Senior MEAL Manager

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 50 countries and more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

BACKGROUND

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

Since 2007, IRC has worked with refugees and other vulnerable populations in Jordan. Working in coordination with the humanitarian community and the Government of Jordan, the IRC's assistance programs for children in Jordan include Zaatari Camp and urban-based refugee assistance (Mafraq, Ramtha, Irbid).

Job Overview/Summary

Reporting directly to the Deputy Director of Programs, the Snr. MEAL Manager will strengthen the MEAL strategy, approaches and systems to foster learning and accountability for our clients; they will support IRC’s global measurement ambitions of Strategy 100 and the Country Strategic Action Plan. The Snr. MEAL Manager will oversee the MEAL aspects of all sectors within IRC Jordan.

Main Responsibilities

Technical Leadership and Oversight (60%)

·       Establish and maintain strong M&E systems and practices that are in compliance with the Jordan CP MEAL strategy, global guidelines and standards, encompassing both programs implemented by IRC as well as programs implemented with partners

·       Ensure that all IRC activities are properly tracked and monitored through the IRC and/or project specific monitoring tools and practices

·       Provide M&E technical assistance to program teams and provide technical inputs into the set-up, implementation and close-out stages of program management, i.e. measurement methodologies, plans and tools, data collection, quality assurance, management and analysis

·       Support the implementation of the internal and/or external program evaluations including – but not limited to- writing TORs, assisting in identification of external evaluators where needed, and ensuring inception reports and evaluation reports are of high quality.

·       Organize and support culture of learning that is focused on using data for making programmatic and evidence-based decisions

·       Contribute to the MEAL Unit’s, and wider country program’s, programmatic and organizational learning efforts

·       Provide leadership and support the Information Management Officer to identify information or data management gaps to develop and apply (digital) technology solutions

·       Provide leadership and support the Accountability Officer to ensure that the latest and most developed Client Responsiveness practices are institutionalized and inform future program design and decision making

·       Contribute to the greater sharing and use of data, research and learning within IRC’s program sectors, to ensure interventions are evidence based and responsive to the needs

·       Support the development of strong proposals and high-quality reports that reflect achievements of the ongoing or past projects with focus on outcomes and high level analysis.

·       Ensure that Theories or Change (TOCs) and Logical frame works (Logframes) of project/program proposals are based on the Jordan CP strategy

·       Ensure that all activities and achievements are reported on a monthly basis and feed into the Aggregated Data Management System ensuring all reports are validated for being final, accurate, and complete

·       Manage and track all MEAL budgets and the related expenses as the primary budget holder for MEAL activities

Staff Management and Leadership (20%)

·       Lead, support and build the capacity of the MEAL team members in relevant technical and managerial competencies

·       Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews

·       Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions

·       Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global People and Culture Policies and Procedures and other applicable policies and regulations

Partnership and Capacity Building (20%)

·       Support IRC partners to further strengthen MEAL skills and approaches through capacity sharing and knowledge transfer

·       Schedule, organize and lead the delivery of the capacity building of program and partners’ staff in relevant MEAL technical and management competencies.

·       Provide feedback to the DDP and technical Coordinators on all program technical data quality and systems strengths and issues to improve.

·       Champion robust partner relationship management characterized by the core partnership principles from IRC’s Partnership Excellence for Equality and Results System (PEERS) of responsibility, results-oriented approach, equality, transparency, and complementarity

·       Ensure appropriate proactive and reactive communications and engagement with IRC partners to support them in effective implementation of the MEAL systems

·       As requested, represent the IRC or MEAL team in internal or external meeting

Key Working Relationships

Position Reports Directly to:  Deputy Director of Programs (DDP)

Position directly Supervises: 2x MEAL Officer, Information Management Officer, Accountability Officer

Position technically coordinates with: Regional Measurement Advisor

Key Internal Contacts: Program Staff, Grants, Partnership, Finance and Supply Chain.

Key External Contacts: Partner organizations, other humanitarian and development actors, working groups or clusters