MEAL Coordinator

The MEAL Coordinator provides national leadership and management oversight to ensure the oPt country program develops and achieves MEAL commitments. This role ensures data and learning are applied towards continuous improvements in program quality and evidence-based program design, supporting both IRC and partner MEAL efforts in West Bank and Gaza.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership to ensure strong data systems and processes throughout the project cycle for both IRC and partner projects, from design and implementation to close-out and learning.
• Use learning and evidence from internal and external sources to inform proposal design and theories of change.
• Participate in partner capacity assessments and evaluate the strength of partners’ MEAL systems. Identify actionable areas for learning and technical support.
• Develop and operationalize logical frameworks, MEAL plans, data collection tools, reach tracking tools, processes for data management, client feedback approaches, quality checks and audits, and real-time data visualization.
• Provide MEAL technical assistance to program teams and partners during the design and inception stages, including support with logframes, indicator selection and measurement methodologies, and the development of data collection plans and tools.
• Develop a MEAL budget and staffing structure for all projects that is responsive to planned activities and data requirements. Ensure partners have sufficient MEAL budget and structure.
• Ensure the effective set-up and use of data platforms to ensure effective data collection, management and presentation.
• Produce high-quality data, analysis, reports, presentations, and dashboards of key findings that foster learning and decision-making.
• Present findings in project cycle meetings and strategic management team meetings as required.
• Provide technical leadership for the design, method, and conduct of surveys and assessments, such as MSNAs, baseline post-distribution monitoring and endline, and the commission of evaluations and surveys as required in coordination with program coordinators, technical advisors, and external partners where vital.
• Lead the expansion of standard mobile data technology and online dashboards to enhance timeliness and quality of data collection, analysis, and visualization.
• Provide technical leadership to external accountability commitments through the implementation of sound accountability, client feedback, and response mechanisms.
• Strengthen client feedback and response mechanisms based on regional standards and expectations.
• As needed, oversee Third party Monitoring efforts, including internal efforts to use TPM to supplement IRC’s own data collection efforts.
• Lead all aspects of MEAL functions across multiple sectors and multiple geographical areas.
• Champion an organizational culture where data is routinely analyzed, reviewed and used for evidence-based decision making and program adaptation.
• Establish and drive response-level MEAL strategies and approaches that are fit for rapid scale-up, wide reach, partner-led implementation, access constraints and evolving emergency response realities.
• 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 the harmonization of MEAL approaches across IRC and partner-led projects, including partner MEAL capacity sharing, data quality assurance, feedback systems, reporting processes and routine use of evidence.
• Develop, coordinate and strengthen capacity sharing partnerships with MEAL counterparts of partner agencies, local organizations, and government as required.
• Reinforce integration of cross-sectoral priorities in MEAL, including gender, protection, safeguarding, disaster risk reduction, Diversity-Equality-Inclusion and Do No Harm.
• Contribute to regional and global MEAL initiatives as required and participate in regional MEAL cross-learning events and activities.
• Establish an efficient and responsive staffing structure for the MEAL department which considers 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. Set clear performance objectives, schedule regular check-in meetings, manage staff work plans, conduct regular performance reviews, champion a positive working environment for professional development, and foster an inclusive and respectful team climate.
• 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.
• Develop and implement remote management capacity building approaches to build the strengths of the MEAL team.
• Design and implement capacity sharing plans with partner MEAL staff including MEAL capacity assessments, MEAL sharing/capacity building gaps, and MEAL capacity and system support.
• Lead or support the recruitment, onboarding and technical support of MEAL staff, consultants, temporary technical assistance and partner MEAL focal points, as required.
• Other relevant duties as assigned by supervisor to further IRC MEAL objectives.

Requirements

• A university degree in a relevant subject area (statistics, data management, social sciences, public health, economic development, or a related field). A technical degree together with additional relevant work experience may substitute for education.
• A minimum of 5 years of work experience within MEAL-related functions, including experience leading data collection and analysis for multi-sector and multi-donor funded humanitarian programs.
• Experience setting up or strengthening MEAL systems in emergency, remote management, access-constrained or partner-led programming contexts is strongly preferred.
• Excellent understanding of a range of quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis methods required.
• 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 and mentoring.
• Proficiency and experience with mobile data collection software such as Kobo, CommCare, and ODK Collect is essential, as well as proficiency with Microsoft Excel, SPSS, STATA, or other similar software.
• Knowledge of Tableau, PowerBI, or GIS software are additional assets.
• Excellent verbal and written data presentation and reporting skills. Able to interpret data and communicate complex analysis to external audiences in a concise and easy to understand manner.
• Excellent advance planning and organizational skills. Able to effectively prioritize and follow multiple activities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Excellent technical understanding of contemporary MEAL methods and practices, with hands-on experience in qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis.
• Strong program/technical and budget management skills, planning, reporting, monitoring and evaluation skills.
• Proven ability to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through training, mentoring, and other formal and non-formal methods together with strong oral communication skills, presentation and reporting skills.
• INGO experience required; experience working with the interagency coordination mechanisms desirable.
• Comprehensive knowledge of humanitarian accountability principles and their translation into practice.
• Experience with multi-sectoral and multi-donor funded programs.
• Strong technical and operational knowledge of humanitarian programming in a remote context.
• Professional fluency in spoken and written English required, Arabic language proficiency preferred.

Skills

• Data Collection
• Data Analysis
• MEAL Systems Setup
• Quantitative Methods
• Qualitative Methods
• Mobile Data Collection
• Kobo
• CommCare
• ODK
• MS Excel
• SPSS
• STATA
• Tableau
• Power BI
• GIS Software
• Program Quality Management
• Evidence-Based Decision Making
• Client Feedback Systems
• Training and Mentoring
• Programme Monitoring and Evaluation
• Budget Management
• Humanitarian Accountability
• Inter-agency Coordination
• Humanitarian Programming
• Data Presentation
• Reporting Skills

Languages

English, Arabic