MEAL specialist

Organizational Setting

FAO's office in Gaziantep is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies for addressing food, agriculture and rural development priorities in NW Syria. The primary objective of FAO is to support the development of policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to assist in developing the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors and to use environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner. As such, FAO’s office in Gaziantep is currently implementing and planning a number of projects aimed at strengthening resilience and socio-economic cohesion among highly vulnerable conflict- and earthquake-affected rural communities in NW Syria through support to agricultural livelihoods and access to employment in the agri-food sector.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall guidance of the ADG RR RNE and the direct supervision of the Programme Officer in the Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa and in close cooperation with technical officers, the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Specialist will monitor and evaluate the implementation of all FAO projects in NW Syria, as well as contribute to the accountability and learning agenda.

Technical Focus

Monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning of ongoing and planned projects/programmes.

Tasks and responsibilities:

The consultant will be responsible for supporting the country offices with the following tasks:

• Develop effective M&E frameworks/plans for each assigned project to guide progress and results monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning.

• Contribute to the development of Logical Framework Matrix (LFM) for new projects, with clear expected results to be achieved at each level, upload the LFMs into the FAO Field Programme Management Information System (FPMIS).

• Manage the tracking and verification of project implementation and performance (process monitoring) against schedule/time and scope (technical plan), including through compilation of Implementation Partner (IP) progress reports, field visits/missions and third-party monitoring (TPM).

• Manage the measuring of achievement of outputs and outcomes (results monitoring) against set indicator-targets outlined in logical frameworks through baseline, midline, endline, post-delivery and post-harvest monitoring (PDMs/PHAs), and TPM assessments.

• Contribute to the design and implementation of surveys to collect baseline data for indicators and targets and develop reporting guidelines and tools in accordance with FAO requirements.

• Contribute to data collection on the food security and livelihoods status and needs of affected communities, and prepare presentations, reports and summaries of findings.

• Provide technical support to needs assessment, progress monitoring and impact assessments, as well as in capacity-building and training to partners and other stakeholders, as needed.

• Compile and consolidate monitoring reports, data and information on a regular basis to support reporting, accountability, learning and communication.

• Facilitate and participate in project evaluations conducted by FAO’s evaluation service (OED), as well as any other entities, to assess the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of projects.

• Contribute to the design and development of concept notes and proposals for projects and programmes by participating in needs assessments, situational and stakeholder analysis, development of theories of change, logical frameworks, and risk monitoring matrices.

• Prepare and present project monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning briefs to project managers/senior management on a regular basis or when required, summarizing overall implementation progress, constraints, lessons learned and recommendations for adaptive programming.

• Develop and maintain a database of FAO projects with key process and results monitoring indicators and updates.

• Prepare quarterly and semi-annual project progress reports and identify lessons learned, constraints and challenges that require timely resolution and corrective actions and present recommendations for improving delivery.

• Contribute to the drafting of project terminal reports in accordance with the FAO standards and in consultation with stakeholders.

• Conduct field missions for monitoring and evaluation of projects/programmes.

• Perform any other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in Development Studies, Agriculture, Economics or related fields.

• Minimum five years of relevant experience in results-based project/programme monitoring and evaluation and the design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation systems including experience in preparing logical frameworks, results-based work plans and budgets.

• Working knowledge (Level C) of English and Arabic.

• National of Türkiye.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus

• Teamwork

• Communication

• Building Effective Relationships

• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

• Excellent knowledge and understanding of monitoring indicators.

• Excellent knowledge of data collection approaches, methods and tools.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

• Ability to develop strong working relationships with project teams, partners and stakeholders.

• Excellent computer skills, use of SPSS, Excel and Access.

• Ability to work within a team of professional staff from diverse technical and cultural backgrounds.

• Ability to plan and meet deadlines.

• Teamwork spirit, ability to work under minimum supervision, flexibility.

• Ability to liaise with multiple agencies, effectively building an understanding and partnership with other UN bodies, NGOs, and governmental agencies.

• Ability to work with minimum supervision.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help please contact: [email protected]
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.