Job Position Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning Officer Needed At Plan International
The Organisation
Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.
We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.
Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.
We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.
We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.
BACKGROUND
Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Plan has over 80 years’ experience and works in more than 75 countries across the world. We strive for a just world, working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners.
Plan International has been working in Tanzania since 1991. Our work supports marginalised children and youth, especially adolescent girls, to grow up physically and mentally healthy and ready to shape their future. We create an enabling environment and empower girls to be active drivers of change in realising their rights. We prioritise working with partners, and ensuring all of our work is evidence based
Protecting Girls from Harmful Practices in Tanzania project will work with the most vulnerable girls and their communities in the regions of Geita and Mara to continue to reduce the incidence of child marriage and FGM. Our approach will directly reach 13,670 people – including girls, boys, parents, teachers and health workers to improve knowledge and skills to keep girls safe from harmful practices now and in the future. An additional 39,390 members of the wider community will be reached through campaign messaging, advocacy work and community events.
We will build on the success of a previous 3-year Plan International programme from 2017- 2021. The project set up 47 Girls’ Clubs to provide spaces for adolescents to learn about their rights, improved understanding amongst girls and their communities to end child marriage and FGM.
ROLE PURPOSE
This role will support the project in discharging duties and responsibilities related to MERL needs of the project. S/he will support the project team with technical oversight and direction on all monitoring and evaluation needs across implementing areas, coordinate and support data collection and data analysis of the project including support to MERL officers of implementing partners and assists in demonstrating progress against strategic objectives at the project level. The post holder is also responsible for assisting the generation of regular and ad hoc data and reports for internal and external purposes
Dimensions of the Role
- Assist in the design and development of the project Performance Monitoring Plans (PMP) and ensure that it is utilized by the project and that MERL is an integral component in all objective areas
- Assist the development of the regularly project tracking progress system that will contribute towards achieving wider project objectives and goals.
- Together with the project team (both Plan and Partners), undertake regular field monitoring visits and data flow mapping to oversee project implementation,
- Supervise quality of services, assess data collection, collation, storage, analysis and reporting process ensuring that data is audit worthy and extend MERL technical support to implementing partners.
- In collaboration with the project coordinator, organize regular assessment and review of project progress among implementing partners for proper reflection, learning and future programming
- Assist in the development and implementation of project’s Data Quality Management (DQM) plan to ensure data quality at program and partner level. This includes the development of standard operating procedures, establishment and maintenance of DQA files as well as organizing internal DQA at Plan as well as implementing partners level.
- Identify areas of support for strengthening MERL related activities for Partners (this includes monitoring progress against plans)
- Together with project coordinator, conduct research and learning activities at a project level and coordinate expertise around baselines, learning reviews and evaluation related activities.
- In collaboration with the project coordinator, other Program Units and partners team, plans and coordinates joint monitoring visits and project review sessions.
- Make sure project data is timely entered into data base; properly analyzed and generate analytical summaries to be used for reporting
- Prepare and consolidated quarterly, biannual and annual work plans and reports and submit to the project coordinator for review and then compiled ready to be submitted to the donor and relevant Government Offices
- In collaboration with head of partnership, extend technical support to partners in the identification of solutions to MERL challenges they are encountering.
- Assist the presentation, delivery and documentation of research or key learning pieces to key stakeholders and policy makers.
- Under the supervision of MERL Advisor support data auditing and verification to ensure internal consistency and validity of project activity implementation.
- In collaboration with MERL Advisor and Technical leads, provides guidance and support to the field staff and partners in the development and implementation of monitoring tools.
- Performs other project related duties as assigned by the MERL Advisor
ACCOUNTABILITIES
Conduct Planning and Routine Monitoring
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- Rollout Results Frameworks, M&E Frameworks, and M&E plans in line with Country’s and Global Strategy Plans, and Plan MERL standards for projects and sponsorship.
- Design and roll-out M&E tools as required for in Education and Youth projects, including coaching and providing capacity building to staff to use the tools.
- Ensure development of indicators workbooks for in Education and Youth projects, ensure their usefulness to guide routine update and track of all outputs indicators to inform project progress.
