M.E.A.L Specialist

Organization:                                                    Union of Stone and Marble Industry - USM

Reports to:                                                         CEO

Work Location:                                                USM Headquarters- Bethlehem, Palestine

Target Start Date:                                             March 2025

Contract :                                                           Part Time ( 50%)

Contract Duration :                                          1 year contract with possibility of extension

Application Closing Date:                             February 16, 2025 3:30 pm) Please note that applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible(

Union of Stone and Marble (USM)

Established in 1996, as an independent nongovernmental and nonprofit organization based on membership.  The Union of Stone and Marble (USM) is a key advocate for Palestine's stone and marble sector, focusing on industry expansion, sustainability, and global competitiveness. With headquarters in Bethlehem and branches across Palestine.

USM's core activities focus on organizing exports, facilitating market access, defending the interests of the stone industry, fostering partnerships and networking, promoting occupational health and safety, promoting green practices and strengthening the Union's internal structure. USM continues to address the promotion of sustainable practices. Looking ahead, USM aims to lead transformative change and create opportunities within the stone and marble industry, ensuring its long-term viability and prosperity within the Palestinian economy. USM decided to lead projects aligned with the Green and Circular Economy (GCE), promoting inclusivity and innovation as one of the top sector priorities.

The Palestinian Stone and Marble Industry Sector is the largest industrial sector as measured by the most important indicators on which any country is based to measure the economic capacity of the industrial sectors.

The sector is trying all the way to contribute to environmental protection efforts. To take advantage of quarry residues “ Waste Scrap stone “ as well as reduce the environmental impact. However, the largest and most environmentally damaging waste is the liquid waste “slurry” generated from stone cutting in factories, as this process represents the primary stage in stone manufacturing, additionally, this process consumes large quantities of water. Many factories use special technology to dry liquid waste” slurry”  as a result of deployment, which significantly reduces the space used to dispose of it and also reduces water consumption by an estimated 40% as a result of water reuse, Finally, this type of waste is an essential material for other industries.

The project aims to drive a sustainable transformation in the Stone and Marble industry. It is implemented by the Union of Stone and Marble Industries in Palestine (USM) in cooperation with the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel) and is funded by the government of Belgium as part of the Green West Bank intervention. The project aligns with Enabel’s strategic focus on promoting a green and circular economy while enforcing the region’s ecological and social resilience.

Through this collaboration, the following objectives will be pursued:

General Objective:

To contribute to support the Green and circular economy and entrepreneurship in the Stone and

Marble value chain based on a market system approach.

Specific objective:

To support the utilization of Green Circular Economy practices within the Stone and Marble value chain, focusing on the sectors of waste management practices, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency practices and lobbying and enforcement of related regulatory frameworks.

Scope of work

 Under the supervision of USM's CEO the MEAL specialist role is to track project activities and outputs against plans and ensure that project is implemented effectively and achieve its intended outcomes. Additionally, the MEAL Specialist will contribute to the project’s accountability to stakeholders, ensuring that lessons learned are captured and applied to improve project performance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a monitoring framework to track project activities and outputs against the project’s objectives and timeline.
• Regularly collect data on key project activities and indicators, ensuring consistency and accuracy.
• Conduct site visits or other assessments to ensure project activities are being executed as planned, and to identify challenges or barriers to progress.
• Coordinate with project staff to ensure proper documentation and reporting of progress.

• Design and implement evaluation frameworks to assess the effectiveness of project activities and outputs.
• Collaborate with the project team to conduct mid-term and final evaluations, focusing on both process and outcome-based measures.
• Provide recommendations based on evaluation findings to enhance project implementation and impact.

Accountability:

• Develop and implement accountability mechanisms for the project to ensure transparency, responsiveness, and the inclusion of stakeholders in decision-making processes.
• Ensure that stakeholder feedback is regularly gathered, reviewed, and incorporated into project planning and implementation.
• Provide guidance on how to improve the communication and reporting of project results and activities to stakeholders.
• Facilitate the learning process within the project, ensuring that lessons learned are captured and shared to improve future project design and implementation.
• Support the development of knowledge-sharing platforms within the team, ensuring that key learnings are accessible to project stakeholders and the Union.
• Lead reflective learning sessions to allow the project team to analyze challenges and successes, applying insights for continuous improvement.

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Required Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

• A Bachelor’s degree in a related field  (A Master’s degree is an advantage)

Experience:

• At least 5 years of professional experience in monitoring and evaluation within development or sustainability projects.
• Experience with green practices, sustainability projects, or environmental initiatives is desirable.
• Previous experience in data collection,  analysis, survey design, and evaluation methodologies.
• Proven track record in accountability processes (e.g., stakeholder engagement, feedback mechanisms).

Skills:

• Strong understanding of MEAL principles and how to apply them in a development context.
• Familiarity with M&E software and tools (e.g., Excel, SPSS, or specialized M&E systems).
• Strong analytical and report writing skills with the ability to synthesize data and provide actionable insights.
• Good knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Excellent communication skills (both written and verbal) and the ability to effectively interact with a range of stakeholders.

Languages:

• Fluency in English (both written and spoken) is required.

Very important notes:

• Applicants for all the required positions must be residents of Bethlehem Governorate to ensure the smooth execution of the project and to avoid any obstacles in accessibility, as the workplace will be the Union's headquarters in Bethlehem.
• Only resumes that meet the aforementioned requirements will be reviewed.

Please send a cover letter and CV, clearly stating the position you are applying for in the cover letter and the email correspondence, along with three references contacts and their communication details, to the following email address:: [email protected]