Position Title: Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator
TEAM/PROGRAMME: Programme Development and Quality (PDQ)
GRADE: 3
LOCATION: Kosova/o
POST TYPE: National
Child Safeguarding: Level 3 - the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people.
ROLE PURPOSE:
MEAL Coordinator is responsible for working with Program Development and Quality (PDQ) Manager to guide thematic programme and project teams to achieve effective monitoring, evaluation, impact assessment, review, reporting, accountability towards the beneficiaries of our interventions. The MEAL coordinator will lead the design, establishment and implementation of the program learning agenda that will include baseline assessments, cross-thematic analysis, internal periodic evaluations, assessment and documentation of learning processes for each award. In coordination with Thematic Experts, with in-house resources, the MEAL coordinator will be responsible to ensure a culture of adaptive learning across the Country Office program. Other key areas include
a) Development and implementation of the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) systems for project and new fundraising opportunities;
b) assisting in the compilation and analysis of program outcomes, data and learning;
c) lead technical design and implementation of complex studies, research, and surveys,
d) set-up and implement accountability to beneficiary mechanisms, monitor programme quality, raise red flags and support programme learning.
e) serves as the Gender Focal Point for the Country Office, ensuring that all MEAL activities and programming are gender-sensitive and contribute to gender-transformative change.
The position will be required to travel 30-40 % of the time to Save the Children field locations/municipalities.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: PDQ Manager
Staff directly reporting to this post: MEAL Officer.
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
Planning and Reporting:
- Participate in programme development and planning activities, including budget planning with respect to MEAL activities;
- In coordination with Business Development Coordinator and Thematic Experts, lead the development of SMART outcomes and indicators during project design and proposal development that align with Save the Children’s global frameworks and international and national outcomes and indicators in the area of child rights.
- Lead the MEAL roll out plan and of each award, in alignment with field context of SCIK geographical footprint and lessons learned.
- Ensure indicator data quality and consistency by developing standardized Performance indicator reference sheet (PIRS) for each award.
- Establish plans and ways of working of data collection and data reporting for all awards
- Produce MEAL summaries for reporting as required by donors and SCI
- Ensure all projects meet SC MEAL essential standards and are gender-transformative at the relevant extent for each intervention
- Responsible to consolidate data from other staff members and report to PDQ Manager the quality KPI report on quarterly basis.
- Identify MEAL objectives, priorities, and activities required for effective CO and partner Emergency Preparedness and Response Plans.
- Ensure timely development of internal and external MEAL reports and related deliverables; verify accuracy, timeliness and appropriateness of information, by working closely Programme Implementation (PI) staff.
- Ensure compliance with recommended MEAL guidelines, formats and standards of SCI, including testing and roll-out of new tools for project management with all staff.
- Track MEAL reporting deadlines for active awards; in conjunction with PI team and Awards, review as a final means of quality assurance donor reports.
- Prepare consolidated annual program reports and organize appropriate learning to disseminate key achievements and lessons learnt.
- In humanitarian response situations, provide support for one or more rapid assessments (inter-agency or independently if necessary) to be carried out within the first 48-72 hours.
- Ability and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming surge teams, in the event of emergency.
- Lead collection of Total Reach data for Country Annual Reporting
- Effectively use the PRIME (Project Reporting, Information Management and Evidence) system to support monitoring, evaluation, and reporting activities across the project lifecycle, ensuring that quality data is consistently captured, analysed, and used for reporting, decision-making and adaptive management.
- Quality Monitoring:
- Ensure the development and monitor Programme Quality Benchmarks, with input from the programme team (project managers, technical experts).
- Use process, output and outcome level quality benchmarks as reference to undertake field monitoring visits, focusing on program quality aspects and accountability to beneficiaries, discuss with relevant staff and share reports with relevant colleagues
- Support the programme team to develop and comprehend data collection tools
- Support and work with program team to regularly collect data related to project indicators in collaboration with PI team, geographical coordinators Perform regular field visits to ensure the quality of data collected by program staff and to verify the accuracy of reported data
- Support the preparation of country level analytic reports on the status of child rights issues when opportunities emerge to influence developmental and social policies.
- Accountability:
- Serve as Accountability Focal Point for the office with 25% LoE.
- Serve as Gender Focal Point for the office with a dedicated focus on promoting gender equity in program design, implementation, monitoring, and reporting.
- Lead collection of accountability data from field, analyse it and share with the National Office, Regional Office and Centre teams.
- Compile and analyse data on a monthly basis and share it with program teams at various levels.
- Ensure safe children’s participation with gender inclusion, reporting back to children, and child-led MEAL.
- Support the programme team to maintain Complaint and Feedback Mechanism and other Feedback Collection tools within various awards to respond to complaints/concerns/feedback from beneficiaries and maintain the database of responses.
