Program Officer – Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEAL) (for Kenyan Nationals only)

FH Heartbeat

At Food for the Hungry, we operate under a set of guiding principles we call “The Heartbeat.” This includes our Values, Vision and Purpose, which serve as the explanation of who we are and how we work as an organization. Together we follow God’s call responding to human suffering and graduating communities from extreme poverty.**

Kenya Resilient Arid Lands Partnership for Integrated Development – Kenya RAPID+

Kenya RAPID + is five years SDC funded project to be implemented in Isiolo, Turkana, Wajir, Marsabit and Garissa under the leadership of Millennium Water Alliance. The program objective is to improve access to safe water and sustainable rangeland management in the five counties and contribute to resilient livelihoods for communities in a peaceful environment. The program aims to combine the capabilities of national and devolved water sector institutions, rangelands resource management capacities, and the skills and experience of the private sector to address the complex problems posed by inadequate water access and poor management of rangeland resources in the target counties. Food for the Hungry is the implementing partner in Marsabit County.

Job Summary

The Project Officer – MEAL will provide day to day MEAL technical support to a range of project design and implementation issues for Kenya RAPID +, in line with Food for the Hungry (FH) program quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices to advance the delivery of high-quality programming to the poor and vulnerable. He/She will be responsible for the day-to-day tracking and reporting of activities under the project. He/She MEAL knowledge and support will ensure systems are in place to measure the project’s impact and progress, and that data is readily available to be used as a foundation for programmatic adjustments and evidence-based decision-making.

Principal Responsibilities

Key Result # 1. Implementation of project activities

1. Lead the development and contribute to the implementation of project’s MEAL system and practices that effectively engage partners, donors, and other stakeholders and are compliant with agency and donor MEAL requirements.

2. Contribute to compliance with agency and donor MEAL requirements, including agreed MEAL Detailed Implementation Plan activities.

3. Support quality data capture and input, simple analysis of, and reflection on monitoring data results.

4. Contribute field-based perspectives and initial findings to project learning.

5. Support the documentation of lessons learned and best practices to contribute to learning as informed by project learning agenda.

6. Foster respectful relationships and dialogue regarding ongoing project interventions and results with community members and stakeholders.

7. Support capacity strengthening initiatives in conducting field-based and simple analytical MEAL activities for FH staff, partner staff and volunteers.

8. Support the RAPID+ team in identifying viable PPPs options in Water, livestock and Rangeland sectors.

Key result # 2: – Support, Coordination and Collaboration with other stakeholders

1. Strengthen program linkages and foster good working relations with civil society organizations, government representatives, private sector and community based organizations;

2. Coordinate the adoption of new products and/or approaches in RAPID+ activities

3. Technical support to the CCU in Launching tenders and calls for proposal; contract service providers and implementing entities;

4. Stay abreast of new developments in RAPID+Sectors; WASH, Rangelands and Livelihoods and participate actively in related technical working groups and forums;

5. Coordinate and oversee working relationships with all local project stakeholders and serve as the liaison between them and the project team to mobilize local actors and promote project activities and impact.

Key result 3: – Reporting, Monitoring, Assessment and training.

1. Develop a MEL plan for RAPID+ activities in the program in close consultation with program officers.

2. Ensure tracking and documentation of project progress, beneficiaries and report back to MWA;

3. Collaborate with selected Counties to identify their project needs and feedback into management decisions;

4. Collaborate with selected Counties in mentoring assessing the performance of the extension staff;

5. Ensure the identification, documentation, sharing and adoption of best practices and lessons learned;

6. Facilitate dissemination and learning platforms to discuss findings from surveys, evaluations and special studies and to generate and document lessons;

7. Monitor progress of work plan implementation, identifying issues (technical and coordination) and formulate solutions to address the identified issues.

8. Support the information/data management officer to develop annual learning agenda, data analysis from the field and producing customized reports for various applications/interventions;

9. Support the CCU team in compiling reports every six months to be provided to the CPSC that summarizes program achievements, key challenges, lessons learned to date and detailing budget expenditures and investment plans from all stakeholders.

10. Monitor compliance of all contract service providers, consultants and implementing entities contracted by the CCU;

11. Facilitate training needs identification and capacity building for the county staff and other public and private partners

12. Ensure project documentation for assigned activities is complete with all required documents and is filed per agency and donor requirements.

13. Assist with preparation of trends analysis reports and documentation of case studies and promising practices

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Demography, Social Sciences, Statistics, International Development, or other MEAL related field is required.
• Minimum of 4 years of relevant work experience in MEAL, ideally with an international NGO.
• Knowledge of technical principles and concepts in MEAL.
• Experience in participatory action planning and community engagement.
• Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems, knowledge-sharing networks.
• Experience in using mobile-data collection and management software is preferred (e.g., ODK, Commcare, I-form builder, Kobo).
• Experience in using data analysis software is preferred (SPSS, STATA, EpiInfo, Nutrisurvey).
• Experience in WASH and/or livelihood projects is an asset
• Experience in Gender Mainstreaming is an asset.
• Demonstrated commitment to respect, equity, diversity and inclusion including gender equality.

Competencies

· Vibrant personal relationship with Jesus Christ

· Technical knowledge and experience in Water, Hygiene and Sanitation

· A broad grasp of Livelihoods and Range management in rural and urban settings

· Experience with working with county governments, civil society, donors and local communities;

· Strong conceptual and analytical skills

· The ability to work independently, think innovatively and strategically and work effectively within a team

· Detailed understanding and experience of pastoralists, gender and diversity issues and commitment to addressing inequalities in all the key areas of responsibility

· Flexibility in tasks undertaken & ability to work under pressure with strict deadlines

· Extensive knowledge of participatory approaches & Understanding of development/relief issues

· Strong financial/budget management skills required

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills

· Fluency in written and spoken English

Safeguarding Policy

FH strives to provide an environment free from sexual exploitation and abuse and harassment in all places where relief and development programs are implemented. FH holds a zero-tolerance policy against sexual exploitation and abuse and harassment. FH expects its employees to maintain high ethical standards, protect organizational integrity and reputation, and ensure that FH work is carried out in honest and fair methods, in alignment with the FH Heartbeat and safeguarding and associated policies. Violations to stated policies will be subject to corrective action up to and including termination of employment.