Host & Impacted Community Resilience Activity (HICRA)

Organization: Friends in Village Development, Bangladesh (FIVDB)
Position: Upazila MEL Officer (5 positions)
Location: 5 Upazilas of Cox’s Bazar
Chakaria, Ukhiya, Teknaf, Cox's Bazar Sadar, Ramu		 Contract Length: Open ended
Grade: VII Post Type: Regular

INTRODUCTION:

Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachari districts are among the lowest ranked in Bangladesh for education, skills training, food security, poverty and agricultural productivity. The situation has worsened since 2017, with the Rohingya refugee influx, which has put enormous pressure on the local economies, resulting in loss of livelihoods, depressed local wages, and distorted local markets. Moreover, these districts are prone to chronic and rapid onset disasters. The entire Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and Cox’s Bazar region – ecologically critical in nature – have also emerged as a climate-disaster hotspot. Erratic rainfall, seasonal and flash floods, tidal surges, cyclones, landslides, and droughts, continuously resulting in loss of crops, houses, and lives.

In response, the USAID Host and Impacted Communities Resilience Activity (HICRA) led by Friends In Village Development Bangladesh (FIVDB) is taking an integrated approach to improve the overall well-being and resilience of people residing in the communities hosting or impacted by the Rohingya refugee crisis.  This includes implementing livelihoods; water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); natural resource management (NRM); and disaster risk reduction (DRR) interventions with an estimated 114,000 households across the four prioritized districts.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The upazila-level MEL Officer is responsible to ensure effective Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) support for the USAID Host and Impacted Community Resilience Activity (HICRA). They will serve as the primary field contact for MEL in terms of supporting frontline staff in data entry and data management software usage (such as iSTREAM, ODK, PowerBI, etc.) and will be responsible for leading accurate data collection, analysis, and reporting. This role includes building field staff capacity to use data management tools and reporting templates effectively. The position to collaborate with the technical team members at the Upazila level to facilitate and support indicator reporting, achieving targets, providing actionable insights for program improvement, and enhancing accountability. The Upazila MEL Officers will support the MEL team in ensuring the quality of monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) data through desk reviews, spot checks, and field visits.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to:
District MEL Coordinator (Functional)
Upazila Coordinator (Administrative)
Dimensions:
Upazila Office-based, 80% field visit, occasional trips to Dhaka/Cox’s bazar
Staff directly reporting to this post:
None
Budget Responsibilities:
No
Key contacts:
District MEL Coordinator, Coordinator - KM & CLA, Manager - MIS & GIS, MIS Specialist, Technical Officers, Finance and Accounts Staff, Union-based Area Coordinators, and other field-level staff.
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Work Planning and Program Implementation

  • Support the development and regular updating of the upazila-wise Detailed Action Plan (DAP) for implementation of all program activities in the upazila based on the HICRA Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP).
  • Prepare monthly work plans for MEL activities based on the DAP, carry out planned activities against DAP targets and track progress against it.
  • Manage the MEL-specific schedules, timelines, budgets, and forms, aligning all activities within the upazila in line with the DAP.
  • Assist the Upazila Area Coordinator to utilize MIS data to track progress.
  • Prepare achievement report and share with supervisor and relevant TOs/coordinators

MEL System Implementation and Management

  • Provide guidance and training on operationalization and implementation of the HICRA MEL Plan at the Upazila and Union levels.
  • Take lead role in monitoring system management and data acquisition and coordinate data entry through capacitating frontline staff on MEL process at the field level.
  • Support the integration of digital tools, including smartphone/ tablets for data collection and analysis.
  • Monitor day-to-day field activities, providing real-time feedback to ensure alignment with project goals.
  • Undertake frequent field visits to supervise implementation of MEL activities and provide on-the-spot solutions and guidance.
  • Coordinate joint MEL field visits with the program team to support quality assurance and resolve any issues.
  • Establish and support an effective data collection system and reporting tools for capturing quantitative and qualitative information.
  • Ensure MEL processes of the Activity for setting baselines of all indicators, monthly/quarterly reporting, impact and evaluation studies, and relevant technical studies/assessments.

Data Collection, Reporting and Documentation

  • Assist with data processing, cleaning, and analysis to support timely monthly, quarterly, annual, and other reports while ensuring data quality.
  • Generate regular reports with monitoring findings and disseminate information on monthly activity progress, including real-time data collection and accurate reporting to District MEL Coordinator.
  • Ensure timely and high-quality deliverable submissions such as GoB reports consistent with the approved USAID award requirements.
  • Support periodic ultra poor graduation (UPG) monitoring, data collection, reporting and integrate with HICRA’s major outputs and outcomes in alignment with the MEL plan.
  • Ensure adherence to ethical standards in data collection and reporting.
  • Support accurate and timely, activity level Geo Spatial Data collection and electronically transfer into HICRA’s MIS in real-time basis.
  • Provide logistical and other support for data collectors hired/contracted by HICRA for any type of survey, assessment, etc.
  • Maintain organized and up-to-date evidence and documentation of MEL activities.
  • Assist in analyzing quantitative and qualitative data to measure program performance and impact.
  • Assist in creating data visualizations and dashboards to communicate findings.

Capacity Building

  • Provide continual on-the-job and structured training for frontline staff in data entry and collection, record keeping, etc., monitor for quality control, and coach for improvement.
  • Conduct training and facilitate discussion sessions with participants in accordance with the MEL implementation plan and related modules to ensure proper use of MEL systems.
  • Work with technical officers to troubleshoot MEL related issues and technical challenges
  • Lead and support the capacity enhancement of frontline staff on MEL, CLA & MIS initiatives
  • Assist in training programs of staff and partners on MEL tools and processes.