- Ensure MEAL systems capture inclusion of marginalized and vulnerable groups (e.g., children with disabilities, ethnic minorities) and are sensitive to climate-related risks and resilience factors.
- Evaluations and Research:
- In collaboration with program staff , lead the design and coordinate evaluations and research activities and ensure effective and ethical data collection.
- Ensure adherence to data protection standards, including informed consent, confidentiality, and secure storage of data in line with SCI policies and international good practices.
- Lead the development of baseline, midline and endline Terms of Reference, in close coordination with project and award teams
- Supervise the development of data collection tools proposed for evaluation activities and develop & adapt tools where needed.
- Perform all types of quantitative analyses (descriptive and inferential analyses) using appropriate software (SPSS and/or STATA) as necessary for project research and evaluations.
- Learning:
- Work with program teams to utilise data from trackers for quality improvement;
- Set up Learning tools for periodic tracking and reporting, in line with PMM requirements; Document good practices, lessons learned and feedback captured from program participants (adults and children) and other stakeholders to influence and guide the design and implementation of our programmes - (action research);
- Organize learning events and workshops for program units to document lessons learnt, good practices and areas for improvement.
- Facilitate structured learning sessions such as after-action reviews meetings to translate data insights into program adaptations.
- Capacity Building and Partnership
- Identify capacity gaps and work with the PDQ manager to build the capacity of the program staff, especially the PI team, to ensure smooth implementation of quality MEAL systems for the office programming
- Provide technical assistance and support to regular inquiries of partners, accross all awards, on MEAL-related issues to ensure effective data collection and tracking, quality reporting, participatory evaluations and improved partner capacity over time
- Provide technical guidance and capacity strengthening to staff and partners on gender-sensitive and gender-transformative MEAL approaches, including the use of sex- and age-disaggregated data and gender analysis in reporting and evaluations.
- Knowledge Management and Evidence-Building
- Under the direction of the PDQ Manager , develop and implement a strategy for knowledge generation and evidence building for identifying, generating, sorting, retrieving, validating, sharing and disseminating information in a more efficient and effective manner.
- Ensure the NO is accountable to programming, partnering, and organizing for gender equality, in alignment with the responsibilities of the Gender Focal Point role..
- Ensure that research and evidence building activities are comprehensive and cover overall advocacy and reporting needs of the programme. Ensure research findings are communicated to Save the Children International and other partners to strengthen evidence-based programming.
- Ensure the establishment of systems that will enable Save the Children staff to access a centralized information system and maintain a resource library in conjunction with other staff.
- Ensure that children’s involvement in monitoring and evaluation is both pragmatic and meaningful
- Work with Advocacy and Communications colleagues to translate monitoring and evaluation findings into accessible messages to inform advocacy and public engagement.
- Innovation
- Ensure that the office MEAL system is in line with latest SCI requirements and tools for efficient MEAL processes
- Lead the testing and piloting of new program interventions and innovations and documenting their results, to support adaptations to innovative ways of conducting MEAL
- Support SC to build the global evidence base about how to achieve important changes for children through piloting initiatives supported by the office
- Promote and support the use of digital data collection and visualization tools for real-time monitoring and learning.
- Additional: Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to Child Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct, Personal Safety and Security, other relevant policies and procedures.
- SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our 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 themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
- Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
- Future orientated, thinks strategically
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.
- QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- Master's Degree in Social Sciences, Statistics, or International development
- A minimum of 3 years experience in designing, implementing, and overseeing monitoring and evaluation tasks in a (I)NGO environment
- Demonstrated experience in applying gender-sensitive and inclusive approaches to MEAL, including the ability to analyse and report on sex- and age-disaggregated data and intersectional vulnerabilities.
- Knowledge of donor arena in the development sector and experience of developing proposals
- Proven experience with qualitative and quantitative research tools and software
- Experience with digital data collection, management, and visualization tools such as KoboToolbox, Power BI or similar platforms.
- Excellent IT [Microsoft Office] skills
- Strong analytical and conceptual skills to support innovation, change and development
- Ability to identify and analyse gaps in staff knowledge of MEAL concepts and skills and provide relevant trainings, as needed
- Ability to positively influence cross departmental and cross sector working
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Strong facilitation and presentation skills
- Ability and willingness to travel to all parts of the country
- Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles including rights-based approaches.
- Fluency in written and spoken English
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 SCiK Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.
Child Safeguarding:
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.
Health and Safety:
The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCiK Health and Safety policies and procedures.
This position was originally posted by STC and has been curated by PurposePhil Career. To apply, please visit the original listing on the "apply" link below. We are not affiliated with the employer organization of this job ad or consultancy, and provide this curated listing as a service to our users.
