Plan International is an independent non-profit organization that advances children’s well-being and equality for girls. Working in building powerful partnerships for children for over 75 years and present in 70 countries, Plan International strives for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children while working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners. Plan International Ethiopia is looking for JOFA Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning Specialist for Country Office who will be reporting to the JOFA Consortium Manager and with matrix reports to MEAL Thematic Lead.

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND MAIN WORK ACTIVITIES

The JOFA MERL Specialist is accountable for coordinating and facilitating of MERL activities of Joining Forces for timely, effective and quality delivery of tasks related to monitoring and evaluation activities, outputs, higher level results and impacts of the project in the target refugee, IDPs and host communities in the project operational areas. The post holder is expected to have experience in the following areas:

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (75%)

• Ensure the JOFA project planning, monitoring and evaluation processes meet the Donor standards and comply with Donor accountability requirement.
• Provide quality guidance to field teams in Benishangul Gumuz and East Hararghe on planning, monitoring and evaluation processes of the JOFA project.
• Facilitate the monitoring, evaluation and research network in the country to promote good practice and identify ways to strengthen planning, monitoring and evaluation processes.
• Ensure that M&E data from Benishangul Gumuz and East Hararghe for both external and internal audiences as required are collected, analyzed and availed for decisions
• Identify and respond to information requirements of different stakeholders and make information accessible on timely basis.
• Manage consultants and research partners to ensure that commissioned researches and evaluations are carried out to a high, international standard and successfully completed.
• Support knowledge management and learning by producing specific program information resources. 
• Produce Benishangul Gumuz and East Hararghe level programs� performance reports (quarterly, biannually, and annually) to enable effective decision making by the management teams - both at PA and CO.
• Provide timely feedbacks to all relevant staff about the outcomes and quality of programs� mid-term and end evaluation.
• Proactively seek and promote best practice as part of monitoring, evaluation and program effectiveness practice.
• Maintain consistency in monitoring and evaluation standards in the organization, leading the consistent application of MER system and donor compliance in programs� cycle management process.
• Identifies weaknesses in monitoring and evaluation practice and develops targeted solutions alongside the identification and promotion of high-quality and standard evaluation practice.
• Work closely with the Benishangul Gumuz and East Hararghe Monitoring, Evaluation and Research coordinators to improve the quality of monitoring and evaluation and provide technical supports as needed to PAs and CO�s program team.

Internal collaboration (10%)

• Collaborate with technical program specialists in the Country and with NOs staffs and global MERL Coordinator to develop MERL frameworks
• Ensure donors� programmatic compliances issues are adequately met.
• Ensure child protection and safeguarding, gender equality, and humanitarian principles and strategies are mainstreamed in MER tools and frameworks.
• Collaborate with other functions (finance, risk management, grant compliance coordinator and gender) to ensure that Program Quality standards and processes integrated across functions.
• Mainstream child Protection in the program area as well as observe the Child Protection Policy and be vigilant to report all child protection concerns.

Stakeholder Coordination � 5%

• Establish effective working relationships with the Joining Forces Alliance, government counterparts, consortium members, implementing partners, private and public sectors, consultants, and other development organizations and target population in the program operation.
• Represent the consortium in meetings with the donor and with other consortia in Refugee and Migration.
• Coordinate monthly and quarterly consortium and CP Cluster meetings, record minutes, and reporting.

Representation � 5%

• Represent Plan International Ethiopia and liaise with government stakeholders, donors, local and international NGOs and any other relevant stakeholders.
• Participate and coordinate Cluster group meetings in Migration/Refugee.
• Clearly promote of child protection across the work of participants.
• Work in close coordination with Emergency Response Lead to ensure effective design and implementation of mixed migration.
• Support partners in understanding plans� gender equality strategy and program criteria and capacity building activities on gender as part of the regular work at field level.
• Ensure the representation of Plan Ethiopia in their respective region from gender equality perspectives.

Safeguarding Children and Young People (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) � 5%

• Understand and put into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International�s Code of Conduct (CoC).
• Ensure that Plan International�s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in day to day work.
• Ensure that Plan Ethiopia contributes to Plan International�s global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that relevant reporting and data are submitted.

