Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Specialist
Organizational Context
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supports the Government of Angola in achieving sustainable agricultural transformation, food security, nutrition, climate resilience, natural resource management, and rural development. FAO Angola manages a diverse programme portfolio funded by various international donors, contributing to national development plans and global agendas like Agenda 2030. The growing complexity of these programmes necessitates robust monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) systems to ensure evidence-based decision-making, effective implementation, and accountability to beneficiaries and partners.
Job Purpose
The Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Specialist will be instrumental in generating and disseminating high-quality evidence regarding the results achieved by assigned projects. This role is crucial for supporting adaptive programming strategies, ensuring accountability to stakeholders, and fostering a culture of continuous learning within the FAO Angola office. The specialist will contribute to the overall effectiveness and impact of FAO's interventions by providing reliable data and insights that inform project adjustments and strategic planning.
Responsibilities
The MEAL Specialist will support project planning by integrating MEAL requirements from the design phase, developing project results chains, log frames, and theories of change. They will ensure alignment of project indicators with national and corporate frameworks, and develop project MEAL plans and budgets. Responsibilities include creating reference materials, maintaining monitoring databases, and training stakeholders on data collection and reporting. The specialist will collect and analyze performance data, support progress and final reporting with quality-assured M&E data, and design surveys and assessments. They will produce knowledge products, organize learning events based on findings, and escalate performance issues. Disseminating lessons learned for adaptive learning and providing support for project evaluations and the effective use of MEAL tools are also key duties.
Work Experience
A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in monitoring and evaluation is necessary, preferably within an international development organization such as FAO or another UN agency. Experience in the specified fields is essential for this role.
Skills
Essential skills include a strong results focus, teamwork, effective communication, and relationship-building. Proficiency in knowledge sharing and continuous improvement is also vital. Demonstrated experience in agriculture, food systems, climate resilience, or rural development programmes is required. Experience in Angola or Southern Africa is highly desirable.