Yemen: Appraisal Monitoring and Evaluation Officer

May 3, 2018 | ACTED
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Since 1993, as an international non-governmental organization, ACTED has been committed to immediate humanitarian relief to support those in urgent need and protect people’s dignity, while co-creating longer term opportunities for sustainable growth and fulfilling people’s potential. ACTED endeavors to respond to humanitarian crises and build resilience; promote inclusive and sustainable growth; co-construct effective governance and support the building of civil society worldwide by investing in people and their potential. We go the last mile: ACTED’s mission is to save lives and support people in meeting their needs in hard to reach areas. With a team of 4,300 national staff 300 international staff, ACTED is active in 35 countries and implements more than 450 projects a year reaching over 11 million beneficiaries. More on www.acted.org

Position context and key challenges

ACTED has been present in Yemen since early 2012, and implements activities in the central-western and central-southern regions. The presence of ACTED in Yemen has been anchored to the governorates of North of Yemen, North of Yemen, Raymah and Ad-Dhalee where, in the last three areas especially, the organisation has been virtually the only international actor directly implementing activities. ACTED now aims at further expanding its humanitarian assistance by reaching out to additional regions: the north in Saadah and Al-Jawf governorates, and the south around Taiz and Aden. These could notably serve as a base for future assessments and programming focused on malnutrition- and conflict-affected populations in Yemen. Through its comprehensive programming ACTED has been covering the full continuum of emergency, rehabilitation and development in Yemen. Emergency activities have focused in the sectors of Agriculture & Food Security (e.g. distribution of crop seeds, and livestock), Economic Recovery and Market Systems (e.g. income-generating activities such as cash for work), and WASH (e.g. rehabilitation of water supply facilities, hygiene promotion). ACTED’s food security activities include distribution of food vouchers, which are a key component of ACTED’s interventions in the country. With regard to rehabilitation and development, ACTED recently initiated work on the coffee value chain in Raymah governorate as a way to enhance the food security of local small producers. Through its active involvement in coordination mechanisms, ACTED has been a lead agency in the provision of humanitarian assistance in the three governorates in which it operates. The organisation is for instance the WASH Cluster focal point for North of Yemen and Raymah governorates, and a key partner of the WASH, Food Security and Agriculture, Nutrition and Early Recovery clusters. In addition, the organisation has been an elected member of the Humanitarian Country Team in early 2013. ACTED’s donors in Yemen are presently USAID/OFDA, ECHO, the European Commission, WFP, OCHA and UNICEF.

Position profile

1. Appraisal, Monitoring and Evaluation Systems 1.1. Technical and Systems Development

Develop and regularly update the country AME strategy;
Develop and regularly update consolidated AME work plan covering all ongoing projects and planned assessments of the mission;
Develop a clear AME framework for each ongoing project based on project proposals, implementation plans, and donor reporting requirements;
Oversee the development, measurement, and reporting of qualitative and quantitative input, process, output, outcome, impact, objective, and goal-level performance indicators for all projects;
Ensure that proposal budgets developed capture appropriate cost and financial information to enable implementation of both internal and external AME components;
Ensure that AME findings are reflected and their recommendations are incorporated in future concept notes, proposals and implementation plans;
Identify and design innovative practices to improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness in AME and general project management and incorporate them in the country AME strategy;
Implement the AME policies and procedures as described in the ACTED AME standard guidelines and make sure that the tools are followed as applicable;
Ensure an effective roll-out of M&E collection and reporting systems to all staff and partners through training, site visits, manuals, and other technical support as needed. Ensure systems are well understood and properly implemented by staff and partners;

1.2. AME Implementation and Management

Oversee the development of mission plans for any assessments, monitoring and evaluations (baselines, mid-terms, endlines) for each of the projects;
Develop and oversee the implementation of appropriate data collection and analysis instruments, methodologies (e.g. survey questionnaires, focus group discussions, key-informant interviews) and data/information dissemination/utilization plans;
Provide technical guidance and oversight over data collection activities and ensure that data collection teams are organized and resourced as needed, and that they deliver as per field mission plans and according to data quality standards;
Analyze AME data and produce reports, factsheets with useful statistical analysis and presentation (charts, tables, histograms, box plots) as necessary in a timely manner;
Oversee providing data to the Project Development Team for use in preparation of reports to donors and other stakeholders, as required;
In collaboration with coordination, trigger the necessary needs assessment(s) to ensure proposals are relevant;
Contribute to donor proposals and fundraising efforts (particularly logical-framework designs and formulation of SMART indicators) and reports, through analysis and interpretation of findings;
Provide AME related capacity building and awareness to implementing partners and other institutions supported by ACTED as appropriate;
Implement any recommendation discussed and agreed with the country management team and the ACTED Director of Programmes;
Represent ACTED in different forums on AME related issues when required.

