Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator

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JD Unique ID: 80352
Job title: Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator
Company: Self Help Africa
Location: Kano
Contract type: Fixed term contract, full-time (local recruitment)
Period: 21 months, subject to donor contract
Remuneration: ₦9.8m to ₦13.3m annual gross
Reports to: Programme Manager/Team Lead

About Self Help Africa

Established in 1984, Self Help Africa is an international development organisation that works through agriculture and agri-enterprise development to address hunger, poverty, social inequality and the impacts of climate change. We believe that equitable economic development is key to lifting communities out of long-term poverty, empowering them to take control of their futures and improving their quality of life. 

In early 2023 we launched a new five-year organisation strategy, which defines shared mission as the alleviation of hunger, poverty, social inequality and the impact of climate change through community-led, market-based and enterprise- focused approaches, so that people can have access to nutritious food, clean water, decent employment and incomes, while sustaining natural resources.

Our wider organisation also includes social enterprise subsidiaries Partner Africa, which provides ethical auditing and consultancy services, and CUMO, Malawi’s largest micro-finance provider.

Our three core values are:

  • Impact: We are accountable, ambitious and committed to systemic change.
  • Innovation: We are agile, creative and enterprising in an ever-changing World.
  • Community: We are inclusive, honest and have integrity in our relationships.

Project description

SHA is partnering with the World Food Programme to implement the Strengthening Food Systems project to Promote Increased Value Chain Employment Opportunities for the Youth in Kano State. The project aims to strengthen food systems that promote increased value chain employment opportunities for the youth; sustaining and improving on-farm and off-farm job opportunities for 50,000 young women and young men engaged in the different nodes of sorghum, millet, soya bean, groundnut, and horticulture value chains. The project will focus on capacity building interventions for existing enterprises, using this as an avenue to create employment opportunities for youth and women in Kano State.

Job purpose

SHA is looking for a dynamic individual to fill the role of a Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator. The MEAL Coordinator will manage the MEAL component of the project and bring significant experience to lead on MEAL system implementation, review and evaluations, as well as support to proposal writing and log frame development.

Key Responsibilities

System Design and Promoting MEAL

  • Lead the development and adopt M&E tools for measuring and reporting against progress and impact indicators.
  • Promote all aspects of MEAL to support the creation of a project culture which prioritizes quality programming.
  • Build strong relationships with colleagues and provide support as required to ensure MEAL system is understood and supported at field level.
  • Work closely with the programme teams to ensure that MEAL becomes an integral element of project implementation leading to enhanced quality, accountability, management and impact.

Monitoring Evaluation System Implementation, Data Management and Reporting

  • Lead the development of tools, track project results and manage field enumerators, partners, resources, and interface with external stakeholders to achieve the project’s targets, and objectives on time, within scope and budget in compliance with donor requirements.
  • Identify community-derived impact indicators and assessment tools using participatory methods.
  • Update Youth in Work log-frame and results against programme indicators with more detailed input provided towards preparing reports.
  • Conduct participatory data gathering and analysis focus groups with various stakeholders involved in the project.
  • Jointly define assessments strategies with community partners and other project staff.
  • Visit project sites for monitoring and quality assurance of youth in work activities.
  • Monitoring and data checks on project activities.
  • Work collaboratively with other programmes to strengthen integration and cross-learning in the country programme and with WFP.
  • Analyse data to generate weekly and monthly reports for internal and external stakeholders while maintaining up-to-date and accurate project databases.
  • Provide timely feedback to the project team to inform implementation adjustments.
  • Report output indicators monthly on SUDACOM.
  • Represent the project to community partners and stakeholders.

Complaints Response and Feedback Mechanism (CRM):

  • Facilitate setting up relevant contextualized feedback and complaints infrastructures, mechanisms, and approaches to receive feedback and complaints from participants on the project.
  • Collect and manage complaints and feedback in close coordination with Programme team. Track timeliness of response to complaints and maintain an updated Programme complaints tracker.

