JOB DESCRIPTION

TITLE: SENIOR MONITORING, EVALUATION, ACCOUNTABILITY AND LEARNING (MEAL) MANAGER – GCF

TEAM/PROGRAMME: PDQ- MEAL

LOCATION: FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE (with frequent travel to project 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 Senior MEAL Manager to lead the MEAL processes/procedures for the Sierra Leone Coastal Resilience Project. This role holder 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.

This project will be one of the largest community-based adaptation projects ever delivered in West Africa. Mainly funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), it has been designed to improve the climate resilience of communities across 5 coastal districts of Sierra Leone. It will increase communities’ resilience to climate variability, extremes and change, and build the adaptive capacity required to ensure communities can maintain a good quality of life in the face of climate change. The project will do this by:

1. Community mainstreaming of climate change adaptation through governance, partnerships, education and training,
2. Enhancing climate resilience of food production systems and value chains to secure food and livelihoods, especially for women, youth and children
3. Delivering ecosystems-based adaptation for coastal protection and natural resources

The project is extremely ambitious in scope. It will intervene in five districts and 75 coastal communities; and covers several thematic areas, including: Governance; WASH; education; livelihoods; climate change adaptation; and ecosystems rehabilitation, with the key focus on livelihoods, and ecosystems rehabilitation. Due to this broad focus, experience working across multiple sectoral areas would be an advantage for the Snr MEAL Manager role.

The SLCRP is a partnership between the Government of Sierra Leone through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Save the Children International Sierra Leone, supported by four other NGO implementing partners. The project will be managed by a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) which will sit within the Save the Children International Sierra Leone office, overseeing staff within the EPA and the other NGO partners.

The Snr. MEAL Manager will ensure that all MEAL systems are designed (MEAL Plan, IPTT, data collection tools and applications etc.) 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 the Project Director, Technical Specialists, Programme Manager, the Snr 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 Snr. 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 Snr. 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: One MEAL Coordinator and one MEAL Officers 

Indirect : None

Budget Responsibilities: None

Role Dimensions: The Post holder will work from Save the Children’s Freetown coordination office. The expectation will be for frequent visits to the field (at least once per month). 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, PRME 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 Officer 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 or stakeholders.
• Identify MEAL training needs of staff 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 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 and transfer and sharing of information across field offices and Coordination.
• Manage and maintain a master project IPPT, activity tracker and PRIME MEAL modules.
• Participate in the inputting of output and outcome data in the Project on track Power app.
• 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 brought together and findings from across thematic and operational regions to form a coherent basis for analysis of impact which promotes 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 is able to make informed decisions on a timely basis to scale up and face operational challenges.
• Support the dissemination of knowledge, data and learning in coordination with the Ministry of Climate Change and the Save the Children United Kingdom and Australia’s Green Climate Fund Support team.
• 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 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 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 child poverty including livelihood and climate change, and other integrated thematic areas such as education, protection, rights governance and health and nutrition.

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 analyse 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 procedures.

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 at all times, 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