Trócaire works in partnership with local organisations in developing countries, and with people in Ireland, to tackle the root causes of poverty and injustice. Together, we create positive and lasting change.
Trócaire works in up to 20 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
We have 5 Goals: Defend Human Rights; Achieve Climate & Environmental Justice; Ensure Women & Girls’ Protection, Voice & Influence; and Mobilise the Public on the island of Ireland to achieve Global Justice.
Our work is rooted in Catholic Social Teaching and in our values of Solidarity, Courage, Participation, Perseverance and Accountability.
This post is situated within the Programme Impact and Learning (PIL) Team in Trócaire. PIL works with country teams and HQ teams to:
• Strengthen Programme Cycle Management (PCM) and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) practices within projects and grants in Ireland and Internationally.
• Support increased accountability to communities within projects and grants, with a particular focus on strengthening community participation and ownership at every stage of the programme cycle.
• Leverage the responsible use of technology to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Trócaire programmes.
The Digital MEAL Advisor is a global role to support country offices to make better use of technology to collect, analyse and act on MEAL data. The Advisor needs to be able to independently play a leading role in enabling Trócaire to leverage technology to improve the quality and efficiency of its MEAL systems and processes and support the adoption of new technology in Trócaire’s programmes.
The post holder will support the full digital life cycle – from the initial decision-making on digital set up, responsible data management, training and accompaniment of staff, survey design, data analysis and data management. The Advisor will work with Global and country-based MEAL and Programme Advisors to improve MEAL practices and the use of data-driven processes through the programme lifecycle.
While the Advisor will be based and managed in the Programme Impact and Learning (PIL) team and will work closely with the Digital Data in Programmes Advisor, the Global MEAL Advisors, she/he will also work cross-organisationally in particular with the IT and Enterprise Systems Development team, the Humanitarian and Programmes team as well as the ICT in Programmes Steering Committee.
Collaboration with HQ and country-based colleagues and with partners, both remotely and through field visits, is key to the success of this role.
For the candidate with the required experience and passion for the role, Trócaire offers a competitive package of salary and benefits.
Reporting to Head of Programme Impact and Learning, this is a Fixed Term Contact for three years and will be based either in Ireland or in Nairobi, Kenya with frequent travel to other country programmes and to Maynooth .
Safeguarding Programme Participants-Children & Adults Trócaire is committed to safeguarding people within our programmes from exploitation and abuse and has specific policies on this commitment (including a Global Code of Conduct) which outlines the expected behaviour and the responsibility of all staff, consultants, and other organisational representatives.
Any candidate offered a job with Trócaire will be expected to sign Trócaire’s Safeguarding Policies and Global Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents. All offers of employment will be subject to pre-employment checks including satisfactory references and appropriate screening (e.g. police/garda vetting, counter terrorism and anti-trafficking). Trócaire also participates in the InterAgency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and all employees will be subject to this as part of contract of employment.
Key Duties & Responsibilities
1. Promote robust data collection and analysis skills
The Digital MEAL Advisor will work with country teams to ensure they have strong data collection and analysis practices in place before they engage with technology. The post holder will be expected to independently design data collection (primarily surveys) and analysis guidance and training material, review and support the work of country colleagues and deliver high quality training and remote support to country colleagues and partners on survey design, data collection and data analysis practices. As this is an Advisor role, the post holder will need to be able to decide when to advise country offices on an issue and when more hands-on support will be needed.
Particular focus will be on:
• Ensuring country colleagues design high quality surveys
• Ensuring country colleagues undertake good data collection practices
• Supporting country colleagues on data interpretation and data analysis processes
• Supporting country teams on data protection and ethical use of data in MEAL activities
2. Support the use of digital technology to facilitate MEAL activities
The post holder will be responsible for leading the scale up and adoption of CommCare, Trócaire’s preferred data collection, across our country offices. This involves building relationships with relevant stakeholders in country offices and tailoring support to country colleagues. Key tasks include:
• Providing tailored support to country colleagues on how to translate high quality surveys into a digital survey on CommCare
• Providing support to country colleagues and Trócaire partners on the use of CommCare (and the use of Kobo in certain circumstances) for MEAL data collection
• Establishing processes to gather periodic feedback, monitor usage, track support requests and close out of projects in CommCare
• Documenting case studies on the use of CommCare for data collection, highlighting lessons learned
• Managing Trócaire’s global administration of CommCare, this includes managing project spaces, managing users and building check in points with country offices.
Along with the scale up of CommCare, the post holder will be responsible for supporting country colleagues with other digital solutions related to MEAL activities including:
• Advising country colleagues and partners on appropriate data analysis platforms and techniques for data analysis
• Supporting country teams to use appropriate technology to facilitate the uptake of community-friendly Feedback and Complaint Handling Mechanisms
• Working closely with IT and country offices to identify hardware/device needs and conducting an annual device inventory
3. Digital in Programmes
• Supporting the Digital in Programmes Advisor to implement coordinated learning pilots for emerging and innovative use of technology in our work
• Supporting the development of practical ICT approaches to Trócaire’s rights-based approach to programming
• Developing processes to manage the adoption of new technology and solutions within country offices
• Providing advice and support for funding applications and proposals as required on areas of innovation and technology for MEAL and programme impact.
