Projects Officer MEAL (PO-MEAL) 78 views0 applications

1. Programme Environment of the Position:

Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH) is a branch of the German “Protestant Agency for Diakonia and Development” (EWDE). DKH is also a member of the ACT Alliance and an active member in the ACT Somalia Forum, and a signatory of the Charter for Change. The global approach of DKH is to operate in crisis-affected countries through partnerships with local humanitarian organizations and members of civil society to deliver humanitarian assistance to people in need. Thus, DKH projects are usually implemented by local partner NGOs and monitored by DKH staff, and management advice is offered to the partners.

DKH is part of a consortium of four German-based international NGOs that plans to implement a project of strengthening the capacity of local NGOs, enabling them to be integrated partly and take responsibility and actions in the humanitarian system of their countries for principled humanitarian assistance. The project ToGETHER is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) and will end on 31/12/2023. Recently it was decided that Somalia is one of the eight target countries in Asia, Africa, and South America. All the country programs have the same organizational structure i.e. an in-country based Project Country Unit (PCU) consisting of a Programme Manager – ToGETHER (PM-T), Projects Officer – Finance in ToGETHER (PO-Fin-T) and a Projects Officer – MEAL (PO-MEAL). The PCU will work with Local Humanitarian Partners (LHP) to achieve the objectives of the project. Each PCU reports to a Regional Coordinator – ToGETHER (RC-T), who reports to the central program management based in Germany Somalia PCU will be based in the DKH office in Mogadishu. The incumbent of this position will be the direct link between the project and the LHPs. The tasks require travel to project areas inside Somalia (South-Central, Puntland, Somaliland) and to the Regional Office in Nairobi, Kenya. Somali labor and tax laws apply for this position. The incumbent will receive an employment contract issued in Mogadishu, Somalia.

1. Tasks:

2.1 Objective

This position aims to prepare and manage the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) plan of the Localisation project in Somalia and to assist in strengthening the capacity of MEAL of the LHPs participating in the initiative. The MEAL Officer will work closely with the Head of the Project (PM-T) and will follow the guidance of the MEAL technical team of the program, incl. PMU MEAL Advisor. S/he will ensure that localization project initiatives in Somalia comply with DKH’s global MEAL standards and good practices. The MEAL Expert will implement high-quality monitoring and evaluation systems that assess and reflect the projects’ achievement and other criteria such as the projects’ relevance, efficiency, and opportunities for sustainability and impact. S/he will ensure that learning from the project is systematically captured and used throughout the localization program. S/he will guide the learning plan exercise, within the LHPs Capacity Strengthening Plan. S/he will organize and lead local peer reviews, assist in other peer-review exercises as needed, and coordinate and collect relevant material for evaluation purposes as the needs arise. He/she should have the ability to work sensitively and positively with programming teams and promote a learning environment.

The position holder should work in a client and team-oriented manner and adhere to standards and principles as described in the “PADD/DKH Code of Conduct”, Child Protection Policy; the Core Humanitarian Standard; Do No Harm; SPHERE guidelines for Minimum Standards, etc.

2.2 Duties

2.2.1 Key Responsibilities: Monitoring and Evaluation

• Adapt monitoring plan for DKH localization project in Somalia;
• Monitor and report on the progress of the DKH localization project in Somalia;
• Apply the appropriate reporting system that keeps all relevant stakeholders informed on project progress and outcomes, and in line with the guidance provided by the PMU;
• Help revise project planning documents, particularly about the intervention logic and indicators and in line with the global localization project log frame;
• Ensure the integration of DKH success indicators in the project log frame;
• Ensure that DKH requirements and methodological guidelines are taken into consideration;
• Guide project-related assessments and monitoring surveys (as applicable);
• Assist in project evaluations, ensure compliance with the DKH evaluation requirements & follow-up, and facilitate necessary planning and logistics support for external evaluations with respective DKH colleagues or partners (as applicable);
• Develop a plan for project-related / LHPs Capacity Strengthening Plan on MEAL;
• Organize and/or undertake MMEAL-related training for LHPs, (LHA as applicable), in line with the Capacity Strengthening Plan of the LHPs & the localization program timeline;
• Within the project scope, participate and represent DKH in M&E working group meetings;

2.2.2 Key Responsibilities: Learning

• Ensure the planning of and participation in the annual peer reviews;
• Formulate project monitoring and evaluation findings, lessons learned (LL), and recommendations to be integrated into management efforts, disseminated in learning events, and channeled into decision-making processes;
• Document best practices (BP) / LL and report them to the PM-T, Consortium FP, Management Team, and relevant counterparts & coordinate to ensure visibility of the BPs, in close cooperation with PMU, LHPs, and other relevant stakeholders;

2.2.3 Key Responsibilities: Accountability

• Improve understanding and include accountability practice within the project scope, in synergy with the relevant accountability Focal Point & in line with PMU
• MEAL requirements;
• Develop and assist in putting in place appropriate processes to enable people we aim to assist to influence decisions about the project (as applicable);
• Within the project scope, develop and apply an effective Complaint Response Mechanism;
• For selected technical priority areas, adapt guidelines generated from the PMU as relevant;
• Assist LHPs in introducing the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and report on the overall CHS implementation process;

2.2.4 Other tasks:

• Stand-in as a replacement for other positions in case of absence
• Attending meetings of other relevant networks for the project (clusters, consortia of LNGOs like “Nexus”, etc.)
• If applicable, liaise with Somali authorities that are relevant to the implementation of the project
• Other tasks as instructed by the PM-T or the HoM

3 Qualifications and skills

3.1 Essential

• Excellent professional track record with at least 3 years of experience in the NGO sector working in program/project implementation, preferably in humanitarian assistance or related fields
• Certificate, diploma, or bachelor’s degree in a relevant field
• High interpersonal skills with a strong analytical approach to problem-solving
• & management
• Strong intercultural and social competences
• Ability to work in a team
• Willingness and ability to travel inside the country and visit partner initiatives on the ground, sometimes in complex environments
• High resilience, improvisation talent, and flexibility
• Excellent proficiency in English and Somali languages
• Compliance with DKH code of conduct and PSEA standards

3.2 Desirable

• Experience conducting organizational capacity assessments and designing CS plans
• Ability to transfer/multiply lessons learned
• Professional experience in the host country or knowledge of the local context
• Proficient knowledge of Core HumanStandards
• Experiences in Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) in both, unconditional and conditional cash assistance, including cash for assets
• Previous work experience in a hostile environment and certified attendance of a personal security course (HEIST, HEAT, etc.)

3.3 Further advantages

• Somali nationality
• Good skills in troubleshooting, mediation, and turning crises into opportunity
• Good team player with cultural sensitivity in a diverse team with players of different nationalities and cultural backgrounds
• Strategic and critical thinker who can take proactive initiatives for changes Good rhetorical skills