MEAL Manager - LDSC

Monitoring & Evaluation

The Organization 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 realise 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 workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

Application Information: Please apply using a cover letter and up-to-date CV as a single document. Please also include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations. A copy of the full role profile can be found at www.savethechildren.net/jobs We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

TITLE: MONITORING, EVALUATION, ACCOUNTABILITY AND LEARNING (MEAL) MANAGER - Maternal-Child Health Project (LDSC)

TEAM/PROGRAMME: PDQ- MEAL

LOCATION: PUJEHUN FIELD OFFICE (with frequent travel to Portloko districts)

GRADE: TWO

CONTRACT LENGTH: ONE YEAR

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 3: the post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work with country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

BACKGROUND and ROLE PURPOSE:

Save the Children is recruiting a MEAL Manager to lead the MEAL processes/procedures for the Maternal-Child Health Project.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This project seeks to reduce maternal, neonatal, and child mortality, stillbirths and morbidity in Sierra Leone by strengthening the capacity of district health management teams and health care providers. At community level, the project will support community-led solutions to improve quality, coverage and accountability of maternal, newborn and child health care, for the uptake of MNACH and nutrition services. The project will also utilize a digital application to improve quality of care.

The MEAL Manager is required to take leadership in the development, roll out and implementation of SC’s standard MEAL packages, corresponding tools and reporting requirements and build the culture of maximum utilization of learning in the project. She/ He will oversee project reviews, sharing and documenting learning, and ensure collaboration with other relevant projects in Save the Children and externally.

The MEAL Manager will ensure that all MEAL systems (MEAL Plan, IPTT, data collection tools and applications etc.) are designed for the project and are fully functioning to collect, validate, analyse, present and use information about progress, quality of implementation and emerging results from project communities. The role will be accountable for collating this evidence and other feedback from field staff, to enable improvements and adaptations to our interventions. Working closely with Partners, Project Lead, Technical Advisors and Members, the MEAL Manager will support adjustments to the design and delivery approach where needed during implementation. S/he will also capture lessons learned to allow for strong learning and the scaling of successful elements. Special attention will be paid to how our interventions are reaching and impacting vulnerable communities. The MEAL Manager will manage the performance of Project MEAL Officers through capacity building trainings, coaching, and mentoring to ensure monitoring data is captured accurately and in accordance with the MEAL plan.

The MEAL Manager will oversee the implementation of accountability procedures including community feedback and response mechanisms for the project and lead compliance and assessment of quality benchmark. S/he will support Awards, Finance, PDQ/TAs, Internal controls, Advocacy and Operations to review and implement a compliance strategy towards donor commitments, especially in project start-ups, implementation, documentation, progress reporting and phase-outs. S/he will assume day to day leadership for the MEAL tasks for quality evidence-based programming.

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: Head of MEAL

Staff reporting to this post: Two MEAL Officers

Indirect: None

Budget Responsibilities: None

Role Dimensions: The Post holder will work from Save the Children’s Pujehun Field Office with frequent visits to the other district of implementation and communities. The post holder will lead all MEAL related activities for the project. Being the focal point for data will receive short notice request from stakeholders from the region, CO and field offices.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Organizational MEAL Culture

• Participate in the Save the Children Sierra Leone’s MEAL taskforce sessions.
• Support implementation of project team commitments to CO MEAL actions.
• Lead the roll out and utilization of standard CO MEAL packages and tools for the project including PMM, PRIME, PoT and SCI KoBo.

MEAL Planning

• Oversee development/review of MEAL packages for the project (to include results framework, MEAL plan (indicator matrix), MEAL timelines and budget, Indictor Performance Tracking Tables, quality benchmarks and mapping of standard data collection tools to activities).
• Participate in Project Kickoff at coordination and field offices and share draft MEAL package, capacity building of MEAL officers to understand and implement the MEAL package.
• Lead the development and implementation of systems and processes to ensure high quality monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning.
• Finalize/update MEAL package based on assessment and evaluation data and budget.
• Promotes integration and use of learning from all MEAL processes into project planning and future programming.

Evaluations and Assessments

• Lead technical input for all project aspects of quality and evaluation including theories of change, evaluation designs/frameworks, indicator frameworks and measurement tools, and leading this work on projects where necessary.
• Lead development of TOR for the recruitment of study consultant (baseline, midline, end line and other assessments) and facilitate associated activities.
• Ensure all studies achieve the design objectives such that research questions, learning agenda and values for project indicators and country office strategy milestones are produced.
• Support the validation of research findings and debriefing of the procedures and outcome/ dissemination to SCI and stakeholders including beneficiaries.
• Lead the MEAL team to collect, validate, analyse, present and use information about programme progress, quality of implementation and emerging results in from communities. This will include both quantitative and qualitative data analysis.
• Lead development of program MEAL processes embedding best practice monitoring and evaluation processes.
• Apply standards for data collection and entry methodologies and support the team to carry these out.