4. Collaboration, Teamwork and Networking
• Working collaboratively with colleagues within the Programme Impact & Learning team to deliver on team objectives, including supporting the Global MEAL Advisors to test and roll out global MEAL resources
• Providing MEAL surge support to country teams when needed, as agreed with Head of PIL
• Inducting new staff into the function of the PIL team and Trócaire’s approaches in use of technology for programme quality, PCM and MEAL.
• Working closely with colleagues across the organisation to progress common agendas linked to digital, technology, programme quality and MEAL.
• Engaging in organisational and divisional initiatives which promote collaboration and positive working practices, e.g., divisional planning days.
• As required, representing Trócaire externally on strategic issues e.g., to donors, within civil society networks, at conferences, and in inter-organisational working groups – NetHope, ICT4D Conference, MERL Tech, Dóchas (Ireland), Bond (UK), CIDSE (EU).
Behavioural Competencies in Line with Trócaire’s Competency Framework
• Leading: Reflecting our values of Participation & Accountability, acts to inspire and lead others to achieve their potential, demonstrating Trócaire’s values with integrity in order to achieve our organisation’s objectives.
• Communicating: Reflecting our value of Participation, being one organisation, communicating clearly and transparently across, teams, units, divisions, locations and other external organisations. Getting our message across with impact.
• Collaborating: Reflecting our values of Participation & Solidarity, partnering effectively as One Trócaire organisation and, in solidarity, maintains positive relationships built on trust and respect.
• Stewardship of Resources: Reflecting our value of Accountability and decision-making around the best use of resources. Using our resources transparently, sustainably, ethically, fairly & with integrity; acknowledging Trócaire’s reputation in the use of resources.
• Delivering Results: Reflecting our values of Accountability & Perseverance, getting a quality job done through effective performance, planning and decision making.
• Continual Improvement & Learning: Reflecting our values of Participation & Courage, constantly looking to learn and develop self, employees, and partners to better fulfil Trócaire’s’ mission.
• Flexibility & Change: Reflecting our values of Participation & Courage, adapts positively to change and to different ways of doing things; manages or takes part in change processes in a way that is appropriate to role in the organisation.
Person Specification – Essential Requirements
Qualification
Degree in a relevant area
Experience
The successful candidate for this role must be a MEAL expert and must be a strong trainer/facilitator with a proven track record of helping to build the MEAL capacity of others.
The essential requirements for the role include:
• At least five years’ experience in a MEAL role with a minimum of two years in a MEAL Advisory role.
• At least three years’ experience working in an international NGO environment in areas such as MEAL or project/programme design and implementation
• Experience in leading digital/technology/ICT4D initiatives for data collection and data analysis.
• Experience in training other colleagues/partners on digital MEAL solutions
• Experience with mobile data collection software, preferably CommCare or a similar software.
• Experience of implementing results-focused monitoring, evaluation and learning systems and key MEAL activities, e.g., baselines, reviews, evaluations etc.
• Experience in designing data collection activities and assisting colleagues to design data collection activities – selecting indicators, designing questionnaires, setting up sampling frames (random and non-random samples).
• Experience in providing guidance and often direct bilateral support to colleagues in relevant activities, such as data collection, data analysis, data synthesis, report writing.
• Experience developing and/or leading user trainings on digital technologies; communicating complex ideas in a simple way to users having various levels of digital literacy.
Skills
As this role has a strong focus on capacity strengthening you must have very strong communication, training, IT and interpersonal skills.
Essential skills include:
• A thorough understanding of programme cycle management and results-based management in the development and humanitarian sectors.
• A strong understanding of best practice in the field of planning, monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment.
• Excellent training and facilitation skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills.
• Excellent IT skills including expertise in Excel
• Excellent English written, verbal, and communication skills.
• Excellent data presentation and report writing skills.
Qualities
• Ability to build credibility, work with, and influence a variety of colleagues in the development and implementation of systems and processes.
• An understanding of and empathy with the ethos and values of Trócaire as a Church agency.
Other
• Ability and willingness to travel to Trócaire programmes on a regular basis (approx. 4 trips per year of two weeks duration)
Person Specification – Desirable
Qualification
• A research-focused post-graduate qualification, preferably in an international development or technology related discipline.
• Train the trainer or related certification.
Experience
• Experience with data visualisation software such as PowerBI, Tableau or similar
• Experience of working with M&E Frameworks/Results Frameworks/ Logical Frameworks across different donors.
• Experience of working with partnership agencies in an overseas development context.
Skills
• Knowledge of French and/or Spanish desirable
Closing Date for applications is 7th September 2022
Please apply online via the Trocaire Website: https://apply.workable.com/trocaire/j/AC6DC21E33/