Job Title: MEAL Manager

Application deadline: 31.05.2023

Duty Station: Raqqa Government with frequent travels in North East of Syria.

Mission 1: Strategy and steering :

• Contributes to defining MEAL and Information Management action plan, implements this action planned then monitors it;
• In close collaboration with the Programme / Regional MEAL Manager and the project managers, ensures the implementation of systems for monitoring, data collection, information management, evaluation, accountability to affected populations, learning and knowledge management that are adapted to the intervention context and enable compliance with OUR ORGANIZAION standards;
• Forwards to the Programme / Regional MEAL manager any information or difficulties that could help to improve the systems;
• Helps drive the performance of the MEAL department.
• Participates in strengthening the MEAL/IM skills of partners

Mission2: Management:

• Line-manages the MEAL and IM team members with regular field visits to all 3 bases in Hassake, Raqqa, and Der Ezzor (MEAL agent, 2 IM officers).
• Manager as coach for meaning: understands the strategy, makes it explicit, translates it into operational objectives for his or her team, leads the necessary changes. Gives meaning to each management action. Encourages inter and intra departmental exchanges of practice. Encourages innovation and risk-taking.
• Operational manager: organises the operational management of his or her team, structures the work around identified processes, steers performance and facilitates the resolution of problems.
• Manager 1st HR&Coach: contributes tothe development of his or her staff, creating the conditions for their commitment, professionalism and attachment to OUR ORGANIZAION. Ensures compliance with the code of conduct of institutional policies, the state of mind and the expected individual and collective behaviour.
• Promote positive team dynamics and provide conflict resolution (personal and professional) within your team, informing the Field Coordinator of any major conflict;
• Propose relevant adaptations to the organizational chart of your team and contribution to its implementation (job descriptions, recruitment interviews, etc.), in collaboration with the Program  Coordinator and the HR department;
• Organise capacity building initiatives internally and externally when possible
• Lead in documenting and diffusing learning outputs
• Drives IM & MEAL team work plans and updates according to context and strategy per Program Coordinator and MEAL coordination guidance.

 Mission 3:Operational implementation:

Responsibility 1 : Supports projects managers and partners to implement the minimum project management processes described in  PQP (Project quality policy)

• Trains and accompanies project managers in the PQP methodology guideline sand the application on the programme.
• Ensures the proper planning and implementation of essential project management processes on each project.

 Responsibility 2: Is responsible for setting up systems for monitoring outcomes and for ensuring compliance with methodological standards to be used when conducting surveys

• Ensures thesystematicdrafting ofmonitoring plans and the regular monitoring of project indicators;
• Provides project managers and partners with technical support and trains project teams and survey or in monitoring methods and conducting surveys.I n particular, supports the design of questionnaires and survey protocols;
• According to the needs andmonitoring plans, contributes to certain surveys or monitoring activities through supervision ordirect implementation.

Responsibility 3:If there is no Database Officer in the area/country, is responsible for implementing the data and management systems defined at programme level.

• Develops databases as required and ensures the recording and processing of data for the surveys implemented.
• Contributes to the compilation of needs for data analyses and to the creation of dashboards;
• Ensures access to relevant internal and external operational information for all staff.

And in all cases:

• Responsible for the smooth working and updates of the IM system on the mission.
• Accountable for smooth data flow in respect of data cycle validation, and address any delay, unreconciled, or missing data.
• Responsible for archiving of MEAL /IM officer documents in coordination with Erbil office.
• Accountable for technical compliance of protocols and MEAL activities to MEAL coordinator

Responsibility 4: Is responsible for compliance with the OUR ORGANIZAIONstandards applicable to project evaluations

• Ensures that evaluation activities are carried out, including annual self-evaluations and follow-up to internal evaluations.
• Ensures that feedback sessions on the findings of evaluations are held with the beneficiaries and other stakeholders in the projects.

Responsibility 5: Is responsible for the application of the mechanisms defined by the Programme / Regional MEAL manager to provide accountability to affected populations

• Helps to define population accountability mechanisms and is responsible for the facilitation of these mechanisms;
• Provides regular feedback to the Programme / Regional MEAL manager on the accountability mechanisms in place to enable the continuous improvement of interventions.
• Oversees the implementation and the follow-up of the feedback and complaint mechanism (FCM) system .

