Job Description

• Position Title: Management Information Systems (MIS) Coordinator  
• Reports to:  MEAL Manager
• Associated Job Title: To be completed by HR: MIS Senior Officer    
• Direct reports:  N/A
• Location: Remote    
• Dotted line reports: N/A
• Department: MEAL
• Date of Authorisation:To be completed by HR – ensure any amendments are also captured and dated here: 3rd September 2024
• Grade: To be completed by HR    F – Senior Officer    
• Authored by:  Alistair Harris, CEO - Laurence Hargreaves, Head of Projects

Purpose of the Department:

The Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) function plays a key role in the evidence-based design and delivery of ARK’s portfolio of programmes and projects, ranging from conflict prevention and mitigation, stabilisation and development to security sector capacity building and the climate/conflict nexus, among other areas.

Purpose of the Role:

The Management Information Systems (MIS) Coordinator will support ARK’s MEAL Department with design, development, and operation of an MIS system to support the successful delivery of ARK’s USAID projects in Yemen. The MIS Coordinator will make a key contribution to the quality, effectiveness, adaptability, and appropriateness of ARK’s delivery, as well as its accountability to donors and affected communities/populations.

The MIS Coordinator will initially lead the design and development of an appropriate MIS system, using industry-standard data capture software, databases, and dashboards, and configure the system to the needs and performance monitoring indicators of ARK’s USAID projects in Yemen. Then, the MIS Coordinator will administer the system in all aspects, including ensuring that information flows from ARK’s delivery team and local partners into the core database, is quality checked and validated, and is analysed and presented in appropriate reports and dashboards to support decision-making processes and reporting. The MIS Coordinator will develop a case management functionality to allow the tracking of individual beneficiaries and the goods and services they have received, so that the programme team can take appropriate decisions on individual cases.  The MIS Coordinator will also develop user manuals and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and train ARK and local partner colleagues on how to use any data capture software/applications. 

The MIS Coordinator will work closely with ARK’s MEAL colleagues, who will support the MIS Coordinator to map the project data flows and understand the system of indicators, arrange data collection activities in the field, and develop appropriate questionnaires that the MIS Coordinator will code into the data collection application. 

Key Accountabilities and Deliverables 

MIS Design and Implementation

• Oversee the design, development, and implementation of a project-level MIS system, including development of a data model, technical evaluation of an appropriate solution, configuration of a database, and development of data collection forms (questionnaires to be developed by the MEAL Manager and given to the MIS Coordinator to code).
• Oversee the development of a case management functionality that allows the programme team to understand what goods and services an individual beneficiary (or household) has received, and take and log decisions relating to this beneficiary.
• Operationalise the MIS system, including overseeing, with the support of the MEAL Manager, the capturing of data from the ARK field teams and local partners, the quality assurance and validation of that information, and storing it in the database.
• Generate dashboards that can show the status of project indicators and that permit exploration of the data e.g., drilling down to understand location, gender disaggregation, etc.
• Oversee the storing of project data to ensure data integrity and protection of any personal information.
• Oversee the administration of system users and the overall security of the system.

Training

• Develop user manuals and SOPs for different system users.
• Design and implement a training programme for ARK project staff and local partner staff on how to interact with the MIS  (e.g., training on data collection processes) and any data collection forms.
• Design and implement a training programme so that ARK project staff know how to engage with and exploit the information available in the dashboards to support decision-making processes.

Core Competencies/Behaviours and Levels Refer to Competency Framework for guidance

• Communication – Level 3
• Commitment and Interest in the Topic – Level 4
• Attention to Detail – Level 4
• Adaptability – Level 2
• Planning and Organisation – Level 2
• Teamwork – Level 3

Key Relationships: 

Which positions will this role work with on a regular basis? 

INTERNAL: Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party, Head of Projects, Head of Operations, MEAL Experts (Consultants), MEAL Managers, MEAL Officers, ARK’s IT Manager

EXTERNAL: Donor/client representative, Third Party Monitors, Data Quality Assessors, local partners.

EDUCATIONAL/CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Consider whether a degree is absolutely necessary here or can be considered ‘desirable’. A 2018 report by the UK Government found that “Students from disadvantaged backgrounds, low-income households, care-leavers, mature students, disabled students and students from some ethnic minority groups have a much lower participation in higher education than students from other groups”. Research shows that young people from the UK’s most disadvantaged postcode districts are nearly four times less likely to go to university than those in the most advantaged areas. By prioritising graduates over everyone else, employers are at risk of inheriting these inclusion and diversity challenges from the higher education sector.
Essential: 

N/A    

Desirable:

• Degree in a relevant subject e.g. Computer Programming, Database Design, MIS Systems

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE & EXPERIENCE

Essential: 

• Extensive track record designing, developing, and managing MIS in a development context.
• Experience working with relevant database design, data collection and dashboard applications e.g., SQL, Shiny, ONA, ActivityInfo, ODK, Kobo, PowerBI, Tableau, etc.
• Experience developing case management functionality.
• Experience working with or alongside Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) functions, demonstrating engagement with indicators and Results Frameworks/Logical Frameworks.
• Experience developing user manuals/SOPs and conducting training on them.
• Experience of working in fragile and conflict-affected states, including experience working remotely or semi-remotely.
• Commitment to the conduct of ethical research with human subjects and advanced knowledge of gender mainstreaming, conflict sensitivity and Do-No-Harm principles.
• Understanding of data protection principles and processes.
• Full professional fluency in English.     

Desirable: 

• Experience of working on USAID programmes.
• Experience of working on/in Yemen.
• Working proficiency in Arabic.

Any Other Relevant Information – please add in any information regarding activities related to this role that potentially could be ‘risky’: 

Travel to Aden, Yemen may be required occasionally (hostile environment) if security conditions allow.

This role profile sets out the current duties of the post that may vary from time to time without changing the character of the job or the level of responsibility entailed. However, all role profiles are regularly reviewed and updated accordingly in line with organisational needs.