Regional MEAL Specialist (Monitoring Data management and Assessments Coordination)

Organizational Setting

FAO Afghanistan is investing across all 34 provinces, in resilience reinforcing actions that focus on protecting agriculture livelihoods and local ecosystems, boosting local production of nutritious foods and cash-incomes, and safeguarding critical agriculture sectoral development gains achieved over the past couple of decades through revitalizing rural markets and economy. In 2024-2026, FAO will continue to implement emergency and longer-term, resilience-building projects and programmes in the context of the UN Strategic Framework for Afghanistan (UNSFA) and the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan.

There are seven positions, one per duty station\: Regional Office Central (Kabul), Regional Office North (Mazar-e-sharif) Regional Office Northeast (Kunduz), Regional Office South (Kandahar), Regional Office West (Herat), Regional Office East (Jalalabad), Regional Office Southeast (Gardez)

These are National Project Personnel positions – SC 8.1.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative, the direct supervision of the Head of Regional Offices and the technical supervision of the Head of MEAL Team, the MEAL Specialist is responsible for the following tasks\:

Technical Focus

Support the implementation of a robust Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) system for FAO’s projects in the Region.

Tasks and responsibilities

MEAL Systems support\:
• Assist the MEAL Team to strengthen the MEAL system for FAO Afghanistan projects in line with the FAO Country Strategic Framework (CPF), the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and other Corporate Priorities pertaining MEAL;
• Assist the MEAL Team to strengthen and implement the learning and knowledge management pillar within the overall MEAL system of FAO Afghanistan programme portfolio by cascading best practices and established guidelines to the region office;
• Coordinate with implementing partners and TPM contractor to ensure effective implementation of MEAL activities at the provincial and district levels;
• Undertake regular visits to the field to support the implementation of the MEAL plans;

Assessments and measurements\:
• Lead in implementation of programmatic research, assessment (including rapid needs assessments in cases of an emergency), evaluation and studies being implemented in the region;
• Ensure quality assurance of assessment (RIMA, DIEM, MSNA/RNAs etc) and outcome evaluation/assessments being conducted in the regions by establishing a robust data flow management and feedback mechanism for TPMA’s supervisor and enumerators.
• Contribute to monitoring and assessment’s data cleaning, quality checks, data analysis and preparation of the analysis output (including weights, statistical analysis, and qualitative analysis) and facilitate results validation by a panel of internal experts before publication and validate with secondary sources.
• Lead on training of enumerators (filed monitoring associates) from Third Party Monitoring Agent’s (TPMAs) or implementing partners on conducting rapid needs assessments in occurrences of disasters such as floods, earthquakes, etc;

Monitoring data management\:
• In collaboration with Head of MEAL, and under guidance of Information Management Specialists support roll-out of best practices and solution in data collation, beneficiary registration and management and entitlement distribution system.
• Lead implementation of data management initiatives in the region office in coordination with MEAL team in the region and in Kabul; be a focal point for data management and reporting in the regional offices;
• Support in designing and conducting capacity building trainings for Implementing Partners on use of IDEA – for both TOTs and enumerators that use FAO- Afghanistan’s tools for beneficiary registrations;
• Lead on digitisation of beneficiary registration process through use of IDEA by leading in configuration of the beneficiary registration mobile devices for data collection with Kobo Collect before the commencement of implementations, including integration with biometric and applicable software’s;
• On a real time, manner keep in touch with implementation partners to monitoring and report bugs on IDEA systems reported during beneficiary registration and escalate for quick resolution;
• Perform any other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master or equivalent) or University degree (Bachelor) in agriculture, agriculture economics, data science, computer science, statistics, international development, or related field.
• For Advanced university degree (Master or equivalent) at least four (4) years of professional experience in results-based management and monitoring and evaluation of humanitarian and/or development projects that combines emergency response, disaster risk reduction, project formulation and implementation with UN or I/NGOs;
• For university degree (Bachelor) at least six (6) years of professional experience in results-based management and monitoring and evaluation of humanitarian and/or development projects that combines emergency response, disaster risk reduction, project formulation and implementation with UN or I/NGOs;
• Working knowledge (level C) of English and local languages (Pashto and/or Dari);
• National of Afghanistan;

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• A systematic, well-structured and efficient approach to work assignments. Analytical ability, accuracy, and consistency.
• Ability to exercise diligence and care in dealing with records, expenditures and sensitive data.
• Knowledge and experience in designing MEAL systems and conducting evaluations;
• Knowledge and experience of STATA, Kobo Toolbox, Open Data Kit (ODK) and Microsoft Power Bi;
• Excellent writing and analytical skill in drafting various types of reports;
• Strong interpersonal and communication, reporting and presentation skills, analysis and interpretation of data, ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity;
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation of emergency and resilience projects and Program, including the use of technologies for data collection (e.g. kobo);
• Experience in data collection, analysis and reporting related to food security and livelihoods;
• Understanding of the purpose and functional of technical Program, operational guidelines and Program /project management procedures, preferably those adopted by the United Nations and/or FAO;
• Experience organizing stakeholder meetings or workshops with various partners;
• Previous work experience with the UN is considered a strong asset.
• The incumbent must possess a cooperative spirit, flexibility and openness to work in an international environment, including tact and courtesy and a strong capacity for establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION