Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Specialist

Organizational Setting

The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

The MEAL Specialist will provide support to the project “Inclusive Rural Development and Sustainable Agriculture“ implemented by the FAO from 2023 to 2027, in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture and the Ministry of Regional Development of Georgia, with the funding from the Austrian Development Cooperation. The overarching goal of the project is to foster increased competitiveness within the agricultural sector, enhance food production, and concurrently alleviate rural poverty, with a specific emphasis on mitigating inequality. The project provides support for the effective execution of the Agriculture and Rural Development Strategy of Georgia 2021-2027.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Georgia (FAOR), the incumbent will report administratively to Technical Advisor (Rural Development Officer) and technically to International MEAL Specialist/Head of MEAL. The position will function in close coordination with, and under the guidance of, the International MEAL Specialist, working collaboratively with the project team.

Technical Focus

The MEAL Specialist will provide support to the project with all the MEAL related activities, putting in place MEAL framework and plan, developing MEAL tools, conducting M&E activities, drafting M&E reports and carrying out other related tasks. The MEAL Associate will also lead the implementation of Data Protection Policy by the project team.

Tasks and responsibilities

•     Undertake all M&E activities for GCP/GEO/031/AUS.
•     Develop/update monitoring and evaluation plans and ensure application of FAO result based management (RBM) approach;
•     Support in designing and conducting baseline and endline surveys, as required to assist project team in setting benchmark values for logical framework indicators and developing project work plan;
•     Develop MEAL tools for data collection and analysis;
•     Develop and adopt modernized M&E tools to monitor project progress vs implementation plans and carry out internal assessments;
•     Perform and train MEAL enumerators/project staff in data collection, validation, processing, analysis, interpretation and presentation/dissemination;
•     Support in data verification, data quality assessment/check, analysis and management;
•     Contribute to preparing quarterly/six monthly/annual monitoring reports highlighting the progress achieved, deviations tackled and responded or pending remedial actions, supported by field monitoring visits as necessary;
•     Ensure an update beneficiary database, data entry into ZOHO platform
•     Manage conducting periodic monitoring missions, including beneficiary verification and post distribution monitoring to obtain beneficiary feedback and prepare monitoring reports to ensure timely, equitable and transparent delivery of assistance/services to beneficiaries
•     Update FAO Field Programme Management and Information System (FPMIS) on regular basis;
•     Support in project evaluations and reviews;
•     Any other tasks related to M&E assigned by the supervisor.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•     Advance University degree in Monitoring and Evaluation, Statistics, Project Management, Public Administration, Development Studies Agriculture Economics or related field.
•     Minimum 3 years of relevant experience in designing, implementing and monitoring and evaluation of rural/agriculture/natural resources management capacity development programs/projects.
•     National of Georgia.

FAO Core Competencies

•     Results Focus
•     Teamwork
•     Communication
•     Building Effective Relationships
•     Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•     Knowledge of United Nations and International Organizations’ administrative policies and procedures.
•     Knowledge of project MEAL requirements as advantage
•     Experience in designing surveys, data collection and analysis frameworks
•     Knowledge of modern M&E tools and data/information management systems
•     Good knowledge of common administrative and financial rules and regulations
•     Good knowledge of communication and documentation standards 
•     Display initiative and take responsibility for achieving agreed outputs within set deadlines and closely follow-up until successful outputs are achieved. 
•     Continue to seek new, innovative and improved methods and systems for accomplishing the work assigned.
•     Identify and recommend remedial measures to address problems in systems design or implementation

Selection Criteria

•     Proficiency and flexibility in using statistical software, such as Excel, R, Stata, SPSS, SAS or similar (preferably open-source) software.
•     Good knowledge of rural areas of Georgia and working knowledge of English and Georgian. 
•     Ability to work in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams is essential;
•     Ability to travel within Georgia
 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION