MEL Officer

Position Title: MEL Officer

Reports To: MEL Manager

Deadline of application: November 21, 2023

About Heartland Alliance International

Heartland Alliance International’s (HAI) mission is to secure the rights and well-being of marginalized people and communities. HAI envisions a world in which those whose rights have been violated are safe and empowered to actively engage in their communities and be at the forefront of social change.  In Iraq, HAI provides holistic services focusing on psychosocial support, legal aid, violence prevention, livelihoods strengthening, and social cohesion to diverse vulnerable populations.

About the project

Justice for All seeks to strengthen key systems for identifying and responding to persons experiencing violence, and to foster greater collaboration between civil society organizations, law enforcement, health system, and government social services. Justice for All responds to DRL’s Atrocity Prevention, Accountability, and Reconciliation mandate by strengthening the resilience violence survivors in Iraq, including Yezidi former ISIS captives. It will promote the reintegration, empowerment, and protection of survivors through the direct provision of comprehensive protection and specialized mental health services, and foster trust between those marginalized groups and the state through improving the state’s protection and judicial systems and processes in line with international standards. It will apply a context-specific approach to improve the quality and effectiveness of governmental and non-governmental level services, adopt a survivor-centered approach to address systematic and cultural barriers to mitigate violence, advocate for women and children rights, and ensure peaceful coexistence of marginalized groups in Iraq.    

In order to fulfill the duties associated with this role, the candidate must allocate half of their time to conducting on-site visits in various project implementation locations, including Baghdad, Basra, Dywania, Kirkuk, Sulaymaniah, and Duhok.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

·       Implement projects’ MEL plan as approved by the donors.

·       Provide recurring training to project staff and partners to ensure comprehension of MEL plan, including indicators definition, internal and external data management practices, and HAI and donor requirements.

·       Oversee the monitoring and data collection.

·       Facilitate and organize the execution and documentation of lessons-learned events in each field office/ partner under MEL manager’s guidance, which may involve field visits and interaction with project participants in projects coverage sites.

·       Ensure adoption of HAI MEL minimum requirement established by HAI DMEL policy 

·       Coordinate reporting with partners, specifically tracking deadlines, ensuring adherence to monitoring formats and requirements, ensuring reporting quality and accuracy, and periodic report writing, editing, and submission. 

·       Adopt Data Quality Controls.

·       Actively participate in any additional evaluation MEL activities including but not limited to baseline surveys, mid-term, end-line surveys, evaluations, household’s surveys 

·       Alert MEL manager, program officers/ managers, and Country Director and/or DMEL Director on corrective actions required to avoid delays in implementation, including flagging operational issues and risks requiring timely action.  

·       Assist country programs and partners in ensuring protection of sensitive or confidential data, and alert DMEL Director and Country Director of any incidents involving loss or theft of data, or other breaches of confidentiality.  

·       Review monthly progress reports and provide feedback to the respective project staff and/ or partner staff.

·       Any other duties given by MEL Manager.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or competency required.

·       The candidate must be able to travel widely across the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and federal Iraq.

·       Education and Experience: A Bachelor’s degree in social sciences or other related field, graduate degree preferred.

·       At least 2-4 years of experience coordinating M&E related fieldwork, including management of survey teams and research low resource environment

·       Detailed knowledge of project cycle management, monitoring, evaluation, and learning tools and processes.

·       Experience conducting and managing monitoring and evaluations in low resource settings.

·       Experience in data collection tool design, data analysis, and data quality audit

·       Experience developing and implementing survey instruments using electronic tools;

·       Highly proficient at qualitative and quantitative data analysis.

·       Demonstrated ability to train staff and implementing partners on M&E concepts, tools, and processes; teaching or training experience (desired).

·       Experience leading organizational learning events.

Computer Skills:

·       Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Excel, STATA, SPSS, or other data software.

·       Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook and Exchange Other software routinely used by Heartland Alliance.

Language Skills:

·       Excellent oral and written English communication skill required (working ability).

·       Arabic and/or Kurdish reading, writing and speaking ability required.

Other Skills and Qualifications (required):

·       Strong commitment to human rights with cultural sensitivity, respect, and confidentiality.

·       Strong communication skills-including explaining M&E concepts into simpler language.

·       Excellent relationship management skills (both professional and person relationships)

·       Candidates should be flexible, have a sense of humor and patience.

·       Proven ability to multi-task in a calm and professional way.

·       Interest in, understanding of, and appreciation for religious and ethnic minority communities in Iraq and the IKR.

Competencies required for the job

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands to handle or feel and reach with hands and arms.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.

Competencies:

·       Forward and Strategic Thinking- Able to understand the strategic intent and purpose of job duties and responsibilities, and able to offer insights to the management team regarding means to over-come barriers or improve processes.

·       Self-Motivation – Has an awareness of their intrinsic motivations. Understands many jobs have duties or responsibilities that the employee does not feel motivated to complete, but is
able to identify strategies -or seeks guidance from management- to complete all work duties with the same level of quality and efficiency.

·       Professionalism – Thinks carefully about the likely effects on others of one’s words, actions, presentation of self, and mode of behavior. Monitors quality of work and selects the words or actions most likely to have the desired effect on the individual or group in question.

·       Reliability – Shows commitment/ dedication and accountability in one’s work, and follows through on all projects, goals, aspects of one’s work. Fulfills all commitments made to peers, co-workers, and supervisor. Works to achieve agreement (by offering alternatives, etc.) on time frames or objectives that can be realistically met.

·       Teamwork and collaboration- Willingly seeks and shares knowledge that will enable a colleague to improve in their job, or the team to advance towards a project goal. Takes into account the organization as a whole when making decisions. Separates one’s own interests from HA’s interests to make the best possible judgments for HA.

·       Adaptability – Changes behavioral style or method of approach when necessary to achieve a goal; adjusts style as appropriate to the needs of the situation. Responds to change with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn new ways to accomplish work activities and objectives.

·       Integrity and Authenticity- Respects confidentiality. Contributes fair and equal contributors at work, measured by following through with promised and assigned work and honoring commitments, being honest about capabilities, limitations, and mistakes.

·       Cultural Humility and Interpersonal Awareness- Aware of and able to read cues in different situations then adapt accordingly. Makes others feel comfortable by responding in ways that convey interest in what they have to say.

·       Resilience and Stress Tolerance- Ability to manage difficult situations, seeks support or accepts offers of support when necessary, ability to overcome challenges

·       Service Orientation- Willing to assist colleagues or participants by performing duties outside of one’s job description, able to recognize when someone is confused or needs help and offers assistance without being asked. When unable to help, directs the individual to someone who can.

·       Written Communications- Writes using concrete, specific language relevant to the purpose and audience.

·       Technical Expertise- Keeps informed about developments and trends in one’s technical area.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• The employee may be required to travel frequently to insecure and limited-resource environments.
• Sometimes the candidate may be required to work for extra hours to deliver emerging unprecedented priorities

please send your CV through this link

https://heartlandalliance.bamboohr.com/careers/1015

indicating the vacancy job title in the subject line. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you do not hear back from us within 2 weeks, please consider your application unsuccessful.

Heartland Alliance makes all hiring and employment decisions and operates all programs, services, and functions without regard to race, receipt of an order of protection, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, amnesty, physical or mental disability, protected veterans status, genetic information, sexual orientation, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, use of FMLA, VESSA, military, and family military rights, e x-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, height, weight, or HIV infection, in accord with the organization’s AIDS Policy Statement of September 1987.