Planning, Monitoring and Reporting Officer

MA'AN Development Center

Vacancy: Planning, Monitoring and Reporting Officer

Background on MA’AN:

MA'AN Development Center is an independent, non-governmental, non-partisan Palestinian development organization and training institution established in Jerusalem in January 1989, and is registered as a non-profit organization. MA'AN’s main office is now located in Ramallah and has four branches across the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt) including WB, East Jerusalem, and Gaza. In addition, MA’AN has an established permaculture training and demonstration site in Beit Qad- Jenin, which aims to serve as a demonstration hub for farmers on cost effective ecological practices.  MA’AN's work is informed by the necessity of creating independent, self-reliant initiatives that lead to the development of human resources for sustainable development, which incorporate values of self-sufficiency and self-empowerment.   MA’AN bases its work on its mission and vision and has been working in Palestine for over 30 years, striving to support the resilience and steadfastness of the most vulnerable people, through its three main programs: 1) Women and Youth Socio Economic Empowerment 2) Protection & Emergency livelihood support 3) Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Protection. 

Position title: Planning, Monitoring and Reporting Officer- West Bank

Position Location: MA’AN HQ in Ramallah

Reports to: Director General as direct reports and dotted lines with Director of Programs

Staff reporting to this post: MEAL coordinators and MEAL officers’ as direct reports, and dotted lines with Program and Project Managers.

Position type and duration: Full time – 12 months with possible renewal based on performance appraisal

Start Date: Jan 15th ,2021

Job Purpose:  

MA’AN is seeking to hire a qualified, dynamic candidate for the position of Planning, Monitoring and Reporting Officer (PMR). The PMR Officer will be responsible for leading the MEAL team and the departments planning, implementation of MEAL plans, follow up, and reporting for the West Bank programs. Further, the PMR Officer will support in resource mobilization to effectively and efficiently achieve the organizations vision and mission. The PMR officer, as head of the MEAL department, is expected to work in close coordination with the Director General, Director of Programs, Program Managers and other program and support units’ staff in order to implement efficient strategies, facilitate assessments of progress and impacts, support in guiding quick re-adjustments that ensure high quality of deliverables, internal and external compliance and accountability to beneficiaries, partners and donors. 

Major Duties Include:

The PMR Officer will have the following duties and responsibilities directly, or leading such on behalf of the MEAL department.  

General and Planning Role:

• To work in partnership with the Director General and Director of Programs to understand current working practices and procedures with respect to MA’AN Programs.
• To work with the Director General, the Director of Programs on developing/updating, implementing and monitoring the fundraising strategy including resources mobilization.
• To work with the Director General and Director of Program on timely and high-quality project proposal submissions to international and national donor and partner.
• Lead and facilitate periodic needs assessments, internal researches and studies to serve MA’AN Programs and Project design and planning including development of tools and mobilization of programs teams in data collection in close coordination with the Director of Programs.
• With support from Director General, Director of Programs and Program and support staff,  lead the Term of References (ToRs) development and follow up with the external consultants on the studies and assessments.
• Support internal improvement processes (theory of changes, Log Frames and strategies); 
• To effectively develop and manage the human resources under his/her direction.
• To conduct performance appraisals of staff under his/her supervision.
• Participate in the initiation of project and program relevant studies and assessments and leading the creation of ToRs for baseline and endline assessments, project evaluations, technical consultancies.
• To develop MA'AN's opportunities for cooperation with international NGOs through increasing access to global information including primary and secondary data sources.
• Integrate protection, gender perspectives, and other cross-cutting issues in all areas of work,
• Support in communication and monitoring of internal, governmental and donor compliance requirements across relevant departments, staff, and implementing partners.
• To support the Director of Programs in Awards management through review of agreements, contracts, documents, work practices, and completed work and identify areas where changes might be necessary.
• To support in identification and creation new strategic partnerships.
• Maintain coordination and effective relationships with his/her team, colleagues, external partners and supporters, relevant Government departments and donors.
• To work with the Director General and the Program Director on developing the advocacy strategy.
• To expand MA’AN’s relations with international and local NGOs and Governmental bodies.
• When needed assist in preparing English publications, brochures, pamphlets, and profiles of MA'AN, as well as assist in preparing MA'AN's annual report.
• To contribute to internal capacity building particularly in the areas of MEAL, Reporting, Planning and other relevant areas of competency.
• Perform any other duties related as may be assigned.

