Project MEAL Officer (Addis Ababa/Harar/Jimma)

Job Description

Who we are

SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia is an International Non-governmental organization and a member of SOS Children’s Villages International Federation. We started our humanitarian work in Ethiopia with the opening of our first Village in Mekelle, Northern part of Ethiopia in 1974. Since then, we have expanded our programs to different regions where there are significant needs for intervention and where we believe we can work in partnership with all relevant actors to bring sustainable positive outcomes for children’s and young people. 

Today, we have grown significantly to meet the persistent challenges that confront Ethiopian children who have lost parental care and those that are at risk of losing their parental care. Working in close collaboration with international donors, local government and community-based organizations across eight program locations; we aspire that every child grows up with love, respect and security.

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Our Commitment to Safeguarding  

At SOS Children's Villages, safeguarding isn't just a policy, it's a foundational value embedded in everything we do. We are unwavering in our commitment to protecting the children, young people, adults, and communities we serve, as well as our workforce and resources.

We cultivate an environment of trust and accountability where every voice is heard and respected. All successful candidates will be expected to champion our holistic safeguarding principles, actively upholding our Child & Youth Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct, and regulations against sexual misconduct, fraud, and corruption.

By joining our team, you commit to integrating these vital standards into your work, ensuring the highest levels of safety, ethics, and integrity in every action and partnership.

Together, we create a world where everyone feels safe, respected, and protected

Join Our Mission:

We are looking for a MEAL Officer for iWork Project who will support the monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning components for project(s) working Under the supervision of the Location MEAL Coordinator.  This role ensures that projects are effectively monitored, data is accurately collected and analyzed, and learning and accountability mechanisms are integrated into the program cycle. The project MEAL Officer will collaborate closely with program teams to ensure timely feedback and adaptive management for improving program quality, accountability and impact. 

The incumbent is required to carry out his/her duties following the SOS CV Safeguarding policies and regulations, the Code of Conduct, the values-based competency frame “Living our Values” and any further international and local regulation that influences safeguarding at SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia.

Key Responsibilities

Monitoring and Data Collection 

• Develop and implement a comprehensive MEAL framework including monitoring plans for projects, aligning with project goals, log frame, Activity target trackers, quality benchmarks, indicators, etc. 
• Coordinate with program staff to ensure timely collection of data and support the implementation of robust data collection tools. 
• Conduct field visits and data validation exercises to assess project progress and data accuracy. 
• Utilize digital data collection tools when possible, to improve efficiency and accuracy. 
• Regularly assess project activities to ensure they are aligned with project objectives and intended outcomes. 
• Analyses quantitative and qualitative data to track project performance and inform decision-making. 
• Produce and share concise field back reports with agreed monitoring report template. 
• Complete and compile indicator matrix, data flow and indicator tracking table for the project on quarterly basis 
• Complete and compile project information and performance (including budget utilization) tracking table for project the on quarterly basis. 

Evaluation 

• Coordinate baseline, mid-term, and end-line evaluations in collaboration with external evaluators and ensure evaluation findings are incorporated into project implementations. 
• Collaborate with project staff to ensure that evaluation findings inform project adaptations. 
• Assist in the preparation of evaluation reports and presentations for internal and external stakeholders. 

Accountability 

• Establish context based compliant responding and feedback mechanism for the project in collaboration with relevant staff and stakeholders. 
• Implement and maintain accountability mechanisms, including feedback and complaint mechanisms, for program participants and stakeholders. 
• Properly record and document complaints and feedback and respond timely. If it is beyond your capacity report to your supervisor promptly. 
• Ensure that beneficiaries understand their rights and are informed of feedback processes. 
• Work with program staff to address audit findings, complaints and feedback, fostering a culture of transparency and accountability. 
• Ensure compliance with organizational and donor accountability standards. 

Learning and Knowledge Sharing 

• Generate, capture, document and share learnings from the project/ programme participants and stakeholders. 
• Organize and/or facilitate learning sessions and workshops to capture lessons learned and best practices. 
• Ensure lessons learned are documented, integrated into project implementation and shared within the project team and with relevant stakeholders. 
• Contribute to the development of learning products, including case studies, briefs, and success stories. 

Data Management and Reporting 

• Support data management processes, through regular audits and reviews, including data cleaning, analysis, and storage. 
• Prepare regular MEAL reports and dashboards for project teams and stakeholders, summarizing progress, key findings, and challenges. 
• Support data quality assessments based on data quality dimensions (validity, reliability, precision, completeness, timeliness and confidentiality) and ensure that MEAL data is accurate, timely, and aligned with organizational standards.  
• Ensure coherence across MEAL approaches and processes of the organization, project goals, and donor requirements.  

Capacity Building 

• Provide training to project and field staff on MEAL processes, tools, and data collection methods. 
• Support the development of MEAL capacity among team members, ensuring they understand the importance of MEAL and how to implement it in their activities. 

Safeguarding  

• Protect the privacy and dignity of participants by following ethical and safeguarding principles in all data collection activities, especially for vulnerable populations such as children and at-risk adults. 
• Obtain informed consent from all participants, ensuring they understand their rights and can choose to withdraw at any time. 
• Maintain confidentiality by securely managing sensitive data, both physical and digital, in line with organizational data protection policies. 
• Anonymize and store data to prevent exposure of participant identities, especially when working with sensitive information related to abuse, exploitation, or neglect. 
• Design monitoring and evaluation tools that incorporate safeguarding, gender and inclusion checks to ensure projects do not unintentionally expose individuals to harm.  
• Monitor and report safeguarding risks identified during project activities and evaluations, flagging any areas where participants may be vulnerable to harm. 
• Educate project teams and community members on safeguarding principles during MEAL-related trainings and workshops. 
• Ensure clear communication channels for feedback and complaints are accessible to all stakeholders and integrate these into project design and monitoring to maintain transparency. 
• Act as a point of contact for reporting safeguarding issues identified during MEAL activities and adhere to the organization’s protocol for escalating these concerns promptly. 
• Collaborate with safeguarding officers and program staff to investigate, document, and address safeguarding incidents effectively. 
• Work with project teams to assess potential safeguarding risks related to monitoring, evaluation, and learning activities. 
• Mitigate identified risks by adjusting data collection methods, revising field protocols, or implementing additional protective measures as necessary. 
• Stay updated on best practices and ethical standards in safeguarding through regular training.