2. Database and GIS

Oversee the development, on-going modifications, strengthening and functioning of the country level data management;
Monitor roll out and functionality of Database Management Systems (DBMS) and GIS across users including implementing partners as required;
Develop strategies to increase data use and demand amongst relevant staff and other data/information users;
Design and maintain electronic and paper-based MIS/GIS systems for tracking and reporting all quantitative (spatial and non-spatial) data and information;
Oversee the development, on-going modifications, strengthening and functioning of the country-level data and GIS management systems;
Facilitate trainings for non AME staff (e.g. PMs, PDs, TCs) on the use of project databases and database related reporting; for example, reporting on ACTED’s 16 global strategic program indicators;
Provide capacity building on effective use of GIS/DB products and systems – or ensure that GIS/DB staff deliver this efficiently and effectively.

3. Learning

Contribute to proactive dissemination and use of knowledge gained through AME activities among Project Managers, Technical Coordinators and Project Development Manager/Officers;
Organize and facilitate learning events in order to capture best practices and lessons learnt when a project closes or as required;
Document and share the lessons learnt and best practices on time and ensure that the knowledge gained contributes to the improvement of projects and influence the strategic development of future projects and activities;
Support project implementation and improvement by providing timely information around project successes to be scaled up as well as challenges to allow ‘course correction’ throughout life of the program.

4. Beneficiary Complaints and Response Mechanism

Establish, implement and monitor the beneficiary Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) for the country mission in line with ACTED standard beneficiary CRM procedures;
Ensure the effective functioning of the beneficiary CRM and that beneficiary complaints/feedback is adequately captured, analyzed, addressed and responded to in a timely manner and utilized by the program and coordination teams;
Oversee the proper management of the project CRM central database;
Build capacity and understanding among ACTED staff, partners and contractors on beneficiary accountability and CRM.

5. AME Team Leadership 5.1. Team Management

Ensure that staff in the department understand and are able to perform their roles and responsibilities;
Manage AME, Database, GIS and Accountability staff delineating their responsibilities and follow-up the work plans and day-to-day activities;
Ensure a positive working environment and good team dynamics;
Manage interpersonal conflicts between departmental staff members;
Undertake regular appraisals of staff and follow career management;
Ensure that the team retains all that is distinctive about ACTED including the organizations values and beliefs, global identity, coherence and consistency, and independence and impartiality.

5.2. Capacity Building and Training

Identify the AME training needs of AMEU staff, discuss plans with the coordination and HR for both internal and external trainings, and implement them according to AME strategic and operational priorities;
Coach, train, and mentor AME Officers with the aim of strengthening their technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the AME team and providing professional development guidance.

6. Other

Provide regular and timely updates on progress and challenges to supervisors and other team members;
Represent ACTED in high-level external forums at national level, such as AME technical working groups;
Participate in AME-related conferences and workshops when possible and stay up to date of best practices and new knowledge created in the field of AME

Qualifications

Master’s degree;
Excellent analytical skills;
4 years of experience in AME, preferably in international humanitarian context
Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting on programme financial performance;
Ability to monitor and evaluate financial and monitoring skills of communities through capacity-building efforts;
Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
Familiarity with the aid system, and understanding of donor and governmental requirements;
Prior knowledge of the region an asset;
Fluency in English required
Arabic strongly preferred
Ability to operate Microsoft Word, Excel and Project Management software
Statistical analysis programs preferred

Conditions

Salary defined by the ACTED salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, security, and performance are considered for pay bonus

Additional monthly living allowance
Free food and lodging provided at the organisation’s guesthouse/or housing allowance (depending on contract length and country of assignment)
Transportation costs covered, including additional return ticket + luggage allowance
Provision of medical, life, and repatriation insurance

Submission of applications