The Save the Children Fund, commonly known as Save the Children, was established in the United Kingdom in 1919 to improve the lives of children through better education, health care, and economic opportunities, as well as providing emergency aid in natural disasters, war, and other conflicts. After passing a century, which it celebrated in 2019,[3] it is now a global movement made up of 29 national member organizations which work in 120 countries.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The MEAL coordinator role will provide essential support to Save the Children’s programs by supporting leadership and management, roll-out of the MEAL system and building capacity at the field level to deliver against SCI’s Minimum Operating Standards in his/her respective Field office. He/She will build systems and staff capacity to ensure that SCI programs are of high quality to beneficiaries and donors and that learning is institutionalized for program improvements. This position will be responsible for a specific geographic location/s under the Field office, as per the CO structure.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Gode FOM (Direct Report) and East area MEAL Manager (Dotted Report).

Staff directly reporting to this post: None. 

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide overall supervision and leadership on the MEAL functions and strategy delivery at Field office level!
• Prove supervision, mentorship and professional development to MEAL staff in the field office so that staffs have the required capacity and enthusiasm to undertake their responsibilities.
• Be the key link among the MEAL team & Field office-level operations team.
• Ensure MEAL evidence (IPTT, project performance/action trackers, etc) are used for management decision-making and continuous performance improvement and be part of the field office level management team members/

MEAL System Development and Management

• Undertake responsibilities for the roll-out of the MEAL system in specified field office.
• Ensure that MEAL Team, field operations and project staff understand the various steps and tools for the MEAL system and that this is used consistently across projects/areas.
• Ensure programmes/projects are using Quality Benchmarks as part of their day-to-day implementation and quality monitoring practices.
• Support on the roll-out of standardized monitoring tools and methodologies as required by the MEAL and field level teams.
• Ensure every project has at least 30% engagement (level of effort- LoE) by respective MEAL personnel.
• Ensure functional accountability mechanisms are in place as the four pillars of accountability (Information sharing, participation, establishing and implementing Compliant and Feedback Mechanisms (CFM), and staff capacity building.
• Ensure that regular monitoring/MEAL reports are received and communicated effectively to Area MEAL Manager, FOM and other relevant bodies in the national office.
• Ensure periodic report are as per the standard quality, standard template, time frame and communicated accordingly.
• Ensure communities and children know their rights and entitlements, have access to project information and participate in decisions that affect them.
• Ensure communities and children have access to safe and responsive mechanisms to handle their complaints and feedback.

Learning and Knowledge Management

•  Lead the implementation of LKM framework in the field office and support there is a functional LKM system and capacity in the FO.
•  Support programmes in the identification of learning objectives and evidence gaps.
• In close collaboration with program team facilitate in generating, storing and sharing knowledge (most significant change story, meta-analysis, research/evaluation summary reports, etc).
• Ensure utilization of learning and knowledge generated in decision making and programme improvement (maintain up to date Field office action tracker and monitor the utilization and application)

Technical Support and Capacity Building

• Undertake continuous staff capacity assessment and develop capacity-building plans.
• Provide training and capacity building for staff as required.
• Ensure relevant staff received proper orientations, inductions, and training to help them deliver their MEAL responsibilities.
•  Sets standard and agreed performance objectives for all direct reports.
• Conducts at least 6 One-to-ones on monitoring meetings in a year and have documents as evidence.
•  Conducts midterm performance review at midyear for direct reports.
• Conducts end-line performance evaluation for direct reports, and documents and submits to HR.

Program design, research, evaluations, assessments and other studies

• Follow up FO/Themes periodically assess and update changes in children’s needs (especially deprived children)
• Ensure evaluations are undertaken as per the threshold and FO maintains up-to-date evaluation trackers to monitor delivery and action planning.
• Lead/participate in project/program baseline, evaluations, research and assessment activities in his/her areas of jurisdiction

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modeling 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 todo 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 a broad definition of diversity and sees it as a source of organizational 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 the highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• BSc/BA/ MSc/MA degree in an area of statistics, economics, social science or equivalent. MA/MSc preferred.
• Minimum of five years, and three years NGO management experience in a MEAL role in both emergency and development contexts, preferably with solid experience in more than one of the following priority sectors: education, protection, rights governance, HIV/AIDs, health and nutrition, and emergencies
• Direct experience of rolling out and managing MEAL systems and of working on all aspects of MEAL
• Demonstrated commitment to building staff capacity, skills in training and capacity building.
• Experience of solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward and ensuring buy in

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching.
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mindsets.
• Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner.
• Ability and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming surge teams, in the event of emergencies.
• Fluency in English, and other national/local languages both verbal and written essential.’
• Commitment to Save the Children values.
• provide overall supervision and leadership on the MEAL functions and strategy delivery at Field office level.
• Prove supervision, mentorship and professional development to MEAL staff in the field office so that staffs have the required capacity and enthusiasm to undertake their responsibilities.
• Be the key link among the MEAL team & Field office-level operations team.
• Ensure MEAL evidence (IPTT, project performance/action trackers, etc) are used for management decision-making and continuous performance improvement and be part of the field office level management team members/
• Excellent Microsoft Office applications skills (Excel, Word, Power point, Emails, Skype, Web researchers)
• Knowledge of and adherence to SCI Code of Conduct, understands other international development guidelines