MEAL Manager

The Opportunity – MEAL Manager (CO)

Post location: oPt CO, Based in Ramallah with travel across the West Bank and Gaza

Contract Duration and Level of Effort: 1 year

***Due to the urgency to fill this role, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Kindly note that the position might be filled before the vacancy announcement is closed; therefore, early applications are encouraged.***

ROLE PURPOSE:

As a member of the Programme Development & Quality (PDQ) Department, the MEAL Manager is a key strategic position within Save the Children’s OPT Country Office. The MEAL Manager oversees the design and implementation of a quality, comprehensive and integrated MEAL system that meets SCI standards and donor regulations for a large, complex portfolio. By leading a team that produces robust evaluation and research, the Manager promotes a culture of learning and accountability in the country office.

The MEAL Manager will lead on ensuring a high quality MEAL system is functional in the country office, and that MEAL is integrated into all aspects of Save the Children’s (SC’s) programming. The Manager will ensure that evidence is available for quality improvement, programme learning, donor reporting and to address beneficiary feedback and complaints. The incumbent will enhance the role of information management in documentation, visualization and utilization across MEAL, technical advisors, operations, Business development and ACCM. The MEAL Manger ensures robust mechanisms for beneficiary feedback and complaints, to ensure Save the Children is accountable to the children and communities we serve.

The MEAL Manager leads a MEAL team that includes MEAL Officers/Assistants, Information Management (IM) Advisors, and a Research and Learning Specialist. The Manager also has a dotted-line to a MEAL Manager in Gaza, who similarly leads an operational MEAL team who feeds into the CO MEAL systems. The Manager manages and mentors the MEAL team, facilitating ongoing capacity strengthening and technical oversight of MEAL activities.

The MEAL Manager is a key part of Save the Children’s Business Development processes, ensuring the consistency and quality of MEAL components in project logframes. The incumbent participates in project design teams, ensures consistency with Master logframes for the country office strategy, drafts learning agendas and conceptualizes research and evaluation frameworks to demonstrate impact. The post holder leads the reporting of key performance indicators used to track progress in Save the Children’s Country Strategic Plan and annual reports.

In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Director of Programme Development and Quality.

Staff reporting to this post: Manages 4 people; Research & Learning Specialist, PRIME MEAL Officer, MEAL Coordinator & MEAL Officer, Oversees the MEAL team which also includes MEAL assistants.

Role Dimensions: oPt CO is a high complexity country, multi-member interest, with an annual budget of around $40+m, and 100+ staff. Currently the program is experiencing a growth in funding and complexity due to the war in Gaza.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Design and Implementation of a comprehensive MEAL System that meets SCI and donor standards

• Lead and strengthen the Country Office MEAL framework, systems and structure, in line with Save the Children and donor procedures, ensuring accountability to donors and, most critically, beneficiaries.
• Oversee and guide the MEAL team in rolling out the MEAL framework, including management information systems, aligned with the SCI Programme Quality Framework.
• Lead routine collection, analysis and use of evidence to document results and inform policy and programming, and to strengthen the evidence based. This includes needs assessments, baseline/endline surveys, feasibility studies, and research.
• Assist Technical Advisors in developing and applying quality benchmarks for each sector, and ensure regular quality reporting for all projects.
• Ensure SC has a safe, accessible and inclusive feedback and complaint mechanism for key stakeholders, including children, and present findings to SMT for decision making.
• Lead MEAL in the CO’s emergency preparedness and response strategies.
• Ensure MEAL-related KPIs are met through institutionalisation of robust MEAL systems and performance.
• As proposals are funded, develop a MEAL plan with field officers, ensuring output trackers and other research and evaluation planning is in place for the duration of the project life cycle.

Reporting

• Ensure accuracy and availability of data for all regular reporting requirements, including donor and internal reports (Country Annual Report, Country Strategic Plan milestone report, Total Reach report, etc.)
• Support donor reporting including review of baseline, mid-term, endline or any other donor-funded studies.
• Ensure that project MEAL mechanisms (ITPPs, accountability leaflets, etc.) are in place, being utilized, and have mechanisms for continuous improvement.

Programme Development and MEAL Resources

• Support planning of needs assessments and formative research, in coordination with Technical Advisors.
• Coordinate sharing of MEAL findings in a comprehensive, timely and relevant manner to promote learning and application to programme decisions.
• Contribute to proposal development, supporting the MEAL aspects of logframes, technical narratives and budgets, referencing SC Master logframes and global indicators.
• Ensure that adequate MEAL resources are included in proposals, and work creatively to secure sufficient funding from diverse sources to deliver MEAL according to SCI quality standards.
• Provide MEAL orientation to PDQ and Operations staff, as well as partner, in project kick off workshops, and later on as needed.

MEAL Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development

• Support and coach a MEAL team to ensure the quality and efficiency of MEAL to meet SCI and donor requirements and standards.
• Build the technical expertise of the MEAL team, through training, capacity building and a quarterly CO MEAL working group.
• Manage the performance of MEAL staff by clearly setting objectives, assessing performance, and providing mentoring.
• Participate in relevant MEAL coordination platforms, training opportunities and networks in country, region and globally.

Promoting a Culture of Learning

• Manage the Research and Learning Specialist in developing a strategically aligned Learning Agenda, with an up-to-date research pipeline.
• Ensure that events to showcase evidence and lessons learned events are organized regularly, so that learning can be fed into new programme design and advocacy.
• Oversee that learnings are captured in a learning database.

Child Safeguarding responsibilities

• Ensure that child safeguarding and child protection mainstreaming are integrated into all MEAL frameworks through measurable output and outcome indicators; and lead the process of piloting and scaling up local level beneficiary complaints’ mechanisms in relation to staff conduct, with an emphasis on the Child Safeguarding Policy and measure to prevent sexual exploitation of women and children.

In order to be successful you will bring/have:

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in Economics, Development Studies, Anthropology, Sociology, Social Science, Statistics, Business Administration, Public Health or in relevant field, or relevant work and learning experience.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• 5+ years of experience in areas of programme development & quality, monitoring and evaluation, assessments or research, preferably with projects from multiple donors.
• Extensive experience in MEAL related role in INGO environment, preferably in a fragile context.
• Excellent understanding of different components of MEAL and skills in leading MEAL systems.
• Excellent experience in analysis of research findings, reporting and presenting.
• Sound conceptual understanding in advancing gender equality in programming and at workplace.
• Experience of, and commitment to, working with community participation and accountability.
• Previous experience managing a team, with proven capacity to supervise, train and coach staff.
• Ability to work independently.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills.
• Excellent documentation and report writing skills.
• Politically and culturally sensitive, with qualities of patience and diplomacy.
• Excellent communication skills, in written and spoken English and Arabic.
• Adaptability and flexibility, accommodating a complex portfolio in an insecure operating environment.
• Adherence to aims and principles of SC: good understanding of SC mandate and commitment to child rights and participation.

Desirable

• Prior experience with child rights organisations.
• Experience or knowledge of working and living in Palestine.
• Experience in advancing gender equality, inclusion and partnership.

We offer a competitive package in the context of the sector. This role is offered on the basis of national & International terms and conditions.

Save the Children promotes a diverse and inclusive work environment, women and people with different abilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Organisation

Save the Children works in development and humanitarian contexts with children and partners to help families, communities, and governments identify and use innovations to ensure all children survive, learn and are protected.

We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realize the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.