MEAL Manager

Position: MEAL Manager

Line Manager: Country Director

Duty location: PIN Gaziantep Office with frequent field visits in NWS

Starting date: 1 July 2024 or ASAP

Background:

People in Need (PIN) has been working in Türkiye & Northwest Syria since 2012, providing emergency relief and early recovery support to conflict-affected communities and IDPs. PIN’s contribution to the overall Syria humanitarian response is amongst the largest, with an annual turnover of over $55 million. The major donors are: ECHO, BHA, ENI and SDC. In NW Syria the annual turnover is $40 million with offices in Gaziantep and 3 offices inside Syria and over 560 staff.

GENERAL POSTION DESCRIPTION

Under the strategic guidance from Country Director and in close cooperation with Programs teams and Whole of Syria MEAL and program advisors the position is responsible for the overall coordination of all MEAL related processes and activities across PIN’s Area Programme in Northwest Syria, lead the MEAL department in developing quality MEAL related deliverables in compliance with donors’ guidelines and PIN’s internal guidelines.

The MEAL manager will have a range of responsibilities and tasks where they will provide support to all projects’ interventions. The MEAL manager will act as Technical expert and liaison between Program teams and MEAL department in GZT and plan MEAL activities in collaboration with MEAL team in NWS to ensure all planned activities are carried out in a timely and adequate manner. The MEAL manager will also be responsible for creating and developing the MEAL team strategy and secure resources to ensure its roll out. The MEAL manager is also responsible that MEAL frameworks, processes, mechanism, guidelines, SoPs and others are in place, updated and utilized. The MEAL manger will also be responsible for the overall performance of the MEAL teams and quality of its products. The role also entails a responsibility for leading and supporting learning initiatives within the mission including evaluations and TPM activities. The MEAL manager will be responsible for ensuring MEAL minimum standards are set and followed in regards to ethical data collection, accountability and protection.

REPORTING LINES

LINE MANAGES: MEAL Field Team Leaders (NWS), Senior MEAL officers and/or deputy MEAL manager (GZT)

COLLABORATES WITH: Field MEAL teams, MEAL officers, MEAL analysis & reporting advisor, Accountability & CFRM department, Programs teams, Support departments, Senior Management team, Syria mission team colleagues, HQ.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS:

• Lead on production of a MEAL strategy in line with mission/organization strategy in close collaboration with MEAL colleagues, programs teams and mission management.
• Provide MEAL input and apply technical knowledge/expertise during the different phases of the project life cycle, including proposal development, inception, implementation and phase out.
• Provide MEAL related inputs to project proposal, review the logframe/Theory of Change (ToC) and the logic of intervention.
• Ensure a MEAL activity implementation plan is drafted, implemented in accordance with PIRS, donor requirements & technical standards in coordination and collaboration with different stakeholder on mission, region and HQ level.
• Ensure implementation of high-quality MEAL process and ensure quality MEAL products and reports are produced, archived, shared and discussed with MEAL Field Team Leaders and programs teams after which a Management response plan is produced, agreed on and followed up on to ensure roll out when relevant
• Ensure the participatory approach is deployed as relevant at the different stages of the project cycle.
• Support project teams in developing quality standards for all key program interventions to strengthen the compliance and quality aspects.
• Ensure MEAL minimum standards (CHS, HAP, ethical data collection) are disseminated within the MEAL team and applied to activities, processes and systems within the mission.
• Promote and strengthen the understanding and importance of MEAL within the organization.
• Review & Manage MEAL project budget to ensure implementation of adequate high-quality monitoring
• Promote and ensure implementation of the ethical principles in all MEAL processes at the Area Program.
• Manage and supervise MEAL team at the Area Program to ensure they deliver on all internal and external MEAL requirements in a timely manner and with high quality information.
• Lead and Support in design and review of data collection/tracking tools/formats/databases to ensure data quality, reliability and consistency throughout project implementation.
• Support project teams in implementing innovative solutions and assist in setting it up, e.g. Humansis (Beneficiary Management System).
• Contribute to periodic projects’ review process in cooperation with Director of Programs, M&E
• Coordinator, and other relevant staff utilizing Feedback tracker, ITT and Management response plans.
• Conduct data and feedback analysis, secondary sources overview when adequate and prepare adequate reports**.**
• Support project staff in needs assessments studies; assist in designing the tools for needs assessment
• Ensure reporting on project indicators is performed in accordance with sector PIRS.
• Support in the population & update of the ITT in accordance with PIRS.
• Support internal learning, capacity building and facilitate quality improvement in relation to domain of MEAL:
  • Share knowledge and experience in MEAL and program-related knowledge based on MEAL activity. o Promote internal learning via sharing findings from MEAL activities and reflection on lessons learned related to MEAL domain. Help in adapting them and tracking recommendations from PIM, PDM, other monitoring activities, evaluation for future learning processes, usage and improvements.
  • Promote and facilitate knowledge and capacity development within the MEAL unit and mission through fostering a safe space for sharing knowledge and expertise in a peer-to-peer format in addition to coaching and customised training modules and curricula based on need.

