Senior Project Officer – Routine Monitoring System

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. For nearly 60 years, CRS has taken the lead in responding to natural and man-made disasters affecting Ethiopia's most vulnerable communities. Moving beyond emergency response, CRS' disaster mitigation and recovery projects in drought and flood-prone areas have rebuilt individual and community assets through non-food aid in the form of agriculture, livestock, health, nutrition, and water and sanitation assistance. CRS's humanitarian work in Ethiopia also provides livelihoods support to farmers and entrepreneurs and promotes equality and inclusion. 

Background: The Joint Emergency Operation (JEOP) is a BHA/USAID funded emergency food assistance program that targets transitory or acute food insecure households through Vulnerability Based Targeting (VBT) processes led by JEOP consortium and accepted also by the government of Ethiopia Disaster Risk Management Commission (DRMC). Led by Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the JEOP consortium includes CARE Ethiopia, FH Ethiopia, ORDA Ethiopia, GOAL Ethiopia, Relief Society of Tigray (REST), and World Vision (WV). CRS implements through Church partners, Hararghe Catholic Secretariat (HCS) and Meki Catholic Secretariat (MCS). JEOP is implemented in Amhara, Oromia, Southern Ethiopia, Tigray regions and Dire Dawa administration. 

Position: Senior Project Officer – Routine Monitoring System

Job Grade: 8

Duty Station: CRS Ethiopia/Addis Ababa

Required number: 1

Employment term: Definite term (i.e. up to June 30, 2027)

Application deadline: August 29, 2024

Job Summary: 

As part of the JEOP MEAL team you will facilitate the achievement of JEOP objectives through implementation of effective routine monitoring systems and providing technical guidance and advice to staff and implementing partner(s) advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work serving the poor and vulnerable. You will ensure established routine monitoring systems that are placed to track performance and program quality are functional. You will support CRS and partner staff on collection and analysis of monitoring data and lead data quality assurance processes at all levels. You will also build capacity of partner staff to report quality data. 

Job Responsibilities:

• Lead field level implementation of routine monitoring data collection, data entry and analysis initiatives as outlined in the Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP), in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices.
• Ensure all consortium partners use standardized, approved MEAL tools, checklists, questionnaires, and formats to collect routine monitoring data for reporting 
• Support partners in reviewing program data from periodic reports and coordinate to resolve inconsistencies. 
• Collaborate with the JEOP ICT4D team in designing and implementing ICT solutions for monitoring and reporting 
• 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 data management experiences. Analyze routine monitoring and reporting system implementation challenges and report any inconsistencies and/or gaps to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules. 
• Coordinate and oversee 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.
• Supervise and perform ad-hoc inspections of various data management 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 activities through periodic budget reviews and follow-up with and assistance to implementing partner.
• Support and coordinate capacity building and technical support activities to ensure designed data management processes are implemented per standards.
• Organize data quality assessment and cross learning events for CRS and partners MEAL staff. Ensure recommended actions from these events to improve data management process are progressing and bring improved results.
• Ensure project documentation for assigned 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.

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Experience

• BA/MA required. Degree in Economics, statistics, development studies, social studies or related field.
• Minimum of five years of work experience for BA and three years for MA in project support, ideally in the field of monitoring, evaluation and reporting and for an NGO.
• Experience working with partners, participatory action planning and community engagement.
• Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data.
• Experience in developing high quality performance and research reports.
• Proficient in in at least one data analysis software including SPSS, STATA, or R Studio.
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, experience in virtual communication platforms (Microsoft Teams, skype, Zoom) experience in CommCare or any other electronic data collection systems is strongly desired

Personal Skills 

• Analysis and problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment
• Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners
• Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented
• Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities

Required/Desired Foreign Language: English 

Travel Required: 50% by road and air across Amhara, Oromia, Southern Ethiopia, Tigray and Dire Dawa City Administration (subject to need and flexible to family commitments) 

Key Working Relationships: 

• Supervisory: Not Applicable
• Internal: Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party (DCoP) Programming, DCoP operations, MEAL-ICT4D team, JEOP sectoral teams
• External:  Consortium partners MEAL leads and JEOP managers, consultants and CRS or partners hired data collectors.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):  

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.  

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity - Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission.  Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust - Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.
• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance. 

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance. 
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Experience

• BA/MA required. Degree in Economics, statistics, development studies, social studies or related field.
• Minimum of five years of work experience for BA and three years for MA in project support, ideally in the field of monitoring, evaluation and reporting and for an NGO.
• Experience working with partners, participatory action planning and community engagement.
• Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data.
• Experience in developing high quality performance and research reports.
• Proficient in in at least one data analysis software including SPSS, STATA, or R Studio.
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, experience in virtual communication platforms (Microsoft Teams, skype, Zoom) experience in CommCare or any other electronic data collection systems is strongly desired

Personal Skills 

• Analysis and problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment
• Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners
• Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented
• Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities

Required/Desired Foreign Language: English 

Travel Required: 50% by road and air across Amhara, Oromia, Southern Ethiopia, Tigray and Dire Dawa City Administration (subject to need and flexible to family commitments) 

Key Working Relationships: 

• Supervisory: Not Applicable
• Internal: Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party (DCoP) Programming, DCoP operations, MEAL-ICT4D team, JEOP sectoral teams
• External:  Consortium partners MEAL leads and JEOP managers, consultants and CRS or partners hired data collectors.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):  

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.  

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity - Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission.  Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust - Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.
• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance. 

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance. 
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

How To Apply

If you are ready to take on this rewarding opportunity and make a difference in the lives of others, you may fill out the application form through this link:https://form.jotform.com/242321707108549and attach your up-to-date CV on/before the application deadline of August 29, 2024. You will be contacted only if selected for a written exam/interview. Phone solicitations will not be accepted. These job opportunities are open to Ethiopian nationals only