Leadership and BUSINESS management COMPETENCIES

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

• Set and communicate ambitious but realistic work goals and priorities, explaining how these contribute to Plan International's purpose.
• Set high standards for self and others' behavior, inside and outside work. Championing our values and commitment to rights, gender equality and safeguarding. Supporting the health, well-being and both physical and psychological safety of our staff, including their safety to speak out.
• Hold self and others to account for what we have agreed, dealing with poor performance quickly, firmly and constructively.
• Create a positive team spirit, helping people work well together, to reflect and continuously improve the efficiency and quality of what we do.
• Collaborate with team members, colleagues and partners in finding creative solutions to problems by sharing information, experience and ideas and actively seeking their input.
• Motivate and developing others by taking an interest, giving constructive feedback and praise, ensuring they are properly trained and helping them develop their potential.
• Accept change and support others in adjusting to it, helping them understand.
• Acts decisively and adapts plans quickly to respond to emerging situations and changing environments
• Helps others to recognize and manage stress by showing empathy, prioritizing workload and role modelling self-care in stressful situations
• Promotes and guarantees safety and security behaviors and procedures for self and the team.
• Avoids any negative impact of response � Do No Harm especially crucial in humanitarian settings
• Integrates response programs as far as possible into longer term strategies as expressed, for example, in relevant Country Strategy
• Prioritizes safety and security under pressure by monitoring security risks; committing resources to ensuring safety and security and ensuring organizational protocols are understood and consistently followed by staff
• Bases humanitarian response on communication and participation with the affected population
• Takes the time and patience to understand the concerns of other people and takes care of them as individuals.
• Supports coordination systems, working towards common priorities and developing common strategies with other humanitarian actors.
• Identifies and promotes the integration of individuals or groups that might be especially affected by the disaster or marginalized in the response.

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES

Understanding Plan International in Context

• Aware of the values and the global strategy and understands why Plan International�s purpose is so important in advancing children�s rights and equality for girls globally. Understands and applies the principles of safeguarding and protection of the vulnerable populations with which Plan International works.
• aware of the different structural and governing elements, including national organizations, global hub, regional hubs, country offices, liaison offices, members assembly, international board, and the leadership team. Are aware of Plan International�s main sources of funding and knows where to find company information.
• Are aware of the processes, institutions and organizations that shape the development and humanitarian context. Understands their local operating environment, demonstrating political, social and cultural awareness.
• Succinctly articulate the purpose, values, and global strategy to a range of audiences.
• Explain how Plan International will deliver on its objectives through the theory of change and communicates the implications for their team.
• Understands the purpose, lines of accountability and decision-making capacity for each structural element of the organization. Helps their team to understand where they sit within the organizational structure.
• Supports the team to understand the local operating environment and to consider the implications for work activities. Adjusts work activities and practices to reflect the political, financial, social and cultural context.

Risk management

• Applies the Code of Conduct principles to their work activities.
• Are aware of the global methods of assessing risk, the local control environment and the controls in place to mitigate risk. 
• Uses Plan Internationalis logo and brand appropriately.
• Are aware of how to minimize risk in each core standard.
• Participates in risk assessments, applies actions to their work activities and reports risks using the correct procedure.
• Child and Youth Safeguarding and Protection: Understands their safeguarding responsibilities in accordance with the global policy. Work actively to safeguard the rights of children and young people
• Gender, equality and inclusion: Understands and can identify the causes of gender discrimination, exclusion and inequality.
• Counter fraud: Works according to Plan International�s zero tolerance approach to fraud and corruption. Reports any suspicions of fraud to the Counter Fraud Unit.
• Safety and security: Apply all necessary measures to ensure they work safely and securely.
• Regularly undertakes and interprets risk assessments, assigns ownership of risks, and manage oversight.
• Manages risk in accordance to the local and global appetites and tolerances.
• Regularly communicates and discusses risk at department, project, and program level.
• Understand how to manage risk at a team level for each of Plan Internationalïs core standards:
• Regularly communicates and discusses risk at department, project, and program level.
• Consider the political, economic, social and cultural climate of the local operating environment and the implications for our work.

