Emergency MEAL Coordinator

The Emergency MEAL Coordinator provides leadership and management oversight to develop and achieve MEAL commitments in emergency contexts across IRC. The role ensures data and learning are applied towards continuous improvements in emergency response program quality and evidence-based program design through rapid multi-sector needs assessments and MEAL system development.

Responsibilities

• Lead multi-sector team in the design, implementation, analysis and reporting of rapid multi-sector needs assessments for new emergencies to ensure client voice in response design.
• Work with partnership team to ensure that needs assessments include analysis of local systems and capacities, and where relevant lay foundation for further partner scoping.
• Develop clear Assessment Plans, budget, tools and data collection schedules to ensure speedy and organized data collection.
• Ensure the effective set-up of tools for mobile data collection (Kobo, Commcare).
• Conduct daily data quality checks throughout data collection phase to address concerns along the way.
• Produce both qualitative and quantitative analysis of data in a format that allows for clear translation into an emergency response strategy/plan.
• Facilitate inclusion of IRC strategic partners and local stakeholders in the assessment process and strategy development workshop as relevant.
• Provide MEAL technical assistance to program teams during the design and inception stages, including support with logframes, indicator selection and measurement methodologies, and the development of M&E plans and tools.
• Develop a MEAL budget and staffing structure for all projects that is responsive to planned activities and data requirements.
• Ensure the effective set-up and use of data platforms to ensure effective data collection, management and presentation.
• Provide technical leadership for the design and methodology, and implementation of surveys such as baseline and endline, and the commission of evaluations and surveys as required in coordination with program coordinators, technical advisors, and external partners.
• Lead the expansion of standard mobile data technology and online dashboards to enhance timeliness and quality of data collection, analysis, and visualization (specifically IRC’s Program Indicator Dashboard).
• Provide technical leadership to external accountability commitments through the implementation of sound accountability, client feedback, safeguarding, and response mechanisms based on regional standards and expectations.
• Support in the submission of data for quarterly HQ level Strategic Action Plan reporting.
• Establish and drive common strategies and approaches to MEAL that reflect and contextualize the IRC and Emergencies Strategy.
• Develop, coordinate and strengthen capacity sharing partnerships with MEAL counterparts of partner agencies, local organizations, and government as required.
• Shape and implement MEAL systems and approaches that meet IRC standards and practices, are responsive to program needs, and enable accountability to clients, partners, and donors.
• Lead all aspects of MEAL functions across multiple sectors to ensure coordination and communication between sector leads for an effective and integrated emergency response.
• Reinforce integration of cross-sectoral priorities in MEAL, including gender, protection, safeguarding, disaster risk reduction, Diversity-Equality-Inclusion and Do No Harm.
• Champion an organizational culture where data is routinely used for evidence-based decision making and program adaptation.
• Represent and coordinate with other agencies, local governments, partners, donors and other stakeholders to promote delivery of best practice humanitarian assistance.
• Support with recruitment to establish an efficient and responsive staffing structure for the MEAL team in new country emergencies, which considers diversity, a balanced workload and optimal ways of working to support a large multi-sector program.
• Supervise the MEAL team across multiple sectors and geographical areas, in new country responses.
• Coach, train, supervise, and mentor MEAL department staff.
• Promote the growth and development of the team.
• Assess proficiencies and develop and lead a targeted learning and training strategy.
• Provide a comprehensive handover to successor, including ensuring transfer of all related documentation, program monitoring data and staff performance information.

Requirements

• Ability to commit to deployment within 72 hours of notification of assignment for up to 12 weeks.
• Minimum yearly availability of 65 working days per year, but preferably more, for deployments.
• A university degree in a relevant subject area (statistics, data management, social sciences, public health, economic development) or related experience.
• A minimum of 5 years of work experience within MEAL-related functions in diverse humanitarian contexts including time spent on design and leadership of rapid multi-sector needs assessments in emergencies.
• Experience developing collaborative relationships with partner organizations to coordinate and/or support capacity strengthening around their MEAL activities.
• Experience leading data collection and analysis for multi-sector and multi-donor funded humanitarian programs.
• Excellent understanding of a range of quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis methods required.
• Proficiency and experience with mobile data collection software such as Kobo, CommCare, and ODK Collect is essential, as well as proficiency with Microsoft Excel.
• Proficiency with SPSS, STATA, or other similar software desirable.
• Knowledge of Tableau, PowerBI, or GIS software are additional assets.
• Demonstrated ability to develop functional and user-friendly systems to utilize routine and survey data in program quality improvement and evidence-based decision-making.
• A strong understanding of accountability mechanisms and proven ability to build responsive client feedback systems is a distinct advantage.
• Leadership experience and demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through training, mentoring and communication of findings.
• Excellent verbal and written data presentation and reporting skills.
• Fluency in written & spoken English and French required. Proficiency in multiple languages a plus.

Skills

• Emergency Deployment
• MEAL Coordination
• Rapid Needs Assessment
• Multi-sector Data Collection
• Humanitarian Project Monitoring
• Quantitative Analysis
• Qualitative Analysis
• Mobile Data Collection
• Kobo
• CommCare
• ODK
• MS Excel
• SPSS
• STATA
• Data Visualization
• Tableau
• Power BI
• GIS Software
• Program Quality Management
• Client Feedback Systems
• Capacity Strengthening
• Training and Mentoring
• Data Presentation
• Report Writing

Languages

English, French