jammu Kashmir. Acted Pakistan programmes range from short-term emergency responses to recovery and rehabilitation, as well as longer-term development initiatives. Acted strategy is to target vulnerable communities affected by natural and conflict-related disasters as well as lack of socio-economic development.

Background

ACTED Pakistan is implementing integrated disaster resilience programming that combines disaster risk reduction, livelihoods enhancement, skills development, and agricultural and livestock support. A robust evidence base is vital for designing and implementing effective interventions across these areas. The Research & Assessment Officer will play a central role in developing and managing this evidence base through quality research, assessments, and analysis.

Purpose of the Role

The MEAL Officer – Research & Assessments will lead and support the design, execution, and dissemination of assessments related to disaster resilience, sustainable livelihoods, skills development, agriculture, and livestock programming. This role includes developing methodologies, tools, analysis frameworks, and reports to inform strategic and programmatic decision-making. The Officer will contribute to model design and innovation across ACTED’s programming in Pakistan.

Key Responsibilities

1.  Research and Assessment Design

• Lead the development of research and assessment frameworks for multi-sectoral programming, including CBDRM, shelter, food security & livelihood, WASH, and protection.
• Draft methodologies, sampling strategies, and data collection tools (quantitative and qualitative).
• Coordinate with technical units to ensure alignment with project objectives, donor requirements, and Acted global guidelines.

2.Field Implementation and Oversight

• Oversee the implementation of household surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and rapid market assessments.
• Train and supervise enumerators and field teams to ensure data quality and adherence to ethical standards.
• Monitor data collection in real time and troubleshoot issues with field teams.

3.      Data Analysis and Reporting

• Clean, analyze, and synthesize data using statistical and qualitative analysis software (e.g., Excel, SPSS, R, NVivo).
• Produce high-quality assessment and research reports with actionable recommendations.
• Prepare visual data products (infographics, dashboards, maps) for diverse audiences including donors, government, and communities.

4.  Knowledge Management and Learning

• Contribute to learning agendas and innovation within Acted’s resilience programming.
• Document best practices, case studies, and lessons learned from assessments.
• Provide evidence-based inputs to proposal design, logframes, and theories of change.

5.    Cross-Cutting Engagement

• Support organization-wide research initiatives beyond specific projects as required.
• Liaise with MEAL, technical, and project teams to ensure data is used for adaptive programming.
• Represent ACTED in technical working groups, clusters, and coordination platforms when delegated.

6.   Required Qualifications and Experience

• Education: Master’s degree in Development Studies, Agricultural Economics, Statistics, Social Sciences, Disaster Risk Management, or a related field.

7.  Experience

• At least 3 years of experience in research, assessments, and data analysis in the humanitarian or development sectors.
• Proven experience in designing and conducting livelihood, skills, agricultural, and/or livestock assessments.
• Experience working on donor-funded (e.g., ECHO, FCDO) projects is highly desirable.

8.  Skills and Competencies

• Excellent command of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.
• Strong analytical skills with demonstrated use of software such as SPSS, STATA, KoboToolbox, R, or Power BI.
• Excellent written and spoken English with proven experience in producing high-quality technical reports.
• Knowledge of local languages (Sindhi, Balochi, Urdu) is an asset.

Ability to travel to remote and hard-to-reach areas frequently.

PSEAH Obligation:

• Acted has a zero-tolerance approach to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH) and strives to recruit those who share our values.
• All candidates will be subject to a pre-employment check that includes satisfactory references, screening, and criminal checks in line with legal requirements.
•  All candidates who have been offered a position will sign and respect Acted’s Code of Conduct and related policies as part of their work contract. All staff are expected to abide by the standards of behaviour outlined in those documents.
•  Managers will have a special responsibility to foster a safe environment.
•  Misconduct can lead to serious disciplinary sanctions.
• For the purposes hereof, the following definitions shall be used.

Sexual exploitation means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another.

• Sexual abuse means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions
• Note: “Acted is equal opportunity employers. Females, minorities and candidates with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Final selection will be based on security clearance of the candidate. Only shortlisted candidates will be called for next step of the recruitment”