Job Summary
The MEAL Officer will be responsible for the practical implementation of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) activities at field and program level. The position will focus heavily on data collection, data quality, data cleaning and analysis, field monitoring, assessments, Post-Distribution Monitoring (PDM), impact assessments, evaluations, beneficiary data management, and reporting.
The MEAL Officer will work closely with program teams, field staff, beneficiaries and relevant stakeholders to ensure that program data is accurate, reliable, timely and properly documented. The position will also support the development and use of appropriate MEAL tools, beneficiary lists, databases, feedback mechanisms, CRM/FCRM systems and reporting formats.
The MEAL Officer is expected to be highly practical, field-oriented, detail-oriented and able to work under pressure, including working overtime when required to meet program and reporting deadlines.
Key Responsibilities
1. Data Collection and Field Monitoring
- Conduct quantitative and qualitative data collection for program monitoring, assessments, PDMs, evaluations and impact assessments.
- Develop data collection plans and coordinate field-level data collection activities.
- Conduct household, beneficiary and community-level interviews, surveys, observations and other forms of primary data collection.
- Conduct regular field monitoring visits to assess program implementation, coverage, quality and beneficiary satisfaction.
- Verify collected information against source documents and field records.
- Ensure that data collection is conducted ethically, accurately and according to approved methodologies.
- Provide guidance and technical support to enumerators and field teams.
- Conduct spot checks, back checks and verification exercises to ensure data reliability.
2. Data Quality, Cleaning and Analysis
- Review, clean and validate datasets before analysis and reporting.
- Identify and correct data inconsistencies, duplicates, missing information, outliers and other data-quality issues.
- Conduct routine data-quality checks to identify potential inclusion and exclusion errors in beneficiary selection and program targeting.
- Cross-check beneficiary information against approved criteria, registration records and available documentation.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date beneficiary databases and lists.
- Analyze quantitative and qualitative data and identify key trends, findings, gaps and concerns.
- Produce tables, charts, summaries and other analytical outputs to support program decision-making.
- Ensure data is securely stored, backed up and protected against unauthorized access or loss.
3. MEAL Tools and Systems Development
- Support the development, testing and improvement of MEAL tools, questionnaires, checklists and data collection forms.
- Develop and maintain data collection tools using appropriate digital or electronic platforms where applicable.
- Adapt tools based on program requirements, monitoring findings and lessons learned.
- Support the development of monitoring trackers, databases, dashboards and reporting templates.
- Ensure MEAL tools are practical, user-friendly and aligned with program indicators and reporting requirements.
- Train and support field staff and enumerators in the correct use of MEAL tools.
4. Assessments, PDM and Impact Measurement
- Support and/or lead general assessments, baseline and endline assessments, needs assessments and other relevant surveys.
- Plan and conduct Post-Distribution Monitoring (PDM) activities.
- Analyze PDM findings and prepare clear reports highlighting achievements, gaps, beneficiary feedback and recommendations.
- Support impact assessments and other studies designed to measure program outcomes and changes among targeted populations.
- Ensure assessment findings are properly documented and communicated to relevant teams.
- Follow up on recommendations arising from assessments and monitoring exercises.
5. Evaluation
- Support internal and external program evaluations.
- Assist in developing evaluation tools, methodologies, sampling approaches and data collection plans.
- Coordinate field data collection for evaluations.
- Support analysis and interpretation of evaluation findings.
- Contribute to evaluation reports and ensure findings are shared with relevant program teams.
6. Beneficiary Data and Targeting
- Maintain accurate beneficiary registration records and beneficiary lists.
- Support verification of beneficiary eligibility against agreed selection criteria.
- Identify potential inclusion and exclusion errors and report them to the relevant program team.
- Conduct beneficiary verification and validation exercises when required.
- Ensure beneficiary information is handled confidentially and securely.
- Support program teams in improving beneficiary targeting and data accuracy.
7. Accountability, CRM and FCRM
- Support the implementation and monitoring of accountability mechanisms.
- Maintain and monitor Community Feedback and Response Mechanisms (FCRM) and Complaint and Response Mechanisms (CRM).
- Record, categorize, track and follow up on complaints, feedback, requests and referrals.
- Ensure feedback and complaints are appropriately documented and referred to responsible staff
