The Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Officer is responsible for designing, implementing, and managing the project's monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning systems to ensure effective performance measurement, evidence-based decision-making, and continuous improvement. The incumbent will oversee data collection, quality assurance, analysis, reporting, beneficiary feedback mechanisms, and learning processes across the Access to Finance Project in the northern region.
The MEAL Officer will ensure that project implementation is guided by reliable data, donor requirements, organizational standards, and international best practices while promoting accountability to beneficiaries and stakeholders.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Monitoring and Evaluation
- Develop and implement the project MEAL Plan, Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP), and indicator tracking matrix.
- Establish project monitoring systems aligned with donor requirements and AYEO policies.
- Monitor project progress against approved work plans, outputs, outcomes, and indicators.
- Conduct regular field monitoring visits to verify project implementation and data quality.
- Support baseline, midline, end-line, and impact assessments.
- Ensure timely collection of quantitative and qualitative project data.
Data Collection and Management
- Design and update data collection tools, questionnaires, checklists, and monitoring forms.
- Supervise data collection conducted by Community Mobilizers and project staff.
- Verify the completeness, accuracy, and reliability of collected data.
- Maintain secure project databases and beneficiary information systems.
- Perform routine data cleaning, validation, and quality assurance.
Data Analysis and Reporting
- Analyze project data and generate evidence-based findings.
- Produce weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual, and donor reports.
- Prepare dashboards, indicator tracking reports, and management summaries.
- Develop charts, graphs, tables, and visual presentations to support project management.
- Support preparation of donor reports and organizational performance reports.
Accountability
- Establish and manage beneficiary feedback and complaints response mechanisms.
- Ensure beneficiaries have safe and accessible channels to provide feedback.
- Monitor complaint resolution and document corrective actions.
- Promote transparency, accountability, safeguarding, and community participation throughout project implementation.
Learning and Knowledge Management
- Document lessons learned, success stories, case studies, and best practices.
- Facilitate project review meetings and learning workshops.
- Promote evidence-based learning and adaptive project management.
- Develop knowledge products and contribute to organizational learning.
Quality Assurance
- Conduct routine Data Quality Assessments (DQAs).
- Verify beneficiary records, training attendance, business assessments, and project outputs.
- Ensure compliance with donor reporting standards and indicator definitions.
- Recommend corrective actions to improve project quality and performance.
Coordination
- Work closely with the Project Manager, Business Analyst, Trainers, and Community Mobilizers to improve project performance.
- Coordinate with donor representatives during monitoring missions and evaluations.
- Support internal and external evaluations, audits, and assessments.
- Participate in coordination meetings and technical working groups.
Compliance
- Ensure compliance with AYEO MEAL policies, donor reporting requirements, safeguarding standards, and data protection principles.
- Maintain confidentiality of beneficiary and project information.
- Promote ethical data collection practices and informed consent.
- Ensure compliance with organizational and donor accountability frameworks.
Other Responsibilities
- Perform any additional duties assigned by the Project Manager.
- Support proposal development by contributing baseline information, indicators, and logical frameworks.
- Represent AYEO professionally during monitoring visits, evaluations, workshops, and stakeholder meetings.