Quality Assurance

  • Review and validate data to ensure completeness, consistency, quality, and compliance with supporting evidence.
  • Collaborate closely with other members of the MEL team to share and address feedback to improve data quality and accuracy.
  • Support the implementation of internal data quality assurance (iDQA) protocols and conduct iDQA visits to ensure compliance with data quality standards.
  • Ensure data consistency with USAID requirements and auditable quality of all of HICRA indicators
  • Quality assessment through regular monitoring of project implementation and reporting to site, regional team, technical team, and District MEL Coordinator.

Coordination and Communication:

  • Facilitate effective communication between frontline staff, technical team members and Upazila/Union level coordinators to promote consistent use of MEL tools, processes, and approaches across all staff.
  • Participate in monthly coordination meetings for MEL, upazila and specific interventions as needed to provide insight on data collection processes/needs, findings and areas for improvement.
  • Support Upazila Coordinators to develop monthly work plans in accordance with approved project detailed implementation plan (DIP) and carry out planned activities against DIP targets.
  • Collaborate with program teams to ensure alignment of MEL activities with program goals.
  • Coordinate with District MEL Coordinator and other managers, and Site implementation team of local works activities to ensure the functionality result framework and MEL indicators.
  • Update District MEL Coordinator as well as MEL Director regarding project progress in line with PMP indicators.

Collaboration, Learning and Adaptation

  • Contribute to the documentation of lessons learned, success stories and best practices.
  • Watch and report on any new needs arising in the project target areas
  • Participate in external and internal project evaluations, assessments, etc. as per need
  • Participate in any orientation/training organized by program team/management
  • Support the dissemination of MEL findings to program staff and stakeholders.

Program Participant Selection

  • Assist in carrying out the participatory rural appraisal as per protocol - this involves facilitating wealth ranking and comprehensive social mapping exercises
  • Assist with the identification and selection of participants as per criteria
  • Support conduction of the household census per protocol with each of the participating families in each of the assigned areas, including data collection and entry in the system.

General:

  • Provide training on use of monitoring forms, data collection, data cleaning, data entry etc. as needed.
  • Provide technical supports to the technical teams as well as partner organizations
  • Promote and practice participatory monitoring
  • Conduct regular visits to the impact/working areas and partner organizations
  • Work with multiple stakeholders and synthesize information from various sources
  • Keep continuous liaison with technical coordinators, MEL colleagues and others.

Any other tasks assigned by the Supervisor
ESSENTIAL

Working experience:

  • At least 3 years of experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning, preferably in the development sector. Familiarity with MEL frameworks and methodologies.
  • Experience in providing training, facilitating sessions, and/or coaching and mentoring frontline staff on MEL related issues.
  • Program participant selection through participatory rapid appraisal (PRA).
  • Proven experience in data collection, management, reporting and analysis related to economic growth, livelihood, income generating activities (IGA), gender and social inclusion, disaster risk reduction (DRR), water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), savings and lending (VSLA, SILC, other), and/or natural resource management.
  • Experience of working in multi-sectoral programs funded by USAID preferred
  • Working familiarity with USAID requirements, regulations, and policies preferred
  • Experience in facilitating and supporting programmatic decision making, adaptive management, and learning.

Knowledge:

  • In-depth understanding of MEL frameworks, principles, tools, processes, sampling methods, data collection frequencies, and practices
  • Familiarity with data collection tools and software (e.g., Excel, KoboToolbox, ODK, or similar).
  • Knowledge and skills in implementing MEL initiatives at the field level, preferably for USAID-supported interventions.
  • Contextual knowledge of CHT region and Cox’s Bazar will be a value addition.

Skills:

  • Good organizational skills, ability to pay close attention to detail and capable of reporting in a timely manner.
  • Good facilitation and coordination skills
  • Willingness and ability to live within and travel frequently to the program areas in Cox’s Bazar and the CHT districts, and other locations as required.
  • Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines accurately and on time;
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Applications, experience in data entry and data management software will be advantageous
  • Capacity and willingness to be flexible and accommodating in difficult working circumstances.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication in Bangla and English. Conversant with the local dialect will be added advantage
  • Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience

Competencies:

  • Credibility
  • Leading and inspiring others
  • Delivering results
  • Developing self and others
  • Problem solving and decision making
  • Innovating and adapting
DESIRABLE

Academic:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science, Development Studies, Business Administration, or relevant discipline preferred.

Expertise:

  • Technical expertise to perform the MEL activities in the areas of economic growth and livelihoods, natural resources management, water, sanitation and hygiene, and disaster risk reduction (DRR) and Climate Change.
  • Experience in collaborating and coordinating with local authorities, local leaders, and other relevant stakeholders on MEL-related and reporting issues.
  • Experience of working with international and national NGOs within a consortium arrangement.
  • Experience in implementing effective accountability mechanisms that enable the program to receive, respond, and act upon feedback and complaints from the program participants and other stakeholders.
  • Experience working in Cox’s Bazar and Chittagong Hill Districts.

Attitudes:

  • Ability to work independently or as a member of the team, ability to thrive in a matrix organization.
  • Ability to be detail-oriented, and ability to manage stress effectively in a fast-paced environment.
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality on work-related matters.
  • Non-discriminatory and gender sensitive
  • Willing to work in remote, rural locations
Additional job responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.
Health and Safety:
The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with HICRA Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Application Deadline : November 28, 2024