MEAL Coordinator at International Rescue Committee

Position overview

• The MEAL Coordinator will provide leadership and management oversight to ensure that the Sudan XB program develops and achieves MEAL commitments.The MEAL Coordinator ensures that monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and data management systems are in place, sufficiently resourced, and successfully implemented from collection to visualization. 
• The MEAL Coordinator will ensure that MEAL principles are integrated into every step of the project cycle. In support of these goals, this role provides technical assistance, facilitates capacity sharing, and ensures ongoing mentoring and training in MEAL concepts for IRC and partner staff including continuous improvements of program quality based on data, feedback, and learning.
• The MEAL Coordinator reports to the Deputy Director for Programs. This is a remote position with expected 60% travel to Sudan,   including to remote locations. 

Responsibilities

Technical Oversight

• Provide technical leadership to ensure strong data systems and processes throughout the project cycle for both IRC and partner projects, 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. 
• Participate in partner capacity assessments and evaluate the strength of partners’ MEAL systems. Identify actionable areas for learning and technical support.  
• 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 and partners 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 partners have sufficient MEAL budget and structure.
• 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. 
• 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 standard mobile data technology and online dashboards to enhance 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 

• Lead all aspects of MEAL functions across multiple sectors and multiple geographical areas.
• Champion an organizational culture where data is routinely analyzed, reviewed and 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.
• Contribute to regional and global MEAL initiatives as required and participate in regional MEAL cross-learning events and activities.

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.
• Design and implement capacity sharing plans with partner MEAL staff including MEAL capacity assessments, MEAL sharing/capacity building gaps, and MEAL capacity and system support

Other

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

Qualifications

• A minimum of six years of work experience within MEAL-related functions, including experience leading data collection and analysis for multi-sector and multi-donor humanitarian programs.  
• Willingness and ability to travel approximately 60% of the time, including to remote and low-resource locations
• Leadership experience in MEAL and demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through training and mentoring.
• 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.
• 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 advance planning and organizational skills. Able to effectively prioritize and follow multiple activities and deadlines simultaneously. 
• Professional fluency in spoken and written English is required. Proficiency in Arabic preferred. 
• Previous experience in a conflict-affected or protracted crisis setting strongly preferred. 
• Previous experience in remote management strongly preferred.