Monitoring and Evaluation Role:

• Read existing partner contracts and documentation, Project logframes and review MEAL plans for projects directly allotted to the PMR officer and those allotted to MEAL department staff.
• Development of quality MEAL plans for new projects, ensuring smart indicators, feasible targets and means of verifications and conducting orientations of MEAL and Program staff on developed plans.
• Lead and facilitate Development/adaptation of resource efficient data collection tools in close collaboration with MEAL team and Programs teams
• Lead and facilitate projects’ specific assessments (baseline, end line) and a multi-sectorial needs assessment and support in beneficiary selection process including drafting of needed ToRs in collaboration with Program staff.
• Lead and facilitate impact assessments after end of projects where needed in coordination with Director of Programs.
• Lead and facilitate collection of primary and secondary data sources of verifications to serve ongoing needs assessments year round.
• Lead and Support MEAL coordinators in data collection activities to support project learning and evaluation, including case studies, market and community assessments.
• To train and supervise staff members and enumerators involved in data collection and entry.
• Ensure projects are implemented in timely and effective manner in accordance with plans and proposal.
• Responsible for the Project database ensuring projects information is up-to-date and accurate.
• Recommend further improvement of the project’s logical framework.
• Responsible for the data collection, compilation and analysis.
• Responsible for designing and implementing the M&E plan of the Project/s.
• Develop monitoring and impact indicator for the project success.
• Monitor and evaluate overall progress on achievement of results.
• Monitor the sustainability of the project's results.
• In conjunction with Director of Programs and Director General, provide feedback and guidance to MEAL and Program staff on required strategies and methodologies
• Lead development of MEAL Standard Operating Procedures and training of MEAL coordinators and Program teams
• Perform any other duties related as may be assigned

Accountability Role

• Support in developing the information materials for complaint and feedback mechanisms.
• Support in training staff on internal feedback guidelines and relevant Protocols.
• Manage the Beneficiary Feedback Mechanism by receiving and filing complaints.
• Keep complaints records confidential and only accessible to relevant staff according to the internal feedback mechanism guidelines.
• Promote accountability in general among all staff, beneficiaries in the project impact areas, through: training, coaching and follow up
• Facilitating establishment and utilization of appropriate feedback mechanisms to improve programming and enhance accountability.
• Ensure equal access and participation of relevant stakeholders in PCM cycle.
• Ensure compliance of staff with funding agreement working terms (reporting deadlines, needed segregation of data, cross-cutting issues ..etc)
• Perform any other duties related as may be assigned

 Learning and Reporting Role:

• Responsible for update of projects narrative and financial reporting schedules in accordance with award agreements.
• Facilitating report writing process with MEAL coordinators and Program staff ensuring timely and quality submissions.
• identifying and documenting lessons learnt; collecting information for case studies; writing and preparing success stories, and facilitating periodic reviews, and prepare presentation on achievement of projects.
• Prepare Focus Group Discussion and other qualitative reports
• Support in writing and review of progress and final reports ensuring quality control and critical inputs before clearance for submission to donors and partners.
• Ensure an accurate and timely annual and final project close out in relation to reporting deliverables as per grant agreements.
• Create a toolkit of data collection methodologies including data from lessons learned from ongoing projects.
• Prepare regular monitoring reports including ongoing data analysis with status of implementation progress.
• Supervise and support quarterly data collection and reporting as needed for MA’ANs role in humanitarian clusters in coordination with MEAL team and internal Cluster focal points.
• Provide data as required for independent project evaluations and ensure findings from the evaluations are incorporated into project activities and policies as appropriate
• To prepare reports in English to the donating agencies.
• Prepare field visits reports on the projects sites visits.
• Represent at periodic meetings with stakeholders to report on planned activities and actions, including implementation status.
• Participate/facilitate in internal projects evaluations and learning reviews that are intended for lessons learned and operational decision making.
• To give feedback on the staff monthly progress reports.
• To submit on a monthly basis his/her employee internal monthly report.-
• Perform any other duties related as may be assigned

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Job Qualifications:

• MA degree in program evaluation, social sciences, organizational development, project management, Economics, Business administration or any other related field.
• A minimum of five years of experience in MEAL or similar position in NGOs
• Experience & familiarity with Palestinian context and the NGO sector.
• Valid driver’s license an advantage

Skills and Personal attributes:

• Proficiency in English and Arabic languages
• Report writing in both languages
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Computer (MS-Office including Excel & MS-Project, SPSS)
• Experience in Qualitative and Quantitative Research
• Demonstrated experience in design and adaptation of MEAL plans and tools.
• Mastery of the mechanisms of monitoring, evaluation, accountability and Learning (MEAL) using the results- based management approach.
• High level of understanding and ability to critically review research/evaluation reports by independent consultants.
• Demonstrated leadership and coaching capacities
• Demonstrated reasonable tolerance to risk and to uncertainty context
• Adept skills in project cycle management
• Working within a team
• Ability to work under pressure
• Willingness to travel to the field and work in challenging environments from time to time.

All interested candidates are encouraged to send their cover letter and curriculum vitae, including the names and contact details for three references by email to [email protected]   no later than 7th of January, 2021, ensuring to list “PMR Officer Application” as the subject of your email.

Applications will be assessed as they are received. We thank all applicants, however only those making the shortlist will be contacted.