Accountability and Child Participation

• Support project participants to implement feedback and response mechanisms – and ensure its documentation, analysis for appropriate response and decision making.
• Establish systems to manage complex information generated by project activities, such as complaints databases and qualitative outcome monitoring data systems.
• Maintain the quality of information generated from community feed backs for real time response and proper oversight of the response.
• Support project and MEAL staff maintain the minimum standards of humanitarian relief in accordance with the SHERE, Red Cross Code of Conduct, and Interagency Network in humanitarian program delivery.
• Support Awards to monitor and maintain a calendar of donor narrative and financial reports, project baselines and evaluations, other MEAL related actions for timely delivery.
• Support integration of child participation and information sharing in project implementation in line with SCI minimum standards for child participation.

Quality Assurance

• Provide quality MEAL review of project progress reports, ensuring that the report meets or exceeds the expectations and requirements of funding SCI members and donors.
• Triangulate and validate monthly IPTT data submitted by Field Officers and ensure it is recorded in the offline template and in PRIME on schedule.
• Conduct Data Quality Assessments across project locations.
• Lead quality benchmarks assessment, analysis and reporting, sharing of the information and follow up on action points.
• Lead development of program MEAL processes embedding best practice monitoring and evaluation processes.
• Ensure the correct use of log frames and adherence to project MEAL plan.
• Apply standards for data collection and entry methodologies and support the team to carry these out.
• Undertaking quantitative and qualitative analysis to inform program learning.
• Provide quality assurance and oversight over quantitative and qualitative data analysis.

Management of MEAL resources

• Oversee the development and implementation of a strong MEAL AAPs, DIP with corresponding phased budget, in line with MEAL master budget, work plan and country MEAL framework to assure achievement and progress towards project objectives and outcomes.
• With support from other Programme staff, identify MEAL activities supply needs and coordinate with logistics team to ensure materials arrive in good time.
• With support from other Programme staff, identify MEAL activities financial needs and coordinate with the Head of MEAL and finance team to ensure adequate funds and timely payments.
• With support from other Programme staff, identify MEAL activities IT needs and coordinate with the IT team to ensure adequate technological support.
• Liaise with logistics and asset managers to track and safeguard MEAL assets.
• Track the MEAL budget in coordination with PMU team leader and Finance Manager.

Supportive supervision and capacity development of staff and partners

• Lead all the program-related MEAL activities and interface with all implementing Partners including DHMT or stakeholders.
• Identify MEAL training needs of staff and Partners including DHMT to address MEAL capacity gaps, in collaboration with the Head of MEAL - line-manager, Field manager and the human resources department.
• Provide technical oversight to MEAL and program staff in applying standardized MEAL practices and applications for efficient generation and documentation of relevant data and information.
• Equipping program teams with skills and tools to undertake robust data collection.
• Support mandatory MEAL orientation for existing and new project staff on SC Sierra Leone’s standard MEAL procedures, processes tools and guides.
• Provide capacity building to staff and partner on all aspects of monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning.
• Manage project MEAL Officers in the implementation districts.
• Support the recruitment of MEAL staff including review of job descriptions.

*Knowledge Management*****; Learning and sharing.

• Oversee the implementation of Save the Children Sierra Leone’s document management and information security procedures and systems including electronic and hard copy filing, transfer and sharing of information across field offices and Coordination.
• Manage and maintain a master project IPPT, activity tracker and PRIME MEAL modules..
• Review progress on project indicators against targets and provide timely project snapshots status of achievements against set targets.
• Manage sensitive information generated from community feedback, such as level 3, 4, 5 and 6 complaints according to the process map.
• Lead the operationalization of an integrated digitalized, web-based Monitoring & Evaluation/Geographic Information Database System.
• Collate, document and share lessons learnt from project delivery, evaluations and research
• Seek opportunities for information sharing and learning exchanges with local actors/INGOs at local level.
• Lead learning initiatives including learning agenda, lessons learnt and Project Reviews.
• Institute tracking of project outcome during project implementation through follow up on project beneficiaries on success stories/case studies.
• Ensure that verifiable, quantitative and qualitative data is collected and analysed, and the data is shared with relevant stakeholders to inform programme design and review.
• Undertake the sharing of project successes, findings, challenges and lessons learnt.
• Contribute to Save the Children Global Impact reporting through sharing of Sierra Leone’s results on Global indicators, Total reach, output and outcome tracking, impact stories etc.
• Take lead in generating quarterly KPI reports including quality benchmark, accountability, advocacy and campaign and periodic Country Strategic Plan Milestone/ score card review.

