Meal officer

JOB INFORMATION:
Job title: MEAL Officer
Duty station: Chisinau, Moldova
Starting date: 1st July 2024
Contract duration: 12 months
Contract type: Full time
Reports to: Reporting and Grants Acquisition Manager (RGA)
Coordinates with: Project Officers and Manager, all staff, HEKS/EPER Partners
Direct line manager of: n/a

GENERAL CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND:
HEKS/EPER is a Swiss INGO founded in 1946. HEKS/EPER is supporting local partner organizations with around 200 projects in 34 key countries worldwide. HEKS/EPER Moldova Office cooperates with NGO active in the field of development cooperation and humanitarian aid.

HEKS/EPER was active in the Republic of Moldova from 2004 to 2020 and the latest Country Program 2016-2020 was aiming at improving the living conditions for people in the rural areas of the Republic of Moldova. The focus on the rural areas addressed the disparities and inequalities in development of urban and rural areas in Moldova.

The conflict in Ukraine has created a regional humanitarian crisis. Moldova is one of the main refugee-hosting countries and a transit country for onwards. Moldova is Europe’s poorest country, with the lowest per-capita GDP, populated mainly in rural areas and economically unable to respond to such a big number of refugees without external aid. As of May 2024, 1’075’213 people have entered Moldova from Ukraine, of which 120,548 Ukrainian refugees and 9’911 third-country nationals have remained in the Republic of Moldova. The number of persons arriving from Ukraine into the Republic of Moldova has fluctuated since the escalation of the war in Ukraine.

Due to such a context and knowing that HEKS/EPER has a previous strong experience in the country by supporting local partners, it has been decided to open again the Country Office (CO) based in Chișinău. HEKS/EPER implements projects through well-known partners, local and national NGOs with strong expertise and experience.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS:

Monitoring and Evaluation
- Develop and implement comprehensive MEAL plans for humanitarian assistance and nexus projects, ensuring alignment with HEKS/EPER’s strategic objectives and donor requirements.
- Design and adapt appropriate monitoring and evaluation frameworks, tools, and methodologies to measure project performance, outcomes, and impact.
- Oversee the collection, analysis, and management of quantitative and qualitative data from various sources, including field visits, surveys, focus group discussions, and secondary sources.
- Conduct regular project monitoring, including site visits, to assess progress, identify challenges, and recommend corrective actions.
- Facilitate the implementation of mid-term and final evaluations, ensuring the involvement of key stakeholders and the incorporation of lessons learned.
- Provide timely and accurate reporting on project performance, including the preparation of dashboards, progress reports, and evaluation reports.
- Support the project team in the use of data for decision-making, adaptive management, and continuous improvement.

Accountability
- Develop and implement robust beneficiary feedback and complaint mechanisms, ensuring that target communities are aware of their rights, the project's intended results, and the available feedback channels.
- Analyze and respond to beneficiary feedback and complaints in a timely and appropriate manner, escalating issues to the relevant levels as needed.
- Ensure that feedback and complaints are properly documented, tracked, and addressed, and that the resolution process is communicated back to the affected communities.
- Collaborate with the project team to address any identified issues or concerns raised by beneficiaries and monitor the effectiveness of the corrective actions taken.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of community engagement strategies to promote transparency and accountability.
- Organize and lead learning events, such as workshops and trainings with community representatives aiming at improving partners’ safeguarding mechanisms.

Learning
- Facilitate the documentation and dissemination of lessons learned, best practices, and innovative approaches identified during project implementation.
- Organize and lead learning events, such as workshops, after-action reviews, and knowledge-sharing sessions, to foster a culture of continuous improvement within the organization and with the organization’s partners.
- Collaborate with the project team and partners to incorporate lessons learned into the design and implementation of future projects.
- Contribute to the development of knowledge management systems and tools to capture and share institutional knowledge.

Reporting and Coordination
- Prepare and submit regular MEAL reports, including weekly work plans, monthly progress updates, and quarterly/annual performance reports.
- Coordinate closely with the mission’s staff members and HQ MEAL team members to ensure the timely and accurate collection, analysis, and reporting of data.
- Liaise with donors, partners, and other stakeholders to provide MEAL-related information and respond to information and support requests.
- Participate in project planning, review, and strategic meetings to provide MEAL-related inputs and recommendations.
- Manage and supervise the work of field-based staff and enumerators, ensuring they are adequately trained and supported.

Data quality and security
- Ensure that MEAL activities and data collection processes adhere to the HEKS/EPER’s security protocols and procedures.
- Maintain strict confidentiality and data protection measures when handling sensitive information.
- Comply with the HEKS/EPER’s policies, procedures, and donor requirements related to MEAL.
- Comply GDPR policy for HEKS/EPER Moldova

QUALIFICATIONS:

- Minimum 3-5 years of experience working in a relief or development NGO with a focus on MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning) processes.
- Bachelor's degree in statistics, data management, social sciences, or a related field. Master's degree is preferred.
- Strong knowledge of quantitative and qualitative data collection, analysis, and management principles.
- Proficient in using data analysis software (e.g., SPSS, Stata, R) and data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau).
- Excellent skills in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
- Proven experience in leading and training field staff and enumerators in data collection.
- Demonstrated capacity for receiving, processing, and responding to beneficiary feedback and complaints through various mechanisms, such as hotlines, suggestion boxes, and community meetings.
- Organized, detail-oriented, and able to work independently as well as part of a team.
- Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both written and verbal.
- Fluency in Romanian/Russian and English is required.
- Knowledge of data collection tools like ODK, Kobo, and Power BI is an advantage.
- Familiarity with humanitarian and development aid standards and best practices.

HEKS/EPER works rights-based, conflict-sensitive and values the diversity of the people it hires and works with. Therefore, all qualified applicants, including women, refugees, minorities, persons with disabilities, etc. are encouraged to apply!

How to apply:
Interested applicants are invited to send the CV and cover letter in English to: olesea.badia@heks-eper.org
Deadline for applications: June 21st, 2024 (end of the day). Please note that applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the closing date may be brought forward if needed. We encourage early application.