Regional MEAL Assistant

FAO Afghanistan is investing across all 34 provinces, in resilience reinforcing actions that focus on protecting agriculture livelihoods and local ecosystems, boosting local production of nutritious foods and cash-incomes, and safeguarding critical agriculture sectoral development gains achieved over the past couple of decades through revitalizing rural markets and economy. In 2024-2026, FAO will continue to implement emergency and longer-term, resilience-building projects and programmes in the context of the UN Strategic Framework for Afghanistan (UNSFA) and the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan. 

These are National Project Personnel positions – SC 5.1. 

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative (FAOR) in Afghanistan. S/he will work under the direct supervision of the Head of the Regional Office or as may be assigned. The Head of Regional Office or as assigned, will be responsible for all day-to-day supervision, technical guidance and performance evaluation.

Technical Focus

• The National Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Assistant will contribute to successful implementation of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and MEAL framework in the Emergency and Resilience Unit of FAO Afghanistan. The candidate will support the FAO Afghanistan Regional Office in strengthening the MEAL system for FAO Afghanistan’s programme in line with the FAO Country Strategic Framework (CPF), the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and other Corporate Priorities pertaining MEAL.

Tasks and responsibilities

Monitoring systems roll-out.

• Assist the regional MEAL Specialist in monitoring of ongoing emergency response and resilience building projects through the following tasks;
• Support track data collection of Implementing Partners and keep regular backup of data’
• Support review and clearance of beneficiaries’ lists shared by FAO Implementing Partners (IP) in line with the agreed criteria in Letter of Agreement (LoA);
• Review and provide feedback on Implementing Partners Reports;
• Track and keep record of all reports and databases shared by Implementing Partners;
• Undertake regular visits to the field to support the implementation of the MEAL plans.

Monitoring data management 

• In collaboration with Regional MEAL Specialist, and under guidance of Information Management Specialists support roll-out of best practices and solution in data collation, beneficiary registration and management and entitlement distribution system;
• Support implementation of data management initiatives in the region office in coordination with MEAL team in the region and in Kabul; be a focal point for data management and reporting in the regional offices;
• Support in designing and conducting capacity building trainings for Implementing Partners on use of Identification Delivery and Empowerment Application (IDEA) – for both TOTs and enumerators that use FAO- Afghanistan’s tools for beneficiary registrations;
• Support roll-out of digitisation of beneficiary registration process through use of IDEA by leading in configuration of the beneficiary registration mobile devices for data collection with KoboCollect before the commencement of implementations, including integration with biometric and applicable softwares;
• On a real time, manner keep in touch with implementation partners to monitoring and report bugs on IDEA systems reported during beneficiary registration and escalate for quick resolution;

Accountability to affected population.

• Support undertaking of basic stocktaking of existing accountability practices within the MEAL system of the FAO Afghanistan programme in the regional offices,
• Using available FAO Corporate Guidance on accountability best practices and current accountability practices within MEAL system, in collaboration with partners develop a plan on strengthening the accountability practices in the regional offices
• Support the MEAL team on implementing this plan on strengthening the accountability practices,
• Assist the FAO Afghanistan Programme Unit in the region in undertaking accountability best practices at community level through stakeholder engagements, meeting beneficiaries of various emergency response projects, documenting the beneficiaries’ complaints / feedback, and bringing this feedback into project formulations / programming.

Learning and knowledge management 

• Undertake a learning and knowledge management needs assessment of the FAO Afghanistan Emergency and Resilience Unit,
• Analyse available MEAL reports and document key learning and knowledge management aspects to inform the learning and knowledge management plan and capacity building of implementing partners in the regional office,
• Based on the learning and knowledge management needs assessment and review of reports, develop a plan for establishing the learning and knowledge management pillar within the region in collaboration with the regional MEAL Specialist
• and knowledge management plan,
• Perform any other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements    

• University (Bachelor) degree in agriculture, agriculture economics, data science, computer science, statistics, international development, or related field
• At least three (3) years of relevant work experience in results-based management and monitoring and evaluation of humanitarian and/or development projects that combines emergency response, disaster risk reduction, project formulation and implementation with UN or I/NGOs;
• Working knowledge (level C) of English and local languages (Pashto and/or Dari).
• National of Afghanistan.

Source: https://jobs.fao.org/careersection/fao_external/jobdetail.ftl?job=2402396