Regional Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning Manager

The Role Summary:

This position will provide technical leadership in Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) functions for World Vision’s multi-country projects in Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania. The Regional MEAL Manager will lead in the development and implementation of comprehensive Monitoring and evaluation plans for Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) Global funded project in targeted countries. The position holder will build capacity of the three national offices and three partner projects’ MEAL teams to meet donor and World Vision partnership program quality standards. The position holder will also support the organizational capacity assessment and building of the three involved local partners in MEAL-related aspects. Core to the function is providing leadership and direction in evidence building, knowledge management and promoting a culture of reflection and learning in projects to inform decision making processes at all levels of project management.

Key Responsibilities:

Development and implementation of MEAL plans.

• Lead in the design, roll out and manage the implementation of MEAL plan, consolidated Indicator Performance Tracking Tables (IPTT).
• Facilitate setting up of regional and national level targets, and oversee regular update and review of all project key indicators across the national offices and implementing partners.
• Facilitate development and roll out of standard data collection tools that are aligned to all key project indicators in all national offices and implementing partners of interest.
• Lead in the development of protocols and procedures for standardized aggregation, analysis and reporting of project outputs, outcomes and impact in all national offices and implementing partners of interest.
• Spearhead adoption of digital initiatives that promote timely collection, aggregations and analysis of standard MEAL data. 
• Support project teams in assessment and evaluation exercises, developing tools, undertaking quality control and contributing to analysis of program data and periodic reports from different technical projects into periodic management reports usable by Technical Project Managers, Senior Management, Senior Leadership and other WV entities
• Lead in the development and roll-out of the baselines BMZ Project
• Oversee and execute M&E activities included in the annual work plans, with particular focus on delivering the required outputs.
• Undertake regular visits to the field to support implementation of MEAL plans, but also identify where adaptions are required.

Quality assurance and strengthening the capacity of the MEAL function

• Conduct periodic capacity assessments, and development of, and roll out of a MEAL capacity building plans for MEAL staff in all respective countries
• Establish and coordinate the functions of MEAL technical working group among the implementing countries to allow MEAL systems strengthening.
• Lead in the development and implementation of data quality audits to ensure decision making process are informed reliable data
• Promote adherence to program standards by all national offices as required by the donor and WV partnership
• Provide training for field staff in basic skills, concepts, and approaches in proposal writing, project planning and management, monitoring and evaluation, participatory approaches and transformational development to help enhance the knowledge and skills of field staff in these aspects
• Coach technical officers, program managers and field staff in delivering an effective program M&E system
• Support periodic organizational capacity assessment and building of non-WV implementing partners with focus on areas related to MEAL

Project Reporting, including Capacity Building/Quality Control

• Review field-level project reports, ensuring the highest level of technical rigor;
• Develop consolidated, cross-country internal and donor interim reports, as well as relevant M&E resources (e.g., cross-country assessment comparisons and fact sheets)
• Track project reporting deadlines in collaboration with regional hub Project Managers of BMZ Project, ensuring timely information provided to support excellence in reporting; Track performance of programs in the regions against their ME Events Calendar and provide regular updates on progress to the QA & Strategy Manager & the Regional Project Manager
• Mentor field-level staff in report writing, ensuring full information provision in support of donor and WV compliance; (Guide staff in preparing progress reports in accordance with approved reporting formats and ensure their timely submission. This includes monthly reports, quarterly progress reports, annual project reports, inception reports),
• He/she will provide broader capacity building and oversight within the portfolio assigned, ensuring that all support provided to projects are of the highest technical rigor, with demonstrated impact, meeting the expectations of key stakeholders including donors, government and beneficiaries. 

Research, Knowledge Management and Learning

• Maintain digital knowledge management platform for use by all consortium stakeholders
• Support documentation and dissemination of research findings and other innovations on program quality that can improve project planning and outcome
• Synthesize and summarize trends in NOs and implementing partners’ monitoring and evaluations in line with projects KPIs and respective targets.
• Design and implement a knowledge management plan that outlines the key information products with specific audience to promote data and information utilization by different stakeholders. This includes dissemination of relevant communications in collaboration with communications departments of NOs and implementing partners
• Design and implement a system that is able to identify, analyze document and disseminate lessons learnt, best practices, innovations and case studies.
• Promote and facilitate processes for identifying, documenting and disseminating good ME practices in the region
• Lead Periodic Review Meetings, ensuring excellence in capturing of lesson learnt and strategic actions to improve project performance.
• Develop research areas and support corresponding documentation within the project (using available project resources). Support identification of potential research funding opportunities

External engagement, Collaboration and coordination

• Maintain a functional working relationship the support office to ensure that partnership and donor requirements on the regional projects are timely met.
• Maintain a functional working relationship with the Regional Hub Project Managers BMZ project
• Foster an effective working relationship with the National MEAL and technical specialist to ensure that program quality standards as expected by the partnership and the donor are met.
• Establish platforms for reflection and learning among the project team and partners from all Nos and implementing partners in the region
• Participate and representation of WV in key relevant meeting with key stakeholders including government and other INGO and meet the accountability requirement the key stakeholders.
• Work with the Quality Assurance and Strategy Manager to ensure that the project meet the partnership program quality standards in all NOs where the projects are implemented.
• Close collaboration with regional project management unit in overall operational management of the project

Support design and analysis of rapid needs assessments for the Somalia Country office during acquisition of new programmes and projects.

Essential:

• A Master’s degree in relevant technical field preferred (Monitoring & Evaluation, Agricultural Sciences/ Public health/ humanitarian protection/ international development/ International relations,)
• DM&E training with practical experience of at least 10 years, Humanitarian standards (SPHERE), specific training on donor reporting requirements, Security training.
• At least 5 years of experience in the field of development issues, humanitarian emergency affairs, preferably with experience in developing countries
• Experience of working and living in developing or fragile contexts.
• Demonstrated, superior project cycle management skills, including the ability to plan, track progress, match activity plans with budgets, and follow donor regulations
• Demonstrates well-developed interpersonal skills, excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, as well as negotiation skills.
• Exceptional English languages skills, particularly writing skills
• Computer skills with data analysis packages as SPSS, STATA, Excel, ACCESS,
• Ability to apply IT and mobile platforms for M&E
• Presentation skills and experience in delivering M&E training programmes for teams
• Understanding of WVI DME framework and organizational capacity assessment.
• HEAT training
• Experience working in health, nutrition, food security sectors.