MEAL MANAGER DRA-EU Consortium

TITLE: MEAL MANAGER DRA-EU Consortium  

TEAM/PROGRAMME:  

Programme Development and Quality

LOCATION: South Sudan, Juba  GRADE: 2

CONTRACT LENGTH: 1 Years

 

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

 

Level 3:   the role 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 in country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

 

 

ROLE PURPOSE:

 

The MEAL Manager will provide leadership to MEAL consortium unit within their area of responsibility for undertaking responsibilities as per South Sudan MEAL framework. 

• The staff member will ensure development and functioning of systems for enabling quality programme development and implementation. 
• The staff member will support the rollout of MEAL system across DRA-EU consortium Programane, and ensure that accountability standards are integrated into all aspects of Save the Children’s programming in South Sudan. 
• The staff member will be responsible for building the capacity of relevant MEAL staff and lead MEAL staff  in undertaking initiatives for effective support provision to programme management in terms of Quality Assurance. 
• The staff member will be the direct line manager of the MEAL team in the consortium.
• The staff member will be responsible for contributing to proposal development and strategy planning, and promoting and fostering a culture of shared learning and accountability to children and their families. 
• S/he rolls out a MEAL system for 
  • Tracking all projects within the operational area against targets, via ensuring validated trackers are in place, including but not limited to IPTTs, Output Trackers, Distribution Trackers.
  • Ensure that all projects have adequate MEAL Plans in place.
  • Monitoring projects against program quality benchmarks.
  • Ensuring accountability to children/communities in SCI programing through establishing systems for information sharing, participation and feedback handling.
  • Lead/Support undertaking internal/external evaluations.
  • Enable organizational learning through archiving findings of the MEAL systems.

Support humanitarian programs within their area/zone of responsibility in terms of MEAL as needed.

 

 

SCOPE OF ROLE: 

 

Reports to: Consortium Manager with dotted line to Head of MEAL

Staff reporting to this post:

Direct: Partner MEAL Coordinators, Officers

Indirect : SC MEAL staff in field offices

 

Budget Responsibilities: The head ofMEAL is responsible for overseeing MEAL budgeting components during proposal development as well as monitoring budget expenditure on these components. Ensures that the % of budget allocated to MEAL activities for new proposals submitted including MEAL Staff or project staff with specific MEAL responsibilities; MEAL training for staff/partners or for MEAL team; Needs assessment or equivalent; Monitoring visits specific to MEAL system requirements; Baselines, mid-terms (if applicable) and endlines; Evaluations and/or audits; Publications/disseminations; Sharing information; Participation; Feedback / Complaint systems; Learning and Review sessions; Research; Equipment & usage and Software among other components.

 

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

General management

• As a senior member of the South Sudan Country Programme, demonstrate behaviours that are consistent with Save the Children’s Mission, Vision and Values and ensure their broader application by staff across the programme.
• Contribute to a conducive and productive work environment and to the wider country programme agenda.
• Provide overall leadership to MEAL team for ensuring effective contribution to Quality Assurance, Accountability to children/communities and institutional learning throughout the programing in South Sudan.
• Participate actively in MEAL and PDQ meetings, planning and review activities, providing enhanced insight into programme quality and accountability systems.
• Travel frequently to ensure that adequate oversight and capacity building is provided to the MEAL staff in the position’s area of responsibility. 
• Carry out the responsibilities of the role in a way which reflects Save the Children’s commitment to safeguarding children, in accordance with our Code of Conduct and Child Safeguarding Policy.
• Comply with and promote Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

 

Under the direct supervision of Head of MEAL, and with support from MEAL and PDQ staff, the MEAL Manager will be responsible for:

 

Ensure functioning of MEAL Systems as per the SCI MEAL approach

• Monitoring projects against program quality benchmarks.
• Ensuring accountability to children/communities in SCI programing through establishing systems for information sharing, participation and feedback handling.
• Lead/Support on undertaking internal/external evaluations.
• Lead/Support on needs assessments.
• Enable organizational learning through archiving findings of the MEAL systems.
• Ensure data protection requirements are adhered to by all staff.

 

