MEAL Officer

Context

About Relief International

Relief International is an international non-profit organization that partners with communities impacted by conflict, climate change and disaster to save lives, build greater resilience and promote long-term health and wellbeing.

Currently, RI work in 16 countries around the world, including some of the most fragile: Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, Yemen and now OPT, providing Health and Nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Education and Livelihoods programming that creates the foundation for community resilience.

We do this by working with local actors to develop safe and inclusive local programming that is evidence based, conflict sensitive, climate smart, and reaches those in need.

About our Country Program/ Regional Programs

RI in the Middle East has programs in seven countries - Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Türkiye, Yemen, and now OPT with a focus on the 4 main RI sectors: WASH, Health and Nutrition, Education and Livelihoods. Relief International has been providing humanitarian aid in Yemen since 2010, offering various services like health, nutrition, water, sanitation, livelihoods, and protection across the country. They focus on helping vulnerable people, including internally displaced persons, returnees, and host communities. RI also provides reproductive health, protection, and gender-based violence responses in specific areas.

Job Profile

The MEAL Officer will be responsible for supporting and implementing Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) activities, Health Information Management (HIM), and project accountability systems. The role will ensure effective management of the Feedback and Complaint Response Mechanism (FCRM), including hotline follow-up, documentation, referral, and closure of feedback and complaints, while also collecting, analyzing, and managing health and project data to support timely reporting, learning, and decision-making. The MEAL Officer will report directly to the PRO MEAL Coordinator and work closely with program staff, field teams, health facility staff, community representatives, and relevant stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

Context Background

The MEAL Officer will play a critical role in supporting the implementation of MEAL activities, managing Health Information Management (HIM) functions, and leading day-to-day accountability processes for the PRO project. Working closely with the PRO MEAL Coordinator, program staff, and field teams, the Officer will ensure the collection, analysis, and reporting of project data across health, nutrition, and other sectors, while ensuring that communities have safe, accessible, and responsive channels to provide feedback and complaints.

This role includes direct responsibility for implementing and strengthening the Feedback and Complaint Response Mechanism (FCRM), managing hotline-related follow-up, ensuring timely recording and referral of complaints, and promoting accountability to affected populations. The MEAL Officer will ensure compliance with organizational and donor standards, maintain high-quality data management practices, and foster collaboration between field staff, health facility workers, community members, and other stakeholders to enhance data quality, reporting systems, and accountability practices.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Learning, FCRM, and Hotline Management

• Lead the day-to-day implementation of the Feedback and Complaint Response Mechanism (FCRM), ensuring that feedback and complaints are received, documented, categorized, referred, followed up, and closed in line with RI procedures and timelines.
• Manage and follow up hotline-related feedback and complaints, including receiving calls, recording cases accurately, escalating sensitive or urgent issues through the appropriate channels, and maintaining confidentiality.
• Maintain and regularly update the FCRM tracker, hotline log, feedback box records, referral records, and closure documentation, ensuring accurate, complete, and timely data entry.
• Ensure the placement, visibility, and functionality of FCRM tools, including posters, banners, feedback boxes, flyers, and hotline information at health facilities, distribution sites, and community locations.
• Conduct community awareness sessions during field visits on project services, available feedback and complaint channels, the hotline, confidentiality, and expected response timelines.
• Compile and share regular accountability and FCRM summaries, including feedback trends, complaint types, response status, lessons learned, and recommendations for program improvement.
• Coordinate with program, support, and field teams to ensure timely response to community feedback and complaints and to integrate accountability findings into project planning and implementation.
• Archive and maintain MEAL, accountability, and HIM-related documents following RI’s filing system and confidentiality requirements.
• Provide training and technical support to field staff and community-facing teams on MEAL, HIM, accountability principles, FCRM procedures, hotline handling, and safe complaint referral pathways.

Health Information Management (HIM)

• Collect, compile, and analyze health data, ensuring accuracy and timely reporting.
• Regularly review and update the project’s database, including the Indicator Performance Tracking Table (IPTT).
• Oversee data entry and maintain digital and physical data archives securely.
• Regularly conduct data cleaning, quality control, and prepare visual reports to support program learning.
• Maintain correct and up-to-date project data and relevant records in soft and hard-copy files, ensuring the security, integrity, and confidentiality of the data and records.
• Ensure that the data collection system matches donor-reporting needs (regular review for changes/ adaptations) and facilitate reporting (including photos/ examples/ case studies and databases).
• Ensure technical support and correction of data during field and country-level data reflection sessions.
• Support the design and validation of data collection tools (forms, questionnaires, etc.) and processes (assessment, monitoring, evaluation), and related data analysis plans.
• Support data quality through participation in reviews, assessments, internal audits, and verifications, as well as through regular on-site field visits.
• Provide feedback on data errors and recommend corrective actions on a weekly basis.
• Implement data validity and quality control measures, including random phone calls and site visits.
• Administer, develop, and implement the data warehouse system. Perform data warehouse maintenance such as data backups and enforcing data security.
• Provide technical assistance to field teams and supervisors regarding data collection and reporting.

Relationships Management and Accountability Coordination

• Work closely with field teams, program teams, support departments, health facility staff, and community representatives to ensure smooth implementation of MEAL, HIM, accountability, FCRM, and hotline activities.
• Coordinate with health facility staff, field teams, and community representatives to strengthen data collection, reporting systems, feedback channels, and community awareness of available complaint mechanisms.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders to facilitate MEAL and HIM activities, promote accountability to affected populations, obtain necessary permissions, and resolve operational challenges related to data collection, FCRM tools, and hotline follow-up.

Key Deliverables

• Follow up with the authorities at the field level to secure permits for MEAL, HIM, FCRM, hotline awareness, and accountability activities.
• Submit high-quality monthly accountability, FCRM, and hotline reports for internal use and donor submission, adhering to reporting timelines and standards.
• Troubleshoot data submission errors and implement quality control measures, such as random verification calls, hotline follow-up checks, case verification, and site visits.
• Maintain updated FCRM and hotline databases, ensuring that all feedback and complaints are recorded, referred, followed up, closed, and documented according to RI procedures.
• Document and share limitations, challenges, trends, and recommendations for improvement in implementing MEAL, HIM, and accountability activities with the line manager.
• Carry out additional tasks assigned by the line manager to support the effective implementation of MEAL, HIM, FCRM, hotline, and accountability activities.

Behavior and conduct

• Ensure that behavior inside and outside of work promotes the values in RI’s code of conduct and safeguarding policies.
• Act with integrity and holds themselves accountable for being respectful, inclusive and professional.
• Report any concerns.

Person Specification

Essential criteria

• Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Statistics, Public Health, or a related field.

• At least 3 years of experience in health data management, MEAL activities, accountability systems, FCRM, hotline management, or community feedback mechanisms, preferably in an INGO setting.

• Strong skills in data analysis and the use of statistical tools for health and nutrition projects.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and familiarity with data visualization tools.

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, in English and local languages.

• Proven ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines in challenging environments.

Desirable Criteria

• Background in health and nutrition programs is preferred.

RI Values

Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as “Do No Harm,” Relief International Values:

• Integrity
• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Inclusivity
• Sustainability