CRS began direct operations in Afghanistan in early 2002. CRS maintains five main offices throughout the country: Kabul, Herat, Ghor, Daykundi and Bamiyan, with sub-offices in all these provinces. The CRS strategic plan for Afghanistan focuses on poverty and risk reduction, resilience, human development, and emergency response. 

Brief on CRS Programs at Bamiyan. 

 CRS carries out development and emergency relief efforts in Bamiyan province with a focus on rural livelihoods and education through diverse programs including community-based education (CBE), accelerated learning programs (ALP), natural resource management, increased agricultural production and agro-enterprise development. CRS emphasizes women’s empowerment and strengthening the resilience of vulnerable households through a strategic framework called integral human development. 

CRS is seeking a qualified Field Officer- Monitoring Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL), to be responsible for verifying and managing and analyzing data and information used to monitor the progress towards pre-determined indicators of a complex 16-month project, Fostering Resilience in Afghanistan through Multi-sector Emergency Support II (FRAMES II). FRAMES II will help households meet immediate needs following the multi-year drought through food security interventions and water source rehabilitation.  Additionally, the project will focus on building the capacity and long-term livelihood resilience of participants through training events on simple, low-cost, low-risk, agriculture practices that are proven to yield quick and positive results in a single growing season.  Lastly, the early recovery response features hygiene promotion and sanitation components that emphasize behavior change related to water treatment and storage, as well as household hygiene practices. The WASH response will support communities through participatory approaches to implement small and community-driven infrastructure projects that rehabilitate water sources and facilitate access to safe drinking water. In coordination with the entire program team and with oversight of the MEAL Project Officer (SPO), the MEAL Officer will also contribute to the design and implementation of M&E systems, the collection analysis, interpretation and facilitation of learning events, and the development of reports for sharing project achievements with various stakeholders. The MEAL Assistant will monitor all activities and contribute to the feedback complaint report mechanism.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• Prepare timely and accurate reports based on M&E findings, presenting evidence-based recommendations for project improvement and decision-making to stakeholders, including project team members. 
• Facilitate a culture of learning within the project team and with project participants. Use M&E data to promote adaptive management, enabling the project to respond effectively to emerging needs and opportunities. 
• Establish and manage feedback channels for project participants and stakeholders to voice their concerns, input, and receive responses. Ensure that accountability to project beneficiaries is maintained throughout the project cycle. 
• Import the relevant project data into Power BI from various sources such as Excel, databases, or cloud services.
• Data Visualization, utilize Power BI's visualization tools to create interactive and visually compelling reports and dashboards that provide clear insights into the project's performance and impact
• Provide training and support to project staff on MEAL methodologies and tools to ensure understanding and adherence to M&E practices. 
• Work closely with project management, technical teams, and relevant stakeholders to ensure alignment of MEAL activities with project objectives and to integrate monitoring and evaluation into project planning and implementation. 
• Capture and input quality data via paper-based and electronic media and oversee the quality of data collection, analysis, and reporting processes, ensuring that data integrity is maintained and that ethical considerations are adhered to throughout the M&E activities.
• Capture and disseminate best practices, lessons learned, and success stories from the project to inform future programming and contribute to sector-wide learning.
• Contribute field-based perspectives to project learning based on observations and interactions with community members and other actors. 
• Support dialogue with community members and other actors regarding ongoing project interventions and results 
• Coordinate with SPO to plan and conduct learning events. 
• Data entry and verify entered data by reviewing, correcting, or reentering as needed. 
• Back up data daily or weekly as directed by the supervisor. 
• Work with CRS’ IT team and MEAL SPO to troubleshoot database issues.
• Maintain data confidentiality.
• Conduct daily monitoring of field visits and ensure activities progress in alignment with the initial plan.
• Take an active role in data collection, observation, and activity verification for the project when requested.
• Ensure that the livelihood project is implemented effectively, its impact is thoroughly assessed, and lessons learned are used to improve project performance and benefit project participants. Other duties as assigned by the supervisor.  

• Afghan national with a high school diploma, bachelor’s degree a plus
• 1-2 years of working experience in the M&E field, with a non-governmental organization (I/NGO) preferred.

Required Languages – - Fluent Dari and English reading, writing, and verbal skills. Pashto speaking and writing a plus. 

Travel - willingness to travel to remote communities at least 4 days a week. 

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Providing training and guidance to the MEAL Assistant to ensure they have the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their role effectively
• Clearly communicating job responsibilities, performance expectations, and deliverables to the MEAL Assistant and providing regular feedback on their performance.
• Reviewing the work of the MEAL Assistant to ensure that data collection, analysis, and reporting are accurate, timely, and aligned with CRS standards.
• Assisting the MEAL Assistant in addressing challenges or obstacles encountered in their work and providing guidance on how to overcome them. 
• Conducting regular performance evaluations, setting goals, and identifying opportunities for the MEAL Assistant's professional development. 

Key Working Relationships:  

Internal: Project Manager, MEAL Senior Project Officer, Senior Project Officer, MEAL Assistant, Field Assistants, Technical Advisors (TAs), Bamiyan Head of Office (HoO), and other CRS support/operations staff. 

 External: Project Participants, Community Leaders and other Community Members, Government Agencies, and other NGOs    

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 

• Good relationship management skills with the ability to work collaboratively as part of multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.  
• Excellent analytical skills. 
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent computer skills in Excel and Word.
• Must be able to work in a team environment, good interpersonal skills. 
• Ability to work pro-actively with little supervision. 
• Ability and willingness to travel to districts and target villages.
• Experience working with rural communities, especially in engaging communities in identifying issues and problem-solving. 

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)  

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.  

• Integrity  
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation 

• Builds Relationships  
• Develops Talent 
• Strategic Mindset 
• Accountability & Stewardship 

Protection Acknowledgment: CRS prohibits all forms of abuse and exploitation towards children and vulnerable adults. As a professional candidate, you commit to adhering to the Agency’s policy on protection, rights and dignity of children and vulnerable adults and to safeguard them from abuse and exploitation as defined in CRS’ Safeguarding Policy. 

We welcome as a part of our staff people who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.  

Disclaimer:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

Protection Policy:

I understand the Agency’s commitment to protect the rights and dignity of children and vulnerable adults and to safeguard them from abuse and exploitation as defined in CRS’ Protection Policy.

 CRS' talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation. 

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Applications comprise a one-page cover letter to explain your interest and suitability for the post and your CV. Please do not attach your education documents and work certificates unless requested.

Dear Applicants!

The process of submitting a CV/Application has been changed to the online system. Therefore, interested candidates are encouraged to apply using the link provided below. Applications sent to any other email address or location will not be considered. Please ensure to rename your application file according to your name entered on the first page of the application forms.

Interested candidates can submit their applications by clicking on this link.

Please note that applications received after the closing date (i.e., February 12^th, 2024), will not be given consideration. Only short-listed candidates whose applications respond to the above criteria will be contacted for tests and interviews.