Promoting Learning for Strategy Development and Decision Making

• Ensure that data is brought together and findings from across thematic and operational regions to form a coherent basis for analysis of impact to promote learning and strategy development for the whole organisation.
• Lead on monitoring and improving the synergy and integration of thematic programmes to enhance delivery of outstanding results for children and their communities.
• Communicate top level learning / analysis, reports, and monitoring data to ensure that management can make informed decisions on a timely basis to scale up and face operational challenges.
• Supporting program teams to generate high quality evidence of intervention effectiveness to inform learning and adaptation.
• Support the Head of MEAL to analyse progress against organisational objectives and strategies.

External Reporting and Representation

• Ensure that high quality analysed reports to illustrate SC’s impact and assessment findings are produced, including evidence of good practice and replicable programmes, and that they are communicated at appropriate events.
• Support Interagency forums at the local level, advocating for the specific needs of children and to enhance inter-agencies best practices sharing and learning. This may involve participating in interagency coordinated joint MEAL activities as relevant.
• Ensures external accountability to donors through the implementation of timely and quality MEAL activities leading to timely and accurate reporting.
• Ensure the program MEAL function aligns with the CO framework and feeds into the governments overarching MEAL framework.
• Develop concise, engaging, and robust reports based on analysis.
• Promote the use of quality data to enable good project management, quality program design and monitoring of progress & outcomes against the country strategy plan.

General:

• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, ICT, Human Resources, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.
• Initiate Action research to testing new innovations, identifying better opportunities and approaches and rolling out into Country Office programmes.
• Carry out any other assignment by the management.

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values.
• Holds the team and Partners including DHMT accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for self and team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages team to do the same.
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others.
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external Partners including DHMT and supporters.
• Values diversity sees it as a source of competitive strength.
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity.

QUALIFICATIONS

• A degree level in Social Science – Statistics, Economics or equivalent field experience.
• Recommended a minimum of six years management experience in both emergency and development contexts, preferably with solid experience in Health & Nutrition including WASH and minimum experience in other Save the Children thematic areas such as, child poverty (livelihood and climate change), education, protection, and rights governance.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• Demonstrated strong monitoring and evaluation skills, including planning, and participating in evaluations.
• Demonstrated quantitative data collection, collation, and analysis skills.
• Proficiency in computer skills, especially ability to work with MS Word, MS Excel, Power Point , data collection and analysis software etc.
• Ability to think and analyze issues and data critically.
• Experience of solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward and ensuring buy in.
• Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner.
• Ability to assess capacity gap and provide relevant trainings.
• Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mindsets.
• Experience in writing clear assessments and reports.
• Excellent communication skills.
• A high level of written and spoken English.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching.
• Proven capacity to train and coach staff.
• Strong knowledge in Rights based programming.
• Experience working in a hands-on implementation capacity.
• Ability and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming surge teams, in the event of emergencies.
• Commitment to the aims and principles of Save the Children.

Desirable

• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, sensitivity, and diplomacy.
• High cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult circumstances.

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and proceduresEqual Opportunities

Child protection and safeguarding requirements

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse in order to:

• Maintain a child safe environment at the workplace and safeguard children’s rights, always acting in the best interests of children.
• Comply with the Child Safeguarding Code of Conduct and child safeguarding and protection policies and standards (click here to view further details).
• Demonstrate the highest standards of behaviour towards children in both your private and professional life.
• Never abuse the position of trust that comes with being a part of the Save the Children family.
• Maintain a safe and positive relationship at all times when working with children and young people.
• Respond to any concerns for the safety or wellbeing of a child in a program in accordance with internal reporting processes.

Health, safety, security, and risk management

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

• Be a role model for safety and security, including complying with all safety instructions and training given at the workplace.
• Act in a safe manner always, including complying with all safety instructions and training given at the workplace.
• Participate in, and contribute to, health and safety awareness and improvements.
• Report all incidents, injuries, and potential hazards in a timely manner.
• Be aware of, and consider, the risks associated with your team’s everyday work and ensure appropriate mitigation measures are applied.

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Added 24 days ago - Updated 8 days ago - Source: savethechildren.net