Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Manager

Position: Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Manager

Reports to: Program Director

Location: Juba – South Sudan, with travel to field offices in country

About RI:

Relief International is a leading nonprofit organization working in 20 countries to relieve poverty, ensure well-being and advance dignity. We specialize in fragile settings, responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises and chronic poverty.

Relief International combines humanitarian and development approaches to provide immediate services while laying the groundwork for long-term impact. Our signature approach — which we call the RI Way—emphasizes local participation, an integration of services, strategic partnerships, and a focus on civic skills. In this way, we empower communities to find, design and implement the solutions that work best for them.

RI believes that gender equality is a basic right for all people, and it is critical to directly address gender-based discrimination and promote gender equality in order to ensure sustainable development.

Position Summary:

The MEAL Manager will bring significant experience and fresh ideas to lead on MEAL system implementation, review and evaluations, MEAL budgeting, recruitment, as well as support to proposal writing and log frame development. The post holder will ensure that all Relief International and Partner projects are supported to ensure quality, effectiveness and appropriateness of their programs. It will be important for the post-holder to capture lessons learned and communicate this information in various capacities to improve on-going and future programming. S/he will guide Relief International and Partner teams to maintain an effective monitoring system across all sectors, including the use of beneficiary feedback data, to assure the quality of interventions. The MEAL Manager will lead on building capacity of staff and partners on MEAL but particularly on accountability and participation, with a specific focus on children.

Ultimately, s/he will ensure that the program has evidence-based knowledge to inform the direction of the program from assessments and regular program monitoring documents. Special attention should be paid to the positive and negative impact that interventions have in communities, marginalized and disabled persons. This analysis will need to be made available to all Relief International staff and external stakeholders where appropriate.

Position Responsibilities and Duties:

The MEAL Manager’s specific responsibilities are as follows:

MEAL System Design

• Lead on the development and oversee the roll-out of an organizational MEAL system (for emergency response programs), ensuring accountability to donors and beneficiaries
• Promote all aspects of MEAL to support the creation of an organizational culture which prioritizes quality programming
• Build strong relationships with colleagues and provide support as required to ensure MEAL system is understood and supported at field and capital office level
• Work closely with the programme teams to ensure that MEAL becomes an integral element of project implementation leading to enhanced quality, accountability and impact.
• Ensure that MEAL is an integral part of the programme design stage and features in all proposal development.
• Ensure that MEAL resources are included in proposal development and work creatively to secure funding from diverse sources, to ensure that MEAL is integrated in emergency and development programs in a sustainable way.

Internal Reporting

• Responsible to ensure that the organization delivers on all internal M&E requirements in a timely manner and with high quality information to support program reporting as per donor contractual requirements.
• Identify and introduce new elements (systems, tools, processes) required under the MEAL system and project management/development by MEAL team members
• Receive regular field monitoring and accountability reports from MEAL Team Leads and circulate to the country office teams, ensuring that action plans are included and followed up and that SMT reviews reports regularly

Staff Management and Capacity Development

• Head the mission’s MEAL team; form a solid team identity within the organization and create cohesion between team members working in different geographic areas.
• Manage the MEAL team to ensure that the MEAL system operates effectively with the support and resources required and that there are clear links and reporting lines between field and capital office level and between MEAL and other program departments.
• Support the MEAL team progress on specific projects, providing management oversight on progress and problem-solving in case of challenges.
• Define expectations, provide leadership and technical support as needed so that MEAL staff are able to perform their roles as required
• Manage the performance of direct reports in the MEAL unit through performance management, coaching, mentoring, training and development.
• At the organizational level, devise and manage a MEAL training programme with the goal of increasing capacity and awareness of MEAL for all staff. Assess training needs and engage MEAL team staff to roll-out the training programme.

Promote Learning for Strategic Development and Decision Making

• Ensure that data brought together and findings from across thematic and operational regions form a coherent basis for analysis of impact which promotes learning and strategy development for the whole organization.
• Lead on monitoring and improving the synergy and integration of thematic programs to enhance delivery of outstanding results for targeted communities
• Communicate top level learning / analysis reports and monitoring data to ensure that management is able to make informed decisions on a timely basis to scale up and face operational challenges

External Reporting and Representation

• Ensure external accountability to donors through the implementation of timely and quality MEAL activities leading to timely and accurate reporting
• Ensure that high quality analysis reports to illustrate Relief International’s impact and assessment findings are produced, including evidence of good practice and replicable programs, and that they are communicated at appropriate events.
• Ensure that Relief International is represented at relevant Donor, inter-NGO, and government level meetings at the field level (related to MEAL) to enhance inter-agencies best practices sharing and learning

Living Conditions/Environmental Conditions

This position is based in Juba, South Sudan and requires up to (40%) travel to field office locations within the country, and offers an opportunity to join a diverse and open workplace, with a team committed to inclusion, innovation, and personal development. We also offer:

• Self-contained living accommodation (own bedroom, kitchenette and sitting area) in a very safe shared compound in Juba.
• 6-week R&R cycle with a financial contribution towards the R&R costs
• Very competitive compensation, Danger Pay and daily post differential among other benefits
• Access to RI’s award-winning learning management system with a wide menu of training resources, and internal/external training courses.

Qualifications & requirements:

This position demands a dynamic individual with a demonstrated ability to achieve results in a demanding and fast paced environment.

• B.A required, Master’s degree preferred; academic or equivalent work experience in Statistics, Social Development or equivalent
• Minimum of 3 years working experience as MEAL Lead in complex humanitarian settings, with knowledge of integrated Health, WASH Nutrition FSL and Protection programming
• Wide experience in effective strategic level communication and coordination with national partners, central and local authorities, NGO partners, UN agencies and other relevant stakeholders
• In-depth knowledge of international development programming
• An understanding of the operating context in the South Sudan (preferred)
• Excellent writing and research skills and computer literacy, including previous donor report writing experience
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate complex activities, meet deadlines, and exercise sound judgment
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a team or independently
• Fluency in English and strong English writing skills are required
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, stressful environment. Must be flexible, willing to perform other duties and work irregular hours
• Excellent time management skills and resourcefulness with strong attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, public speaking, and strategic planning skill
• Demonstrable experience in capacity development
• Strong people management skills.

RI Values:
We uphold the Humanitarian Principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and operational independence. We affirmatively engage the most vulnerable communities.

We value:

• Inclusiveness
• Transparency and Accountability
• Agility and Innovation
• Collaboration
• Sustainability