Consortium MEAL Lead, FCDO Transforming Education in Ethiopia (TREE) 118 views

Background of the FCDO Transforming Education in Ethiopia Project:

In Ethiopia, many children are out of school or at risk of dropping out, in particular girls and other marginalised groups. Progress has been made in expanding education access for children across the country, however, since 2019 progress stalled due to conflict and instability, climate-induced shocks, and the impact of Covid-19 and wider macroeconomic challenges around inflation which exacerbated existing inequalities.

In response, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) aims to improve teaching quality and learning outcomes and increase access to education for girls and marginalised children through the ‘Transforming Education in Ethiopia’ project (2024-2028). The project will focus on three key components below:

• Teacher and school leader development:  Improved quality of teaching and learning with a focus on continuous teacher professional development in targeted schools.
• English Language Teaching and Learning: Selected schools provide better teaching and learning in English Language as a subject, and improved use of English across the curriculum.
• Equity, Inclusion and Girls’ Education: Improved access and retention of the most marginalised children, particularly girls.

Employment Type: Definite Period

About the role: This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the field of education in Ethiopia as a key member of a consortium that is putting together a compelling and innovative bid for the forthcoming five-year “Transforming Education Programme in Ethiopia (TREE)”. As MEAL Lead, you will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with frequent visits to specific regions to be covered by the programme and other locations as necessary.

You will report to the Consortium Team Leader. Regular day to day liaison and coordination will be with the Education Programme Coordinator and Concern Worldwide’s Technical Advisers, operations functions in Ethiopia and at head office. You will work closely with consortium members, the Core Programme Management Team, the Ministry of Education, the donor, and other key education stakeholders in Ethiopia.

Role Purpose:

The MEAL Lead will be responsible for developing and implementing the project’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Adaptation and Learning Strategy and monitoring plan in accordance with Concern & consortium, FCDO, and international best practices. The MEAL Lead will work closely with MEAL advisors and technical staff across the consortium to ensure that relevant data is collected, analysed, and used to inform management and design decisions and to provide project updates, as required.

Responsibilities:

• Design, manage, and implement a comprehensive MEAL system across all project components, integrating qualitative and quantitative methods from diverse data sources to monitor progress, assess impact, and support collaboration, implementation science, learning, and adaptation.
• Lead collection of periodic data reports and compilation of narrative reports, submitting them to the Team Lead, as necessary.
• Effectively communicate M&E findings to the Team Lead, programme staff and external stakeholders, including the FCDO, to facilitate informed decision-making.
• Develop and enforce procedures for the accurate collection and reporting of programme performance data to ensure data quality and timeliness.
• Evaluate and refine data collection procedures, conduct data quality assessments, and implement necessary adjustments.
• Conduct regular site visits to provide technical assistance and ensure effective monitoring of programme activities.
• Offer training, guidance, and consultation on interpreting and utilising performance benchmarks, indicators, and reports as needed.
• Oversee the planning and execution of baseline, midline, and endline surveys, and programme evaluations as well as the day-to-day management of the MEL system.
• Lead the programme’s learning agenda and support the integration of learning and evidence into practice.
• Contribute to the refinement of the programme strategy, including proposing necessary adjustments to the work plan.
• Promote and ensure adherence/compliance with Concern Worldwide’s Code of Conduct & Associated Policies (including Programme Participant Protection, Child & vulnerable adult Safeguarding, Anti-Trafficking policies), Conflict of Interest Policy, Anti-Fraud Policy, and Modern Slavery Transparency Statement.
• Promote and ensure accountability to programme participants and wider communities in line with Concern Worldwide’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and Do No Harm principles and ensure high ethical standards throughout programme implementation.

Emergency response

Concern is committed to responding to emergencies efficiently and effectively in order to help affected people meet their basic needs, alleviate suffering and maintain their dignity. To this end, when emergencies strike and the Ethiopia Programme is to respond, all staff are required to actively participate in the response, regardless of location and contribute to the efforts aimed at achieving the humanitarian objective of the organization.

Gender Equality

• Demonstrate understanding of Concern Ethiopia’s Gender Equality Strategy
• Contribute to ensuring that Concern Ethiopia is a place where men and women are treated equally and with  dignity and respect
• Demonstrate gender equality awareness and gender sensitivity and an ability to integrate a gender equality perspective into tasks and activities.

Accountability

In line with Concern’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS): 

• 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 Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) is functional and accessible, that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed; 
• Work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about CRM, safeguarding and expected staff behavior is disseminated among programme participants and communities.

Safeguarding

• Able to seek appropriate advice and report concerns, and feel confident that they have been understood.
• Understands local safeguarding structures and arrangements.
• Practice in a manner that seeks to reduce the risk of abuse, harm or neglect.
• Identifies and refers to appropriate services any other associated persons including carers, family members and children at risk.
• Able to document safeguarding concerns, and maintain appropriate record keeping, recording the wishes and views of the adult or child at risk, differentiating between fact and opinion.