Digitization

Ensure and Facilitate the transition into digitization of Data collection questionnaires, tools, templates, reports, dashboards, etc, through technical support, budgeting and advocacy with programs and management.

CFRM & Accountability

Coordinate and Liaise with Accountability department on Accountability related matters and ensure MEAL field teams conduct CFRM and support accountability activities in a timely manner. o Support the field team on prioritization of conducting CFRM related activities in the field. (CFRM desk, collecting complaints and feedback from stakeholders in the field, information dissemination, etc…)

Ensuring MEAL field staff are informed of and are adhering to guidelines, SOPs and standards governing the CFRM process and PIN Staff responsibilities towards the communities within which PIN operates.

OTHER

Other tasks assigned by employee’s Line Manager corresponding to actual needs of the mission, programs, and projects.

Understand and adhere to the mission’s National Staff Handbook, PIN Code of Conduct, PIN Key Policies and relevant guidelines.

COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

Technical competencies

• Experience: 5 – 9 years of experience in MEAL/Programs, humanitarian or development sector (At least 4 years in MEAL)
• Education: At leastUniversity Bachelor degree in statistics, sociology, mathematics, sciences or relevant, Masters’ degree is a plus.
• Language skills: English proficiency is mandatory. Arabic proficiency is desired. Some Turkish is an advantage.
• Multiple humanitarian context knowledge & experience appreciated.
• Word, Excel, Power BI (All at upper-intermediate competency) Access or similar database app is a plus.
• KOBO/ODK toolbox XML & XLS, ActivityInfo (intermediate to upper-intermediate competency)
• Analysis and reporting competence (High competency)
• SPSS, GIS software, & other are a plus…

Skills competencies such as behavioural, interpersonal and personal skills

• Is honest, cordial, and communicates thoughts/requests from a constructive standpoint.
• Holds self-accountable for actions/decisions and champions self-reflection, transparency and accountability within team and mission.
• Practices cooperation, communication, and collaboration with all colleagues, departments and contacts adopting a solution-oriented stance.
• Practices utmost restraint in regards confidentiality in collation, storage, and sharing of stakeholder data, especially beneficiary data.
• Adheres without compromise to PIN values, code of conduct and policies.

People in Need offers:

• Salary as per PIN salary scale (per diems included): 2000 – 2400 EUR
• Opportunities for learning, training and capacity development;
• 25 days of paid leave annually;
• Reimbursement of travel expenses with travel to the country of residence once per every 6 months of completed work, plus regional flights according to PIN’s policy;
• Reimbursement of costs of visas and vaccinations; assistance with visa application procedure;
• Free medical helpdesk and psychological consultation available online;
• Travel health insurance and 24/7 medical helpdesk;
• Housing in PIN guesthouse covered by PIN.

Successful candidates with nationality of the country program this role will be operating in will be undergoing the national hiring process in that country.