The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 50 countries and more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Job Overview:

The MEAL Assistant is part of the MEAL department and will work closely with the field-based MEAL Officer/Manger and CRA Officer based in Addis Ababa. The MEAL Assistant will be responsible for ensuring the implementation of robust client feedback channels at their respective locations. These may include design and administration of surveys, focus group discussions, proactive and reactive feedback mechanisms. The MEAL Assistant will be responsible for aggregating client feedback, identifying key themes and challenges or opportunities to respond to, and presenting these to the management team for a decision on how to respond. The MEAL Assistant will also be responsible for recording and monitoring feedback, and for ensuring that the loop is closed, clients are informed of decisions taken

Major Responsibilities:

 Feedback Planning and Implementation:

• Collect client feedback through various channels that IRC installs including community meetings, surveys, discussions, phone lines, suggestion boxes, SMS among others.
• Regularly update the excel based Feedback Registry on every day basis and raise cases including breach of IRC code of conduct, allegations of child abuse or sexual exploitation and other major programmatic complaints.
• Receive, record, and classify complaints for attention by the MEAL Officer and refer to the respective sectors.
• Collect response from the program staff on the feedback and communicate back to client.
• Facilitate the preparation of CRA logistics before field visits e.g. paper based data collection tools, promotional materials etc.
• Ensure accurate and confidential filing of CRA reporting forms such as client feedback form, Feedback Registry, surveys, interview, minutes from community meetings, reports, datasets among others.
• Generate reports on the implementation and use of feedback channels, per sector, including limitations and challenges.
• Facilitate the establishment of feasible feedback channel and routine follow-up for its functionality.

 Feedback Monitoring, Reporting, and Response:

• Aggregate and dis-aggregate client feedback (according to gender, age, status, sector, risk-level and other client appropriate dis-aggregation).
• Present statistics on feedback received and feedback content in clear formats to highlight feedback trends to the program team, as well as synthesize qualitative feedback in ways which provide the detail that the program team will need to design an appropriate response.
• Analyze key themes, challenges, and opportunities for program improvement.

 Project/program progress Monitoring &Reporting:

• Provide support to the MEAL Officer/Manager to conduct ongoing monitoring and evaluation activities.
• Assist program implementation progress data aggregate and dis-aggregate to update client tracker & ITT.

Safeguarding Responsibilities: –

• Promote and actively participate in initiatives and efforts to build team engagement, inclusion and cohesion in IRC [team/office]
• Foster ongoing learning, honest dialogue, and reflection to strengthen safeguarding and to promote IRC values and adherence to IRC policies.

Minimum Qualifications:
Job Requirements:

Educational Requirements: BA degree or Diploma/Level IV in social science and other relevant field of studies

Work Qualification:

• 1–2-year MEAL specific work experience for BA Degree and 3 years MEAL specific work experience for Diploma holders
• Analyze and communicate data in a way that facilitates effective decision making.
• Proactively engage with clients and community members, acting as a community liaison focal point
• Driven and able to balance multiple tasks, commitments, and to work flexibly in a team.
• Creativity, curiosity and enthusiasm, and the ability to develop and test new ways of working and solutions to problems
• Strong oral and written communications in local language and Amharic is required.

Desired experience & skills:

• Working experience with refugees and/or IDPs, and an understanding of the feedback channels preferred by displaced people.
• Experience in implementing feedback channels. These may include surveys, FGD, hot lines, suggestions boxes, open feedback etc.
• Written and verbal communication in English is an added advantage.
• Passionate about humanitarian work and assistance.

Language Skills: · Proficient in English writing and speaking skills and the ability to speak the local language is advantageous.