Promoting Learning for Strategy Development and Decision Making

  • Ensure that data brought together and findings from across thematic and operational regions to form a coherent basis for analysis of impact which promotes learning and strategy development for the whole organisation.
  • Lead on monitoring and improving the synergy and integration of thematic programmes to enhance delivery of outstanding results for the targeted communities.
  • Provide regular updates reports as per guidance of the Programme Manager, summarizing the progress made in project implementation, lessons learned, recommendations for improvement, and case studies.
  • Participate in regular meetings with key stakeholders at the community/civil society/Local Government level, ensuring a common understanding of the project’s objectives and outcomes.
  • Facilitate periodic reflection sessions to evaluate project progress and challenges while documenting and share lessons learned and best practices to improve project delivery.
  • Providing strategic direction for the project’s MEAL plan and strategies, while working closely with the in-country MEAL team.
  • Contribute to strategy reviews and the design of future projects.

Team management and Safeguarding:

  • Supervise and provide guidance to MEAL team including Field Facilitators, implement performance planning and tracking for team members.
  • Maintain periodic/schedule coordination and project progress review meeting with the team members.
  • Ensure Safeguarding at all levels of project implementation.
  • Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
  • Any other Duties as assigned by the Programme Manager

Transparency, Compliance and safeguarding

  • Employ the highest standards of openness, transparency and accountability to ensure good financial management in line with SHA’s zero-tolerance approach to fraud, bribery and corruption.
  • Demonstrate commitment to safeguarding, protection, gender mainstreaming and inclusion of vulnerable population including people with disabilities.
  • Provide support to establish feedback, complaints and response mechanism across communities of implementation to ensure programmatic and operational decisions are informed by local perspectives and priorities and contribute to the protection of program participants at the LGA level.

Accountability 

In line with Self Help Africa’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS), the job holder will: 

  • actively promote meaningful community participation and consultation at all stages of the project cycle (planning, implementation, M&E).
  • work with relevant colleagues to ensure that the Community Feedback and Response Mechanism (CFRM) is functional and accessible, that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed.
  • work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about CFRM, safeguarding and expected staff behaviour is disseminated among programme participants and communities.

Key relationships

Internal: Programme, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning, Finance & Admin, Procurement, HR & Admin, Security and Communications teams.

External: Enumerators, World Food Programme, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, State Government, development partners, Business Development Service Providers and professional networks.

Knowledge, Experience and Other Requirements

Education and experience:

  • University degree in Statistics or related field.
  •  High level of computer literacy with a solid command of Microsoft Office suite.
  • Recommended a minimum of six (6) years MEAL experience in development contexts, preferably with solid experience in the agriculture/entrepreneurship sector. 
  • Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching.
  • Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
  • Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mindsets.
  • Experience of solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward and ensuring buy in.
  • Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner.

Skills:

  • Project management and implementation
  • Excellent leadership and coordination skills (ability to prioritise and manage several tasks)
  • Proficiency in the use of data management tools like MS Access, SPSS, R and STATA.
  • Effective communication, problem solving and decision-making skills and diplomacy in communication
  • Respect for cultural diversity and gender sensitivity
  • Team leadership and mentoring
  • Monitoring, evaluation and learning
  • Communication, networking, facilitation and mobilisation.
  • Organisational development
  • Reporting and documentation

Desirable

  • Gender and intercultural sensitivity
  • Positive outlook and team spirit
  • Adaptable and responsive disposition relative to the demands of the Project
  • Ability and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming teams, in the event of emergencies.

Language Requirements: Excellent written and oral proficiency in English and Hausa language is required.

Application Procedure:  

Fill and send the attached Self Help Africa application form and also send your cover letter and CV in a single document (of not more than 6 pages) to this link.

Job description is available for download here.

The deadline for this application is 15th August 2025. You are advised to apply early, as applications will be treated on roll-in basis. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

All candidates offered a job with Self Help Africa will be expected to sign our Safeguarding Policies and Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.  Specific roles may require Police/DBS/ [relevant police authority] vetting.

Self Help Africa strives to be an equal opportunities employer