🇸🇱 Job Vacancy @ Save the Children – Senior MEAL Manager

Senior MEAL Manager Sierra Leone Country Office

Sierra Leone

Job Description

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

TEAM/PROGRAMME: PDQ- MEAL

LOCATION: COORDINATION, FREETOWN

GRADE: 2 NATIONAL ROLE

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.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Senior Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Manager will provide technical support in Sierra Leone. This position will closely support the Head of MEAL to Support the national MEAL team. The Senior MEAL Manager will work with both the Country Office and the Field Offices to ensure quality MEAL system design and implementation; evaluations and researches; MEAL budgeting; recruitment as well as support proposal writing and log frame development at national level. The post holder will support capacity building of staff and partners and ready to fill in gaps in the MEAL structure at all levels.

The Senior MEAL Manager will work across sector programs to ensure that MEAL is fully integrated into implementation. The post holder will support the Country Office to deliver on MEAL responsibilities to the Region and SCI Global.

The Senior MEAL Manager will support the implementation of accountability procedures including community feedback and response mechanisms for both development and humanitarian programs, Support compliance and assessment of quality benchmark. build capacities of staff and partners in promoting accountability and participation in Country Office s. 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 support for MEAL tasks for quality evidence-based programming.

S/he will provide MEAL supportive supervision in on-going project implementation. The Senior MEAL Manager will be highly involved in project and MEAL planning and reviews, provide support on implementation of required MEAL actions, monitoring and evaluation processes ensuring high level of child participation in these processes in operational area.

S/he will guide SC and Partner teams in tracking outcome of projects which includes but not limited to documenting success stories/ case studies in line with project activities and expected outcomes. The S/he will provide quality assurance for data and information (including progress reports) generated from their Country Office .

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: Western Area Rural and Urban MEAL Officers

Direct: MEAL Officers

Indirect : None

Budget Responsibilities: None

Role Dimensions: The Post holder will work from Coordination Office with frequent visit to project implementing sites and provide supportive supervision for all MEAL related activities. Being the focal point for data will receive short notice request from stakeholders from the field office, CO, region and center.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY :

Organizational MEAL Culture

•  Participate in the Save the Children Sierra Leone’s MEAL taskforce sessions
•  Support implementation of Country Office commitments to CO MEAL actions
•  Support the roll out and utilization of standard CO MEAL packages and tools

MEAL Planning

•  Support development/review of MEAL packages for all new projects in Country Office (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 Kickoffs in the Country Office to share draft MEAL packages for new projects.
•  Finalize/update MEAL package based on baseline information and budget

Evaluations and Assessments

•  Support MEAL related proposal development activities such as log frame, desk review and feasibility studies.
•  Support development of TOR for the recruitment of study consultant (baseline, midline and end line) and facilitate associated activities.
•  Ensure all studies achieve the design objectives such that research questions, learning agenda and values for indicators are produced.
•  Support the validation of research findings and debriefing of the procedures and outcome/ dessimination to SCI and stakeholders including beneficiaries.

Accountability and Child Participation

•  Support Country Office to implement feedback and response mechanisms – and ensure its documentation, analysis and reporting for appropriate response and decision making.
•  Maintain the quality of information generated from community feedbacks for real time response and proper oversight of the response.
•  Support field teams 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 and; other MEAL related actions for timely delivery.
•  Support integration of child participation in projects and programs implementation in line with SCI minimum standards for child participation.

Quality Assurance

•  Ensure submission of project IPTT on monthly schedule. Triangulate and validate monthly IPTT data.
•  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.
•  Conduct Quarterly Data Quality Assessments across Country Office projects.
•  Support monthly quality benchmarks assessment, analysis and reporting, sharing of the information and follow up on action points.

Management of MEAL resources

•  Develop MEAL AAPs, DIP with corresponding phased budget, in line with MEAL master budget, work plan and country MEAL framework.
•  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.

Supportive supervision, matrix management and capacity development

•  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 for efficient generation and documentation of relevant data and information.
•  Support mandatory MEAL orientation for existing and new staff in Country Office on SC Sierra Leone’s standard MEAL procedures, processes tools and guides
•  Manage MEAL Officers in the Western Area Urban and Rural Field Offices.
•  Support the recruitment of MEAL staff including review of job descriptions, assessment of the interview scripts and hiring of best fit candidate.

Knowledge Management; Learning and sharing

•  Support 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 in Country Office .
•  Manage and maintain a master Area IPPT and activity tracker for Country Office in a shared folder.
•  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 Country Office snapshots status of achievements against set targets.
•  Manage sensitive information generated from community feedback, such as level 3, 4, 5 and 6 complaints.
•  Support the operationalization of an integrated web-based Monitoring & Evaluation/Geographic Information Database System in Country Office .
•  Collate, document and share lessons leant from project delivery, evaluations and research
•  Seek opportunities for information sharing and learning exchanges with local actors/INGOs at local level.
•  Support 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.
•  Support project reviews and 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. from the Country Office .
•  Take Support in generating quarterly KPI reports including quality benchmark, accountability, common approach and periodic Country Strategic Plan Milestone/ score card review at field office.

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.
•  Support 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 PDQ 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 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 Supporting to timely and accurate reporting

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 researches 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 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

•  A degree level in Social Science – Statistics, Economics or equivalent field experience.
•  Recommended a minimum of six years management and/or MEAL experience in both emergency and development contexts, preferably with solid experience in more than two of the Save the Children priority sectors: education, protection, rights governance, HIV/AIDs, health and nutrition, and emergencies

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

•  Demonstrated strong monitoring and evaluation skills, including planning, participating in and critically reviewing evaluations.
•  Proficiency in computer skills, especially ability to work with MS Word, MS Excel, Power Point , data collection/ management and analysis software etc in support of T4D
•  Ability to think and analyze 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.
•  A high level of qualitative and quantitative data analysis competency
•  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

•  Experience working with SCI on MEAL is highly 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 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 SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Women and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply

About Us

The Organization We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard. We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

•  No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
•  All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
•  Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children.We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

Application Information: Please apply using a cover letter and up-to-date CV as a single document. Please also include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations. A copy of the full role profile can be found at www.savethechildren.net/jobs We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Job Info

•  Job Identification 4127
•  Job Category Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning
•  Posting Date 10/27/2023, 06:11 PM
•  Apply Before 11/09/2023, 11:59 PM
•  Job Schedule Full time
•  Locations CO - Freetown

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