Project Officer – MEAL job at Catholic Relief Services ( CRS )

These projects aim to assist smallholder farmers, with an average landholding of 2 hectares (minimum 0.5 hectares, maximum 20 hectares) to diversify production within their agroforestry systems, including through payments for carbon sequestration through integration of trees into their plots. The projects also aim to incentivize smallholder farmers to be able to invest in activities which restore health to their soil and increase productivity over time, as well as meet their own food security and economic needs.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Support the coordination and implementation of all assigned Restore Africa project MEAL activities as outlined in the Detailed Implementation Plan in line with CRS program quality principles, standards and ensure compliance with the MEAL policies, procedures, and practices; donor MEAL requirements; and good industry practices.
• Provide input to and support project MEAL system design and data collection tools to measure program/project impact and progress.
• Monitor and report any MEAL-related challenges and gaps identified to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules. Assist partners in their efforts to reflect on project experiences.
• Lead the roll-out and implementation of the project’s feedback and response mechanism (FRM). Support actively seeking and responding to feedback from all members of targeted communities and other stakeholders as defined by the FRM.
• Support field-level project MEAL activities (including digital data collection) and assist partners in their efforts to collect and ensure timely analysis of project data per specified mechanisms and tools. Collaborate with local partner(s) to prepare MEAL-related aspects of reports per established reporting schedule.
• Conduct data quality assessment from the Restore Africa project activity data collected.
• Collect information on staff MEAL capacity needs and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and monitor MEAL capacity building and technical support activities to ensure effective impact.
• Complete project documentation for assigned MEAL activities. Assist with identifying information for case studies and reports on promising practices.
• Support program learning and decision making by posing thoughtful questions, engaging with project data, reflecting upon and sharing with project management the information gathered from community members and partners.

Basic Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in international development, International Relations or in the field of MEAL required. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Minimum of 2 years of work experience in project support. Experience in the field of MEAL and for an NGO is preferred.

Preferred Qualifications and Experience

• Experience in participatory action planning and community engagement.
• Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data preferred.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Observation, active listening, and analysis skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners and community members.
• Attention to details, accuracy, and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented.

MEAL Competencies (for CRS MEAL Program Staff):

Each staff member in this position is expected to have basic knowledge and ability and, with guidance, be able to apply the following competencies in common situations that present limited difficulties:

• Monitoring
• Evaluation
• Accountability
• Learning
• Analysis and Critical Thinking

In addition, each staff member in this position is expected to have elementary understanding of and to demonstrate a willingness and potential to learn about:

• MEAL in Design
• ICT4MEAL
• Management in MEAL

Required Languages: English fluency, including excellent oral and written skills, required.

Travel: Must be willing and able to travel up to 40% in the CRS field location.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

Agency competencies clarify expected behaviors and attitudes for all staff. When demonstrated, they create an engaging workplace, help staff achieve their best, and help CRS achieve agency goals. These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Personal Accountability—consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity—consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission. Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust—shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others—works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn—seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change—continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others—builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset—understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team principles.

Key Working Relationships:

• Supervisory Responsibilities: None.
• Internal: ICT4D Officer, Learning Technical Manager, Restore Africa project staff and other CRS MEAL staff.
• External: Partner staff, MEAL staff from other peer agencies.

• Support the coordination and implementation of all assigned Restore Africa project MEAL activities as outlined in the Detailed Implementation Plan in line with CRS program quality principles, standards and ensure compliance with the MEAL policies, procedures, and practices; donor MEAL requirements; and good industry practices.
• Provide input to and support project MEAL system design and data collection tools to measure program/project impact and progress.
• Monitor and report any MEAL-related challenges and gaps identified to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules. Assist partners in their efforts to reflect on project experiences.
• Lead the roll-out and implementation of the project’s feedback and response mechanism (FRM). Support actively seeking and responding to feedback from all members of targeted communities and other stakeholders as defined by the FRM.
• Support field-level project MEAL activities (including digital data collection) and assist partners in their efforts to collect and ensure timely analysis of project data per specified mechanisms and tools. Collaborate with local partner(s) to prepare MEAL-related aspects of reports per established reporting schedule.
• Conduct data quality assessment from the Restore Africa project activity data collected.
• Collect information on staff MEAL capacity needs and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and monitor MEAL capacity building and technical support activities to ensure effective impact.
• Complete project documentation for assigned MEAL activities. Assist with identifying information for case studies and reports on promising practices.
• Support program learning and decision making by posing thoughtful questions, engaging with project data, reflecting upon and sharing with project management the information gathered from community members and partners.

• Bachelor’s degree in international development, International Relations or in the field of MEAL required. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Minimum of 2 years of work experience in project support. Experience in the field of MEAL and for an NGO is preferred.
• Experience in participatory action planning and community engagement.
• Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data preferred.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

• Observation, active listening, and analysis skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners and community members.
• Attention to details, accuracy, and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented.