Job Details

ROLE PURPOSE:  

The MEAL Coordinator provides strategic oversight and technical leadership for MEAL inside the area office. The incumbent will work to line manage and capacity strengthening of MEAL team (officer, assistants) in the role and provide strategic insight, and advise and support selected projects portfolio inside the area to assure a data management quality process, adapted to new technologies and promote the learning and evidence for programming improvement. This role will be technical supported by the MEAL Area Manager, working closely for projects technical support with MEAL Advisers and other roles inside the national MEAL Direction. Will directly report to the MEAL Area Manager.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY :  

MEAL System  

• Review and build on existing MiE Preparedness actions by the response and ensure the use of the MEAL in Emergencies (MiE) System Quality Benchmarks, SCI MiE Procedure and Accountability Procedure;  

• Ensure that MEAL, area operations and project staff understand the various steps and tools for the MEAL system and that this is used consistently across projects / areas; 

• Support field level MEAL teams to conduct quality monitoring against international standards through participatory methodologies (including child-friendly methodologies); 

• Provide technical support and participate as required in all other aspects of ME&A at field level, for example surveys, assessments, baselines, evaluations, joint projects reviews / lessons learning workshops/events. 

• Guide MEAL team actions  following up the SOP procedures for MEAL (in emergencies, monitoring, evaluation, learning and accountability) and developing adaptations of those procedures according to their area context. 

Technical MEAL Support and Capacity Building 

• Provide management/leadership and technical support to SC and partner organizations MEAL staff in specified area offices to ensure that the MEAL system is operational in all related projects; 

• Contribute at the field level towards the creation of an organisational culture that promotes MEAL and understands its link to quality and accountable programming for the specific thematic areas or projects; 

• Assist the SC and partner organizations MEAL staff at field level to form a solid MEAL team identity within the area office and create cohesion between team members working in different sites and on different projects;  

• Provide trainings and capacity building for field-level staff as required on MEAL; 

• With support from the Accountability Coordinator and guiding the accountability officer, ensure all areas are progressing against the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) on accountability including through mainstreaming information sharing in all projects and piloting complaints response mechanisms.  

Response Level MEAL Support  

• Ensure that regular monitoring and accountability (i.e. CRM database) reports are received and communicated effectively to the MEAL Area Manager and thematic programme teams in area. 

• As required by the MEAL Area Manager and field level MEAL teams support on the design and roll-out of standardised monitoring tools and methodologies. Provide technical assistance and capacity building for staff in how to use and maximize use of tools and methodologies. 

• Ensure that periodic field level reports include accurate key data summaries and brief narrative descriptors of previous period’s achievements/challenges and future period’s planned activities in relevant areas;  

• As requested by the MEAL Area Manager provide input on programme design; 

• Be an integral part of the response-based MEAL team and create strong relationships with the Programme Implementation Strategy team, ensuring that field level information is communicated at CO level; 

• Lead the process of undertaking data quality assurance in project sites and Quality Benchmarks application inside all projects. 

• Verify and support that all partners MEAL performance, activities and agreements are aligned with the logframes, MEAL Plans and technical adequate structure alongside with MEAL officers and assistants.  

• Support MEAL team to develop learning activities inside the projects and regular inside the area office in order to achieve programmatic improvement based on good practice and learning, following their learning agendas and the national agenda/plan.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (SCI 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 

• BSc/ MSc degree in an area of social development or equivalent  

• Fluency in Ukrainian, Russian and English, both verbal and written, preferred 

• Commitment to Save the Children values 

• Experience working with monitoring, evaluation, learning, and accountability with International Organizations or inside SC, preferred.  

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS 

Essential 

• Recommended a minimum of 5 years management and/or MEAL experience in a both emergency and development contexts, preferably with solid experience in more than one of the Save the Children priority sectors: education, protection, rights governance, food security and livelihoods, health and nutrition, and emergencies. Experience in setting up a MEAL system in CVA programming a plus. 

• Professional proficiency in MS Office suite 

• Proven experience designing and conducting quantitative household surveys and qualitative studies, including calculating sample sizes, selecting a sampling methodology, developing data collection tools and training enumerators 

• Proven experience conducting quantitative and qualitative data analysis and interpreting results, and experience using statistical software 

• Experience using KoBo Toolbox, ODK, CommCare or other mobile data collection software  

• Experience implementing and operationalizing child-friendly and inclusive Accountability to Children and Communities (ACC) systems, including feedback and reporting systems 

• Willingness and ability to travel to emergency contexts. 

• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching 

• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures 

• Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mind-sets 

• 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 and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming surge teams, in the event of emergencies