Responsibility 6: Contributes to learning and the continuous improvement of OUR ORGANIZAION’s interventions

• Is responsiblefor implementing processes and methods for collecting, analysing, modelling and ownership of the knowledge produced, in accordance with the frameworks defined by the Programme / Regional MEAL manager.
• Contributes to the analyses of the information collected and the knowledge produced to strengthen collective learning;
• Ensures the sharing of knowledge produced internally on the programme and more broadly at organisation level by using our organization library.

Responsibility 7: Contributes to the external representation and promotion of OUR ORGANIZAION’s MEAL expertise.

• Represents OUR ORGANIZAION’s MEAL and IM expertise in all relevant networks in his or her geographical area of intervention.

Mission 4: Emergency preparedness and response :

• Contributes to the programme’s emergency preparedness actions and, in an emergency, adapts his or her working methods to contribute to an effective humanitarian approach by OUR ORGANIZAION’s.

Duty Station

We are an independent and impartial international aid organization working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. Working alongside persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, our action and testimony are focused on responding to their essential needs, improving their living conditions and promoting respect for their dignity and their fundamental rights.

We are a not-for-profit organization with no religious or political affiliation. It operates as a federation made up of a network of associations that provide it with human and financial resources, manage its projects and implement its actions and social mission.

This position will be based in Raqqa with frequent travels to Hasakeh and Der Ezzor governorates.

About the job

Reporting to the Regional/Standalone MEAL manager, the Area/Affiliated MEAL Manager is responsible for ensuring the proper implementation of monitoring &evaluation, accountability &learning and information management systems on the projects in the geographical area(s) to which he or she is assigned. He or she is the direct line-manager of the MEAL and Information Management teams in his or her geographical area.

Line Manager: WoS MEAL manager

Subordinates: Database Officers, MEAL Agent.

Minimum Requirements:

• Typically, a bachelor’s degree in social sciences, public health, statistics, or international development. Master’s level or a higher degree in social sciences, public health, statistics, or international development preferred. Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.
• Typically, 4+ years of relative progressive experience in the field, including minimum of 3 years of applied experience with a humanitarian organization in designing, implementing and overseeing monitoring and evaluation tasks in relevant sectors.
• Demonstrated experience supervising and managing field data collection, sampling methods, and data quality auditing in field locations.
• Demonstrated experience in managing teams and building staff capacity.
• Experience with M&E approaches for key donors such as USAID, BHA, ECHO, EU, FCDO, UN, etc. Experience in database design and other tools for information management such as Survey CTO, Survey 123;
• Experience in the use of qualitative and quantitative software for data analysis.
• Able to identify gaps in staff knowledge of MEAL concepts and skills and provide training in these topics.
• Ability to write full narrative reports (needs assessments, internal reviews, progress reports) and executive summaries.
• Understanding and experience supporting the implementation of community-based feedback mechanisms and accountability to affected populations initiatives
• Demonstrated understanding of data protection and confidentiality as part of data collection and management practices and ability to respect and maintain confidentiality.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Teams.
• Competency in using statistical software EPI-Info, SPSS, and STATA and Excel for more basic analysis.
• Possess the skills in qualitative data analysis software such as MaxQDA, NVivo, Atlas.ti or using simple thematic analysis techniques.
• Possess the skills to supervise the use of mobile data collection software such as Ona, KoboToolBox and XLSFORM coding.
• Have analytical, conceptual, and strategic thinking skills.
• High-level English proficiency (Speaking – Reading – Writing).
• High-level MISSION’S LANGUAGE proficiency (Speaking – Reading – Writing).

Management skills (identical for all managers)

• Being capable of helping team members to progress: developing his or her staff‘s ability to work autonomously
• Knowing how to position oneself so things can move forward
• Knowing how to simplify and priorities

Professional skills: MEAL/IM profession:

Emergency preparedness and response skills (see profession design template) :

  Skills shared with other professions:

     Cross-sector skills (see Cross-sector skills base) :

  Language skills (see Cross-sector skills base):