POSITION OBJECTIVE
The Project Coordinator MERL, based at Project Cluster Implementing Office [PCIO] Kabul, provides technical coordination and operational support for the implementation of Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) activities across 6 province of Kabul, Herat, Ghazni, Logar, Kunar and Nuristan provinces, ensuring the effective measurement, documentation, and reporting of key project indicators (i.e., Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), resilience-building, and community-based development interventions). The Project Coordinator MERL will directly report to Project Lead - Project Cluster Implementing Office [PCIO] at Kabul and technically guided by the M&E Specialist of PMU and NPO MERL. The position supports the planning, implementation, and continuous improvement of provincial MERL systems, methodologies, and tools to generate reliable evidence on project performance, outcomes, and impact. It supports the development of data collection tools, training of enumerators and data collectors, and ensures the application of appropriate methodologies and quality assurance mechanisms for reliable and accurate data. The position also supports the implementation of vulnerability, risk, capacity, and resilience assessments and contributes to the analysis and use of findings for adaptive project management and learning. The role also contributes to maintaining and updating PMF/tracking systems, strengthening data management processes (including cleaning, coding, analysis, and visualization), and supporting the production of high-quality monitoring, evaluation, and research reports.
In addition, the position plays a key role in coordination, reporting, and dissemination processes by facilitating collaboration between project teams and PCIO/National, PMU and MERL teams to ensure alignment of M&E activities. It supports field supervision, data quality assurance, and the consolidation of monitoring findings, while also contributing to narrative reporting and knowledge management. The position ensures that community perspectives and beneficiary feedback are systematically collected, documented, analyzed, and incorporated into project monitoring, reporting, accountability, and learning processes. This role further supports the dissemination of findings through workshops and events, ensures proper documentation of feedback, and provides logistical and administrative support for MERL-related activities. It also ensures compliance with safeguarding, ethical standards, and organizational policies across all MERL processes.
JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Technical Responsibilities
• Contribute to the design, planning, implementation, data management, analysis, and reporting of project M&E and research activities across the full project cycle.
• Coordinate the implementation of MERL activities across assigned provinces in accordance with project requirements, organizational standards, and donor guidelines.
• Coordinate studies (i.e. Baseline, endline, post-distribution monitoring, resilience assessments, vulnerability assessments, hazard and risk assessments), and other MERL studies as required.
• Administer and document community consultation processes, including community meetings, participatory assessments, stakeholder consultations, validation workshops, and community feedback mechanisms.
• Contribute to the development of data collection tools at output and outcome levels and support the preparation and delivery of training for trainers (ToTs), enumerators, and data collectors for M&E and research activities.
• Support the establishment, regular updating, and maintenance of the project PMF/tracking sheet and ensure data integrity throughout reporting cycles.
• Conduct regular data quality assessments and verification exercises to ensure the accuracy, completeness, consistency, and reliability of project data.
• Provide technical support for end-to-end data management processes, including data storage, backup, verification, cleaning, coding, categorization, visualization, analysis, and maintenance of data management systems.
• Develop provincial dashboards, analytical summaries, maps, visualizations, and performance reports to support evidence-based decision-making and adaptive management.
Coordination and Planning Responsibilities
• Coordinate the facilitation and alignment of M&E planning, implementation, and reporting processes across project teams and PCIO/National, PMU and MERL teams.
• Coordinate and oversee the implementation of MERL activities across assigned provinces by providing technical guidance, supervision, and quality assurance support to Provincial MERL Officers
• Leading and managing data collection, monitoring, assessment, and community consultation activities in the target districts of 6 provinces.
• Facilitate regular coordination between PCIO teams and MERL teams to ensure smooth implementation of planned M&E and research activities.
• Support coordination of key project activities, including fieldwork planning, budget alignment, tools deployment, and training of enumerators and researchers.
• Support coordination of project supervision and monitoring activities in collaboration with project staff and MERL teams to ensure effective implementation oversight.
• Facilitate and coordinate the quality assurance processes for project data, ensuring that validation, verification, and quality control mechanisms are applied in line with agreed standards and methodologies.
Reporting and Communication Responsibilities
• Support regular reporting of results through PMF updates and other project reporting systems and provide technical input for strengthening reporting tools and systems as required.
• Support timely consolidation and review of required reports through established reporting mechanisms.
• Ensure timely documentation and reporting of monitoring findings through effective reporting systems.
• Co-lead and support coordination of reporting processes with project staff and MERL teams to ensure consistency, accuracy, and timely delivery of reporting outputs.
• Contribute to and draft narrative reports for project studies, including surveys, research outputs, and monitoring reports.
Representation Responsibilities
• Support dissemination of project findings in collaboration with project teams and MERL, ensuring feedback is documented, and participant attendance records are maintained.
• Represent the MERL functions of the project during dissemination events, workshops, and coordination meetings as delegated.
• Support planning and execution of dissemination events at regional and national levels as required.
• Support administrative and logistical arrangements for MERL-related events and workshops, including venue coordination, participant management, and documentation support.
Commitment to Child Safeguarding / Child Protection
• Carry out the responsibilities of the role in a manner that reflects AKF-A’s commitment to safeguarding children, staff, and beneficiaries, in accordance with the Child Safeguarding Policy and other relevant Safe Programming policies.
• Ensure adherence to all applicable organizational policies, standards, and ethical guidelines, including safeguarding and protection principles.
• Report any suspected or actual violations of the Safeguarding Policy and/or Child Safeguarding Policy in line with established reporting procedures and relevant training.
OCCASIONAL SIGNIFICANT DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Provide additional technical support to MERL activities as required, including participation in field monitoring visits, data quality assessments, and coordination of study-related support tasks.
• Support emergency assessments, rapid needs assessments, and humanitarian response monitoring activities during disasters, emergencies, or other surge situations within the project area in collaboration with other Regional and National MERL teams.
• Facilitate periodic reflection, learning, and adaptive management workshops with project teams, partners, and community stakeholders to promote the use of evidence in decision-making.
• Any other relevant additional responsibility delegated by supervisor.
DECISION-MAKING & AUTHORITY
• Supervision of the project M&E officers assigned by the PCIO lead.
• Hiring, performance assessments, and budget development/modification and utilization as assigned by the PCIO Lead consultation of National MERL lead.
• Exercise delegated authority to make day-to-day technical and operational decisions affecting MERL implementation, field coordination, and data collection activities across assigned provinces.
• Proactive and regular team player.
