MEAL Coordinator

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and regain control of their future. The IRC Yemen began its programs in October 2012 and currently operates in the south and north of the country through direct programming and local partnerships, with a focus on health, economic wellbeing, safety, and education outcomes. The country program operates from main offices in Aden and Sana’a and field offices in Abyan, Al Dhale’e, and Hodeidah governorates.

Position overview

The MEAL Coordinator will provide national leadership and management oversight to ensure that the Yemen country program develops and achieves MEAL commitments. The MEAL Coordinator will lead a dynamic department comprised of two teams: Monitoring & Evaluation and Client Responsiveness & Accountability.

This position reports to the Deputy Director of Grants and Accountability and is responsible to ensure that data and learning are applied towards continuous improvements in program quality and evidence-based program design and make every effort to ensure data visualization products are used by project teams and the country SMT. The MEAL Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and data management systems are in place, sufficiently resourced, and successfully implemented from collection to visualization. The Coordinator will ensure that MEAL principles are integrated into every step of the project cycle. In support of these goals, this position provides technical assistance, facilitates capacity sharing, and ensures ongoing mentoring and training in MEAL concepts for IRC and partner staff.

The MEAL Coordinator is supported technically by the Regional Measurement Advisor (RMA), the Regional Senior Specialist for M&E Technology (RSS), the Regional MEAL Coordinator (RMCo) and the Client Responsiveness Technical Specialist. This position is based in Aden with occasional travel to program sites across Yemen.

Responsibilities

Technical Oversight

• Provide technical leadership to ensure strong data systems and processes throughout the project cycle, from design and implementation to close-out and learning.

• Use learning and evidence from internal and external sources to inform proposal design and theories of change.

• Develop and operationalize logical frameworks, MEAL plans, data collection tools, processes for data management, client feedback approaches, quality checks and audits, and data visualization.

• Provide MEAL technical assistance to program teams during the design and inception stages, including support with logframes, indicator selection and measurement methodologies, and the development of data collection plans and tools.

• Develop a MEAL budget and staffing structure for all projects that is responsive to planned activities and data requirements.

• Ensure the effective set-up and use of data platforms to ensure effective data collection, management and presentation.

• Produce high-quality data, analysis, reports, presentations, and dashboards of key findings that foster learning and decision-making.

• Present findings in project cycle meetings and strategic management team meetings as required and foster utilization.

• Provide technical leadership for the design, method, and conduct of surveys such as baseline and endline, and the commission of evaluations and surveys as required in coordination with program coordinators, technical advisors, and external partners.

• Lead the expansion of Commcare for data collection and PowerBI dashboards to enhance the timeliness and quality of data collection, analysis, and visualization.

• Provide technical leadership to external accountability commitments through the implementation of sound accountability, client feedback, and response mechanisms.

• Strengthen client feedback and response mechanisms based on regional standards and expectations

Strategic Leadership

• Establish and drive common strategies and approaches to MEAL that reflect and contextualize Strategy 100 and the Country Strategic Action Plan.

• Guided by the MEAL Handbook, lead all aspects of MEAL functions across multiple sectors and multiple geographical areas.

• Champion an organizational culture where data is routinely used for evidence-based decision making and program adaptation.

• Shape and implement MEAL systems and approaches that meet IRC standards and practices, are responsive to program needs, and enable accountability to clients, partners, and donors.

• Develop, coordinate and strengthen capacity-sharing partnerships with MEAL counterparts of partner agencies, local organizations, and government as required.

• Reinforce integration of cross-sectoral priorities in MEAL, including gender, protection, safeguarding, disaster risk reduction, Diversity-Equality-Inclusion and Do No Harm.

Staff Management and Development

• Establish an efficient and responsive staffing structure for the MEAL department which considers a balanced workload and optimal ways of working to support a large multi-sector program.

• Supervise the MEAL team across multiple sectors and geographical areas. Set clear performance objectives, schedule regular check-in meetings, manage staff work plans, conduct regular performance reviews, champion a positive working environment for professional development, and foster an inclusive and respectful team climate.

• Coach, train, supervise, and mentor MEAL department staff. Promote the growth and development of the team. Assess proficiencies and develop and lead a targeted learning and training strategy.

• Develop and implement remote management capacity building approaches to build the strengths of the MEAL team.

Other

• Other relevant duties as assigned by supervisor to further IRC MEAL objectives.

Qualifications

• A university degree in a relevant subject area (statistics, data management, social sciences, public health, economic development, or a related field). A technical degree together with additional relevant work experience may substitute for education.

• A minimum of 5 years of work experience within MEAL-related functions, including experience leading data collection and analysis for multi-sector and multi-donor funded humanitarian programs.

• Excellent understanding of a range of quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis methods required.

• Demonstrated ability to develop functional and user-friendly systems to utilize routine and survey data in program quality improvement and evidence-based decision-making.

• A strong understanding of accountability mechanisms and proven ability to build responsive client feedback systems is a distinct advantage.

• Leadership experience and demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through training and mentoring.

• Proficiency and experience with mobile data collection software such as Kobo, CommCare, and ODK Collect is essential, as well as proficiency with Microsoft Excel, SPSS, STATA, or other similar software. Knowledge of Tableau, PowerBI, or GIS software are additional assets.

• Excellent verbal and written data presentation and reporting skills. Able to interpret data and communicate complex analysis to external audiences in a concise and easy to understand manner.

• Excellent spoken and written English. Ability to communicate in Arabic is an advantage.

Competencies

• Strong cross-cultural communication skills and comfortable working as part of a diverse team. Sensitive to interpersonal differences and a range of viewpoints.

• Excellent advance planning and organizational skills. Able to effectively prioritize and follow multiple activities and deadlines simultaneously.

• Analytical, strategic, and eager to develop solutions to complex challenges.

• Flexible and innovative. Able to adapt plans and pivot approaches in response to changes in context.

• Proactive, reliable, and able to work independently in a fast-paced environment.

Standards of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Work Environment: There is active conflict in parts of the country and a possibility of the conflict expanding into other locations. The situation in Aden is currently quiet but remains unpredictable. Security will be thoroughly discussed during the interview process.

Housing: Lodging in Aden is in a shared IRC guesthouse. All IRC sites have electricity and internet.

The IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.

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Qualifications