Managing activities and resources

• Contributes to strategic planning activities.
• Aligns team plans to the annual plan, avoiding duplication of work activities and setting appropriate budgets and objectives. 
• Incorporates digital and technological solutions into workforce plans to reduce complexity, solve problems and optimize working practices.
• Understands the procurement cycle and supply chain, including the importance of good procurement planning.
• Manages internal and external projects in accordance with the project management and MERL principles.
• Manages partner relationships effectively by: anticipating future need; appointing based on program and organizational needs; communicating Plan International�s core standards; undertaking assessments and reviews.
• Manages external programs according to Plan International�s financial management procedures, including: the grant agreement process, the cost recovery process, forecasting, cost allocation principles, apportioned costs and scheduling and monitoring of expenditure.
• Understands the planning procedures relevant to their role and contributes to annual planning where possible.
• Contributes to their individual accountability plan and understands how they contribute to the team and organizational plan.
• Plans his/her own work activities in line with the assigned budget
• Knows the resources required for their role. Manages their own workload, avoiding under or over committing to delivery activities.
• Works according to a budget and uses the relevant financial systems.
• Understands how information is used for reporting and decisions making.
• Aware of the programs that Plan International delivers directly and through partner organizations.
• Complies with financial procedures and controls relevant to their role.
• Seeks opportunities to reflect on and learn from all work, program and project activities.

Managing people and information

• Understand his/her responsibilities, level of decision making and how their role contributes to the wider team.
• Works in accordance to the policies and procedures relevant to their role and responsibilities.
• Creates channels of communication with other individuals and teams.
• Identifies with the Plan International logo and brand and understand what they represent.
• Apply the brand guidelines to all forms of written and verbal communication.
• Understands the importance of high-quality data and the implications of poor data. Understands what data Plan International needs to inform decision-making. Interprets a range of sources to inform evidence-based decisions relevant to their role.
• Identifies ways to use digital to improve the effectiveness of work activities. Understands how digital enablers can contribute to achieving Plan International�s purpose. Utilizes the digital tools available in line with privacy and safeguarding guidelines. 
• Identifies current and future personnel needs aligned to the workforce plan.
• Manages risk by reviewing capability and capacity against future requirements.
• Designs job roles in line with organizational need, considering the external labor market. Understands the current pay and grading system.
• Manages performance by providing clear objectives, access to developmental tools and opportunities for coaching and mentoring. 
• Adapt management style depending on the needs of the individual, team and operating environment.
• Disseminates departmental targets and objectives, making it clear about what needs to be achieved and why.
• Critically appraises and interrogates data to identify anomalies and patterns. Analyses and interprets a range of evidence to inform decision making and implement actions Translate the interpretation and implications of data into language that is accessible and relevant for staff. 

Job Requirements

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications:

• BA/BSc or MA/MSc University degree in Monitoring and Evaluation, Economics, Sociology, Development Studies, or any related Social Science fields.

Experience desirable:

• Minimum of 5 years of substantial experience in managing corporate systems for Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning under humanitarian-development nexus, refugee setting or development programs.
• In-depth knowledge and application of development MERL Framework, tracking outputs, defining and measuring of indicators, child protection need assessment, baseline studies and impact assessment reporting.
• Knowledge of current international development trends and thinking on program effectiveness, learning and in Child Rights programming.
• Grass-root development management experiences-understanding challenges and opportunities in the communities and field level realities of NGOs are desirable.
• Knowledge of humanitarian principles, Migration Policy, Refugee Law and its application.
• Strong skills in project planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
• Awareness of child protection issues and sensitivity to gender equality
• Skills of Statistical data analysis
• Excellent conceptual and strategic thinking skills
• Strong organizational and project management skills, and ability to deliver within tight deadlines
• Establishes strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures.

Languages required

• English and other national languages

How to Apply

The closing date for the application is May 09, 2021. Qualified candidates should submit their application with the link.

This position is only open to Ethiopian Nationals, who must be eligible to live and work in Ethiopia.

NB: Applications and CVs written in English will be accepted and note that we are not accepting CVs that are not sent through the indicated link. Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early.

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

More information about Plan International can be found here

References will be taken and background and anti-terrorism checks will be carried out in conformity with Plans Child Protection Policy. Plan operates an equal opportunities policy and actively encourages diversity, welcoming applications from all persons meeting the skills and experience required.

As an international child centered community development organization, Plan International is fully committed to promoting the realization of children's rights including their right to protection from violence and abuse. That means we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organization, do everything we can to keep children safe. We must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk. Female applicants are highly encouraged to apply.