System Design and Promoting MEAL

• Promote all aspects of MEAL to support the creation of an organisational culture which prioritises quality programming, including alignment with SCI Programme Quality Framework and South Sudan MEAL Framework.
• Build strong relationships with colleagues and provide support as required to ensure MEAL system is understood and supported at country office level.
• Lead planning of needs assessments in coordination with sector leads and other agencies, where necessary, ensuring assessment findings are documented and include an analysis of children’s needs. Lead development of Save the Children programme baseline surveys where required.
• Lead on the the roll-out of an organisational MEAL framework in line with SCI MOS and ensuring accountability to donors and beneficiaries.  The MEAL Framework should include robust quality assurance systems, rigorous complaints and response mechanisms, and effective learning methods. 
• Support sector technical staff to design tools for monitoring and evaluation of project activities as agreed in MEAL framework.
• Ensures establishment of key indicators for each sector and tracking of data across projects to establish the broader impact on children from all interventions.
• Work closely with the Programme Operations team to extract support for ensuring functioning of independent MEAL system to track project implementation leading to enhanced quality, accountability, management and impact, including feeding into new proposal development and sharing lessons learned. 
• Set up systems to manage complex information generated by MEAL activities, such as complaints databases and qualitative outcome monitoring data systems.   Conduct statistical and qualitative data analysis and present and disseminate information to inform programme management at all levels of management within a response. Seek solutions for more complex data management requirements by working with IT colleagues, leading development of databases etc.
• Support Thematic TSs and Programme Managers to design programmes in compliance with the Sphere Standards and Red Cross Code of Conduct. 
• Lead planning, implementation and follow-up of evaluations (real times, evaluations of humanitarian action etc.) Participate in evaluations where required.
• Oversee the design and implementation of accountability mechanisms at field level, such as complaints response mechanisms – working on community assessment, design, implementation, review etc. 
• Support technical specialists, Area Managers and Programme Managers through a functioning MEAL system to ensure that projects are carried out with participation from all disaster-affected communities (including children), that information is shared with affected communities (through traditional and high-tech solutions) and that they solicit and respond to community feedback

 

Programme Design and MEAL Resources

• Ensure that MEAL is an integral part of the programme design stage and features in all proposal development. 
• Support fundraising efforts, including logframe development, drafting narrative MEAL sections, and review to ensure MEAL activities and costs are adequately covered. Develop standard guidance for incorporation of MEAL costs into proposals in specific responses
• Ensure that MEAL resources are included in proposal development as per the MEAL Budgeting benchmark and work creatively to secure funding from diverse sources, to ensure that MEAL is integrated in emergency and development programmes in a sustainable way. 
• Responsible for effectively managing the MEAL budget.

 

Promoting Learning for Strategy Development and Decision Making

• Develop a clear agenda and inclusive process for learning and reflection, which informs planning.
• Ensure that information and findings from across thematic and operational regions are consolidated into the Lessons Learned database, which allows analysis of impact and promotion of learning and strategy development for the whole organisation.
• In collaboration with the Research & Evaluation Specialist, lead/support on formation of ToR and selection of consultants for evaluations and provide technical review of progress and final reports.  Synthesise this information to improve organisatonal performance and impact for children.
• 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. 
• Promote participatory learning processes with communities, parents and children. 
• Ensure that child participation and child safeguarding is integrated into solid design and delivery.

 

Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development 

• Line manage MEAL staff as required, consistent with SCI HR policy and MEAL Framework of South Sudan.
• Creating a shared understanding of MEAL framework and systems in South Sudan; this requires creating cohesion with the field MEAL staff working in different geographic areas.
• Identify learning and training opportunities for MEAL and other staff and act as a mentor and role model for less experienced staff.
• Conduct training and awareness raising activities for operations and programme technical staff at field and country-office level regarding MEAL priorities and quality standards.
• Support the field-based MEAL staff on work planning and problem-solving.
• At the organisational level, support orientation on MEAL framework across the key departments.
• Aquire support for MEAL team from all relevant departments to enable the in undertaking responsibilities as per MEAL framework. 

 

Internal Reporting

• Responsible to ensure that the organisation delivers on all internal SCI MEAL requirements in a timely manner and with high quality information, including reporting on SCI global indicators, total direct and indirect reach data, and GI. 
• Develop systems to ensure monitoring of child participation, gender equity, integration, and other programme quality indicators, as relevant and required.
• Ensure that the MEAL team oversees a clear system of feedback and response from key stakeholders, particularly children, and presents the information to SMT for decision making purposes.

 

 

 

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 themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their 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 AND EXPERIENCE

Essential

• BA or BSc in a relevant subject or equivalent field experience
• At least 5 years of experience in MEAL, in an humanitarian or fragile states context
• Demonstrated skills setting up and rolling out MEAL systems
• Strong experience in information management systems
• Experience of, and commitment to working through systems of community participation and accountability
• Previous experience of managing a team, capacity to supervise, train and coach staff
• Demonstrated strong monitoring and evaluation skills, including planning/participating in evaluations
• Ability to work both in an advisory and a hands on implementation capacity
• Ability to write clear and well-argued assessment and project reports
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
• Excellent communication skills; Excellent written and spoken English 
• The capacity and willingness to be flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
• Commitment to the aims and principles of SC. In particular, a good understanding of the SC  mandate and commitment to child participation.

Desirable

• Prior experience with Save the Children International highly desired
• Experience in both implementation and design desirable
• Experience or knowledge of working and living in South Sudan desirable; local language skills desirable

 

 

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 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.

 

Safeguarding our Staff:

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy

 

Humanitarian response

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

 

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.