JOB TITLE: Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Officer – Yemen Country Office
TEAM/PROGRAMME: PDQ - Yemen Country Office    
LOCATION: Sana’a with field travel

CHILD SAFEGUARDING: 
Level 3:  the post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE: 
As a member of the MEAL Team, the MEAL Officer shares in the overall responsibility for the delivery of programs for children by developing and improving monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning actions of Yemen Country office. The MEAL Officer will provide capacity building, technical advice and knowledge sharing.

The MEAL Officer will work with project staff and partners; develop plans, tools, processes for data collection, analysis and reporting; and assist Head of MEAL and Technical Advisors (TA’s) concerning relevant issues associated with the progress of the programs in order to facilitate any necessary changes in programming to meet targets and results for children.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Head of MEAL
Dimensions: Save the Children works across Yemen with a current staff complement of approximately 750 staff and current expenditure of approximately $70 million each year. 
Staff directly reporting to this post: N/A

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Support the Head of MEAL to ensure the implementation of the Essential Standards & Standard Operating Procedures of Save the Children International (SCI) and ensure the understanding and implementation of SCI’s MEAL priorities 
• Work with the Head of MEAL, Technical Advisors and Program Implementation team to ensure the development of innovative and effective research, monitoring and evaluation tools and mechanisms, including MEAL Plans.
• Support the preparation of country level analytic reports on the status of child rights issues.
• Identify M&E objectives, priorities, and activities required for effective CO and partner Emergency Preparedness and Response Plans. 
• Work collaboratively and ensure effective monitoring of program quality, using a variety of monitoring & assessment tools to collect reliable data in compliance with MEAL requirements and safe programming. 
• With regard to Global Results Framework of SCI, work collaboratively with PDQ team members to include them in project/program design and collaborate with Project Implementation Officers & Technical Advisors/Specialists to measure them accordingly.
• Support the Head of MEAL to ensure that the MEAL capacities of Country Office staff, national partners, and civil society are strengthened by enabling them to conduct results-based monitoring & evaluation.
• Support Project Implementation Officers in the implementation of MEAL Plans & tools for all projects and the effective use of such tools for planning, monitoring and reporting including tracking of log frame indicators.
• Undertake regular field missions, with MEAL specialists and/or independently, to ensure compliance and timely execution of the MEAL plans. Ensure submission of timely field trip reports.
• Support the Head of MEAL to ensure that SC- supported evaluations are designed and implemented in compliance with quality standards.
• Support the Head of MEAL to ensure that lessons learned from evaluations are integrated into Country Office knowledge management.
• Ability and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming surge teams, in the event of emergency.
• Commitment to serving members and their donors, and to helping build a culture of member service throughout the organization.

Reporting:

• Work closely with field staff and ensure timely development of internal and external reports and related deliverables; verify accuracy, timeliness and appropriateness of information.
• Ensure compliance with recommended guidelines, formats and standards of SCI.
• Assist Head of MEAL to consolidate annual program reports and organize appropriate learning to disseminate key achievements and lessons learnt.
• Engage in all MEAL tasks including monitoring reports and implementation of assessments, evaluation and impact studies through close cooperation with PDQ team members.

Knowledge Management and Evidence Building:

• Under the direction of the Head of MEAL, contribute in development and implementation of the strategy for knowledge generation and evidence building for identifying, generating, sorting, retrieving, validating, sharing and disseminating information in a more efficient & effective manner.
• Review literature and innovations/good practice in order to improve approaches and strategies.
• Identify research gaps and initiate research to inform programming.
• Promote a knowledge-based culture to help strategically improve results and support of wider learning.
• Facilitate program units’ application of best practices and advocate Save the Children’s successful experiences in project quality design as well as areas of expertise through global knowledge networks.
• Ensure that lessons learned add value to future projects and partnerships.
• Provide solid technical recommendations on major program directions and on introduction of new initiatives in the country.
• Ensure research findings are communicated to Save the Children International and other partners to strengthen evidence-based programming. 
• Facilitate integration and use of Programme knowledge among Program units and coordinate program review meetings.
• Update the centralized information system and maintain a resource library (MoV’s) in conjunction with field staff.

General Responsibilities:

• Ensure that SC Child Safeguarding Policies are followed through in practice during the overall implementation of programme activities.
• Support the Country Office compliance with all Save the Children Operating Standards and Procedures.
• Cooperate and coordinate closely with other CO staff in related programs.

QUALIFICATIONS  

• Recommended minimum of 3-year practical experience in the establishment, successful implementation and management of MEAL systems in humanitarian contexts. 
• University degree in development or other social sciences desirable.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential 

• Ability to analyse and disseminate complex information with and to a range of stakeholder audiences. 
• Experience and ability to prepare M&E plans and reports. 
• Track-record in data evaluation, with highly developed research, analytical (Qualitative and quantitative), documentation and report writing. 
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles including rights-based approaches.
• Excellent planning, coordination and reporting skills, with the ability to organize a substantial workload comprised of complex, diverse tasks and responsibilities. 
• A very good understanding of the program priorities of the Country Office.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.Desirable
• Prior experience with emergency programming desirable.
• Ability and willingness to change work practices and hours, and work with incoming teams in the event of major emergencies and willing to travel to project areas.

Additional job responsibilities
The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities 

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.