Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning (MEAL) Coordinator

Job Description

The Country Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator will provide program management and ensure technical quality of all MEAL staff in each field office. The MEAL Coordinator will be responsible for all MEAL related program actions (design/proposal development, project start-up, implementation and close-out), providing technical MEAL leadership for all program sectors with specific attention to data quality and use. S/he will address identified needs through capacity building and technical support on data collection methods, data analysis, data quality assurance and result-based management. The MEAL Coordinator will conduct frequent visits to field operations to assess the quality of the program, MEAL work, ensure understanding and compliance with MEAL procedures and providing guidance and coaching to staff. The MEAL Coordinator will support program development, to ensure that all MEAL activities are adequately planned, budgeted for, and resourced. The MEAL Coordinator will also play a key role in organizational culture change and strategic planning, to ensure that data (from monitoring, evaluation, feedback, context analysis, and gender analysis) is consistently used to drive improvements in programming, and to ensure that a culture of continuous learning is developed in the Country Program.

The MEAL Coordinator reports to the Deputy Director of Programs (DDP) and is based in Kampala, with regular travel to the field sites. This position supervises and mentors the field-based MEAL Managers.

Duties and Responsibilities

Program Management and Technical Quality

- Building on existing practices, establish a coherent Uganda MEAL system (approaches, procedures, structures) across all sectors. - Provide strategic direction for the development and optimization of MEAL systems and resources to account for the Country Program’s growing programming portfolio by guiding implementation of IRC recommended resources and systems for MEAL in the country program - Ensure the Country Program meets IRC’s global monitoring standards (“Monitoring for Action”) for improved monitoring practices, data quality, and use of data within the organization. - Ensure that all MEAL data collection and analysis is gender sensitive. - Train and lead MEAL staff to conduct regular Project Data Quality Audits of projects where and when needed. - Ensure the continued functioning of, and improvements to, the country’s client feedback mechanisms and regular context analysis mechanisms.

Program Development

- Update and maintain the MEAL Operating Budget, which supports long-term planning for the funding of all MEAL functions and infrastructure. - Support program sector teams and the Grants Unit in ensuring that all new proposals adequately resource the MEAL Operating Budget. - Lead the development and review of proposal log frames, indicators and their alignment with the IRC core indicators, measurement methodologies, plans, and tools.

Staff Performance Management

- Hire, supervise, and build the capacity of MEAL team members in relevant technical and management competencies. - Coach, train, supervise, and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews. - Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, at least every two weeks. - Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team, and providing guidance on career paths. - As required, identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies. - Encourage the adoption of gender-sensitive analysis and practices among all direct reports.

Strategy, Learning, and Organizational Culture Change

- Champion an organizational culture shift from a focus on data being primarily for donor reporting or indicator calculation purposes, to a focus on using data for programmatic course correction and other decision making. - Champion an organizational culture shift to increase respect for and use of client feedback, contextual analysis, and gender analysis. - Support greater sharing and use of gender-sensitive monitoring data, feedback, context analysis, and lessons learned within and across IRC’s programmatic sectors, including by contributing to program development and design, to ensure that interventions are responsive to the needs of clients and are informed by a sound understanding of the context. - Ensure consistency of indicators across programs, with the goal of developing systems and procedures that measure country-wide performance and achievements towards outcomes (e.g. by using IRC’s publicly available Outcomes and Evidence Framework) and strategic commitments.

Key Working Relationships

Position reports to: Deputy Director of Programs

Direct reporting: MEAL Managers

Other internal contacts: Technical Coordinators (health, ERD, PRoL, WPE and education/Senior PlayMatters Coordinator), Grants Coordinator and Manager, County Director, Deputy Director of Finance, Deputy Director of Operations, Operations Coordinator, HR Coordinator, Field Coordinators, Regional Measurement Action Coordinator.

Qualifications

- Degree or Master’s in field relevant to Data Management, Monitoring and Evaluation. - Minimum of three to six years field experience in project and program monitoring and evaluation, including: Project Monitoring and Evaluation System Design, Management of Monitoring Systems, Project Evaluation. - Practical experience in data analysis software such as DHIS, SPSS, Excel, and Access. - Experience in managing large MEAL program and managing & capacitating people. - Proven experience in data reporting to donors. - Experience from working with Results Based Management. - Proven experience of creating data collection tools. - Proven training/capacity building skills in MEAL. - Proven dedication to ensuring that programs are sensitive to gender and responsive to client feedback. - Excellent facilitation skills, and strong understanding of how to safely and accurately collect feedback from all members of a community regardless of their age, gender, or other diversity factors. - Ability to handle multiple tasks; proven self-initiative and problem solving abilities. - Proven track record of quality performance in highly pressured environments. - Computer skills, including Word, Excel, Power-Point, and Access.

Please note: Deadline for receiving applications is October 26th 2021.

The IRC and IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

We are committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer generous 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. We welcome and strongly encourage qualified female professionals to apply.

All staff, regardless of role, are required to create a culture of client responsiveness by requesting and using client feedback data to make decisions. In addition, all staff are expected to demonstrate inclusiveness when making programmatic decisions and working with clients, partners and colleagues from diverse backgrounds. You can read more about the IRC’s commitment to client responsiveness here: https://www.rescue.org/resource/client-responsiveness-introduction-and-faq

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.