Caritas Moldova is hiring MEAL Officer

Job Title: MEAL Officer

Reports To: Project Manager, Director.  

Country/Location: Chisinau, Moldova.

To Apply: Please send your CV and Cover Letter to hr@caritas.md by May 31th, 2024. 

Job Summary:

As a member of the Caritas Moldova project team, and in close coordination with Caritas Moldova, you will facilitate the achievement of project objectives through coordinating and reporting on all project MEAL activities and providing MEAL-related technical guidance and advice to staff and implementing partner(s). Your monitoring and evaluation skills will ensure that the project for which you are working applies best practices in MEAL and constantly works toward improving the impact of its benefits to those that are served.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Organize and lead the implementation of all assigned project MEAL activities as outlined in the detailed implementation plan in line with Caritas program quality principles, standards and MEAL policies, procedures, and practices, donor MEAL requirements, and industry good practices.
• Work closely with partners to set up their MEAL systems
• Ensure learning properly accompanies project activities throughout the project cycle. Support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities and guiding partners in their efforts to reflect on project experiences. Analyze implementation challenges and report any inconsistencies and gaps to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules.
• Consolidate data for monthly donor reporting; perform data consistency checks for donor reporting and coordinate with partner staff for any discrepancies identified.
• Implement monitoring activities and processes according to the project’s Detailed Implementation Plan and MEAL system. Ensure the quality of monitoring data through annual data quality assessments.
• Coordinate and oversee MEAL-related working relationships with all local project stakeholders and serve as the liaison between them and the project team to mobilize local actors and promote project activities and impact. Identify and respond to key stakeholders’ information needs in MEAL activities, using a range of appropriate communication methods.
• Supervise and perform ad hoc inspections of various MEAL processes and resources at project sites to ensure timely project activities implementation and adherence to established process standards and procedures. Ensure proper tracking of resource use for project MEAL activities through periodic budget reviews and follow-up with and assistance to implementing partner.
• Coordinate provision of any MEAL-related logistical and administrative support to staff and partners.
• Ensure timely, project documentation for assigned MEAL activities is complete with all required documents and is filed per agency and donor requirements. Assist with preparation of trends analysis reports and documentation of case studies and promising practices.
• Support and coordinate key sector related evaluations and other learning initiatives
• Support other project activities as necessary

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required. Master’s Degree in the field of MEAL or related field would be a plus. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Minimum of 2 years of work experience in project implementation, ideally in the field of MEAL and for an NGO.
• Experience working with stakeholders at various levels and strengthening community partnerships.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Experience working with partners, participatory action planning and community engagement.
• Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data.

Required Languages – Written and spoken proficiency in English and Romanian required. Proficiency in Ukrainian and/or Russian is a plus.

Travel – Travel to sites within Moldova for data collection and spot checking will be necessary.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of or experience with social service programming preferred
• Good organizational skills
• Good data analysis skills
• Good computers skills, including Microsoft Office.
• Demonstrated ability to perform fast and efficiently, maintaining discretion and confidentiality while maintaining the agency’s high standards
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills, especially under pressure
• Relationship-building skills

Disclaimers: 

• This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.
• The acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
• Caritas Moldova is an Equal Opportunity Employer; Caritas Moldova is always looking for qualified, diverse and compelling candidates to join our agency and support our great work.
• By applying to this job, I understand and acknowledge that Caritas requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. Further, I understand that if I am a successful candidate, I will be subject to a comprehensive background check, and my personal/professional references will be asked to evaluate my behaviors related to the above safeguarding-related topics. 
• Please note that applications will be continuously reviewed, and Caritas Moldova reserves the right to close the vacancy before the deadline once a suitable candidate is identified.
• We thank all applicants for their interest, however only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.