MEL /CARM Assistant

General Position Summary

The MEL/CARM Assistant is responsible for implementing the monitoring, evaluation and CARM activities for Emergency Response Fund (ERF) to respond to Afghanistan Flood Response. The response will address the urgent basic needs of families affected by flooding in Kandahar. The MEL/CARM Assistant ensures that the project collects, analyzes, and reports high-quality data and evidence to measure progress, demonstrate impact and inform learning and decision-making. The MEL/CARM Assistant also supports the program or project team in developing and implementing adaptive management strategies based on the MEL findings and recommendations. 

In addition, the MEL/CARM Assistant will support the establishment and effective implementation of the Community Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM), ensuring that communities have safe, accessible, and trusted channels to provide feedback, complaints, and suggestions regarding project activities. facilitate the CARM Helpdesk during distributions, The Assistant will facilitate the collection, documentation, referral, and follow-up of community feedback in line with organizational accountability and safeguarding standards.

S/he will be based in Kandahar, reporting to the Country MEL Manager and the CARM / GESI Coordinator separately on the MEL and CARM aspects of the job respectively.

Essential Job Responsibilities

monitoring, evaluation, & learning (MEL)

• Coordinate with the relevant departments including finance, operations and program to ensure the effective oversight of MEL functions
• Take part in the development of relevant MEL tools and systems that are consistent with the MC MEL Policy.
• Conduct sites visit (more focused on construction monitoring) and capture strengths and weaknesses of program implementation using unified tools that will be developed jointly with MEL team
• Participate in data collection (i.e. beneficiary registration, verification as well as developing of monitoring tools, etc.).
• Provide support to the Country MEL Manager on developing reports for the program, especially reports intended for internal and/or external circulation.
• Support the data analysis of surveys, in line with the directions of the Country MEL Manager (when required).
• Contribute to preparing and maintaining MEL related documentation to adhere to Mercy Corps' Program Management Minimum Standards as per the PM@MC methodology
• Support facilitation of learning and feedback mechanisms in response to findings of project monitoring, in coordination with the program teams.
• Translate different MEL tools such as survey questionnaires, indicator plan etc. to the local languages, as and when required.
• Assist in regular data entry into the MEL databases and donor required database, if required.
• Establish cordial, professional relations with team members and beneficiaries, ensuring Mercy Corps’ ability to work with transparency, accountability and good will.
• Provide technical assistance to program staff in order to maximize use of the MEL data collection tools.
• Develop capacity building and facilitation series to support casual and/or program teams to better monitor and evaluate their program components, and to make better use of program information.
• Support efforts towards accountability, specifically to MC beneficiaries and donors.
• Apply Do No Harm standards in the monitoring process to ensure activities do not have detrimental effects on vulnerable communities.
• Other assigned tasks, as necessary.

 

COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY RESPONSE MECHANISM (CARM)

• Lead the implementation of CARM for projects, ensuring accountability to target communities.
• Develop tools to support the project team in maintaining accountability standards.
• Oversee the CARM hotline for feedback from targeted communities regarding project interventions.
• Update the CARM plan and tools according to donor requirements and humanitarian principles.
• Ensure their program has at least three active, context-appropriate feedback channels informed by community preferences and by following proper procedures.
• Collect all feedback received via different available feedback channels, like hotline number, face-face (help desk) and suggestion boxes in intervention sites of targeted locations
• Facilitate and establish CARM helpdesk during distribution process in targeted locations.
• Ensure closure of all feedback cases by following up closely with relevant team member(s).
• Assisting the CARM / GESI Coordinator in analyzing trends and preparing monthly/bi-monthly reports.
• Contact informants who provided non-anonymous feedback to inform them about case resolution and collect data on overall satisfaction.
• Support the CARM / GESI Coordinator in tasks related to community engagement, sensitization, and distributing IEC materials across all intervention sites.
• Comply with and ensure compliance with global data protection and privacy standards such as confidentially receiving, following up on, and reporting on CARM feedback received.