- Ensure in Education and Youth projects have their indicator tracking table updated every month, and share status of project implementation to sector leads.
- Lead reflection and feedback meetings with project beneficiaries, and escalate learnings for project improvement.
- Lead compilation of beneficiaries counting per PUs and sectors.
Ensure MERL Capacity Building
- Support Pus MERL team and none M&E project staff in the analysis of evaluation and survey’s findings, including report-writing with sex-disaggregated data.
- Provide practical training to PUs Project Coordinators and Community Development Facilitators on; Development of in Education and Youth projects and PUs’ results trackers, Quantitative Results Tracking, and beneficiaries counting
- Orient and guide PU staff in data management using Global M&E systems, and to use KOBOTOOLBOX, ODK, and SAVIX MIS
Produce Reports and Reporting
- Assist with timely and high quality narrative reporting to donors (monthly, quarterly, and final) in conjunction with the thematic Sector Heads;
- Produce quarterly monitoring reports as generated from Global M&E database.
Promote Learning for Quality Program
- Assist dissemination of evaluation findings to relevant stakeholders, including close out workshops
- Organizing reflection and feedback meetings with project beneficiaries
- Work with communication department to design M&E – IEC materials, programme dissemination packages, and organizing high level results dissemination workshop.
Conducting Evaluations, Studies, and Surveys
- Coordinate and supervise data collections for both internal and external evaluations, to ensure Plan’s standards are followed by the external evaluators, and ensure data quality.
- Follow up implementation of evaluation recommendations by implementers and head of thematic
Compliance to Global Polices
- Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Child Protection (CPP) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEIP) are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring Plan and Partner’s staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures
Communications and Working Relationships:
Internal:
- This position works closely with Programme staff at PU level, including Programme Coordinators, all PUs M&E staff and Project Managers/ Directors (high)
- This position works closely with Thematic heads (medium)
External:
- This position works closely with M&E of active local partner organizations (medium)
Key relationships
- PUs & CO
- Head of M&E
- Head of CP,
- Functional networks within Plan
- Project partners
- NOs technical staff
Technical expertise, skills and knowledge
Required experience and Qualifications
- Minimum of a basic degree in Demography, Statistics, Social Sciences, Information Technology, or equivalent
- Minimum of at least three (3) years of experience in design, implementation of monitoring, evaluation and research systems in NGO Settings.
- Minimum of 2 years of providing training, and in a supervisory and/or management role, in monitoring and evaluation to all levels of stakeholders;
- Experiences in M&E of Education projects, Child protection and ASRH.
- Ability to use cost effective and online applications for mobile data collection and data management
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
- Ability and willingness to travel intensively in the fields
- Computer skills – MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Internet and statistical packages such as SPSS, STATA, Epi Info and others related packages.
Essential
Knowledge and skills
- In-depth knowledge of the M&E and preferably minimum 2 years of experience in Non-profit making organisation
- Analytical and problem solving skills
- Excellent communication skills appropriate to the audience
- Proficient computer skills and use of relevant accounting packages
- Ability to work under multidisciplinary and multicultural environment
- Good English language skills (oral /written)
Desirable
- Working with the project team and ensure project results are achieved timely without compromising with quality
- Good command over conflict resolution while maintaining important relationships: Capability to resolve conflicts
- Plan and schedule own work, interpreting instructions and selecting appropriate methods/tools for delivery.
- Operate in a high-pressure deadline-driven environment with professionalism
- Managing donor grants with strict reporting deadlines
Plan International’s Values in Practice
We are open and accountable
- Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
- Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
- Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
- Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
- Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people
We strive for lasting impact
- Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
- Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
- Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
- Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.
We work well together
- Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
- Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
- Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
- Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.
We are inclusive and empowering
- Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
- Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
- Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
- Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.
Physical Environment
- Working environment will include both typical office environment and field environment
- The position requires regular field travels, at least 70% of the officer’s work
Level of contact with children
Mid contact: Occasional interaction with children during reflection meetings, evaluations, and research
Location: Geita
Reports to: MERL Specialist
Grade: C2
Closing Date:25th May 2021
Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.
We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.
Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.
We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.
Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.
A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.
HOW TO APPLY: CLICK TO APPLY ONLINE VIA OFFICIAL WEBSITE
