ERT MEAL Coordinator

IRC’s Emergencies & Humanitarian Action Unit

The IRC’s Emergencies & Humanitarian Action Unit (EHAU) oversees IRC’s global emergency preparedness and response activities. The mission of the EHAU is to expand and improve IRC’s ability to help affected communities survive in acute emergencies and hard to reach contexts by investing in people, systems, and solutions to complex humanitarian challenges. The EHAU team achieves this mission through ongoing rigorous risk analysis, investing in capacity strengthening of frontline humanitarians, partnership with local actors, offering collaborative support and technical assistance to teams working in emergencies and hard to reach places, and deploying and supporting world class emergency response staff as they help people affected by acute crisis situations.

Job Overview

The Emergency Response Team (ERT) MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning) Coordinator is a full-time integral role, working to ensure appropriate support to the application of MEAL in EHAU, country program and partner-led responses. Their primary focus will be deployments to emergency responses (in both new and existing contexts for the IRC) to provide on the ground support and/or mentorship to establish strong MEAL process. This includes design and execution of rapid multisector needs assessments, data analysis and packaging to support the response teams’ ability to develop data informed response plans, set-up of feedback and monitoring mechanisms as well as the design and facilitation of learning exercises.

The IRC recognizes that people affected by crisis and the actors closest to them are best placed, have the right, and should have the power and resources to respond and drive lasting change. We commit to ask ‘Why not partner?’ whenever we plan programming and to partner as equals. That requires that we champion and resource leadership and action that comes from the communities in which we work. This role will therefore also significantly contribute to MEAL efforts with local partners, ensuring that the organizations working in collaboration with IRC receive guidance, technical assistance, and other support as required.

ERT staff can expect to engage in response-centered work approximately 65% of the fiscal year, inclusive of in-country and remote emergency assignments. When not deployed in these responses, the ERT MEAL Coordinator will contribute to IRC’s strategic objectives and technical workstreams including development, maintenance and roll-out of tools and guidance to support IRC’s strong MEAL capacity, support knowledge management and trend analysis to support learning and improvement in emergencies, among others. A successful candidate will demonstrate a track record of working independently in fast-paced environments and applying creative, flexible solutions in humanitarian contexts.

Major responsibilities:

Deployments (up to 65%):

● Deploy within 72 hours to emergency settings with the ERT or Country Programs as required, to support MEAL processes.

● Design and lead rapid multisector needs assessments in close collaboration with sector focal points; provide actionable, easy to understand reports on the data.

● Establish new or expand existing feedback mechanisms and monitoring systems. Lead data quality improvement and assurance routines.

● Conduct learning exercises, and evaluations, and support other data-gathering initiatives in responses.

● Contribute to Partner Capacity Analysis (PCA) and the subsequent development of partner support plans for MEAL activities.

● Review partner technical tools, reports, and data; recommend adaptations or process improvements as required.

● Promote the growth and development of others in IRC teams and partner organizations around MEAL: Assess proficiencies; develop and lead targeted learning and training strategy in a given response. In particular, coach, mentor and support M&E/MEAL staff, provide vital tools and resources, as well as on the job training.

● Champion a culture of effective and respective partnerships. Promote partner-led programming in line with IRC’s “why not partner?” approach.

● Support emergency team leaders in general oversight and completion of multi-sectoral program design, planning, fundraising, and tracking, as needed.

● Champion design, access and use of data by leaders and partners for shared learning and evidence-based decision-making.

● Reinforce integration of cross-sectoral priorities in MEAL, including gender, protection, safeguarding, disaster risk reduction, Diversity-Equality-Inclusion and Do No Harm.

● Lead the recruitment of country MEAL staff, TTAs, and consultants and support their onboarding.

● Provide a comprehensive handover to successor, including ensuring transfer of all related documentation, program data and staff performance information.

Non-deployed:

● Support the EHAU in the area of measurement, including the design of data collection tools, processes, and frameworks required for the implementation of MEAL in Emergencies for both IRC and Partners.

● Participate and contribute to MEAL training for EHAU, regional, and relevant country program staff, as well as for partner organizations.

● Support the communications and advocacy initiatives of the Quality in Emergencies team by participating in conference meetings, and contributing content as needed.

● Support the use of MEAL technology tools remotely and in the field.

• Contribute to delivery of IRC’s Emergency and Humanitarian Action strategic action plan and commitments to partnerships, safeguarding, and Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI).

• Liaise with relevant initiatives within the IRC, such as IMPACT, PCM, Evidence to Action, Partnership in Emergencies, Data Toolkits, and Best Use of Resources, to ensure coherency and the achievement of joint objectives.

Key Working Relationships

Position reports to: Senior Technical Advisor MEAL in Emergencies

Position directly supervises: n/a

Works closely with: Quality in Emergencies team, Regional Emergency Directors, Regional Measurement Advisors, country program team sector and MEAL coordinators.

Requirements

● Ability to commit to deployment within 72 hours of notification of assignment for up to 12 weeks, extensions possible.

● A university degree in a relevant subject area (statistics, data management, social sciences, public health, economic development) or related experience. Master’s degree considered an asset.

● 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 in the design and facilitation of learning exercises along with uptake of recommendations through constructive and diplomatic communication skills.

● Familiarity with the principles of MEAL as they are applied in emergency settings, and ability to think creatively and pro-actively about their adoption.

● Demonstrated genuine interest in and commitment to collaboration and partnership with local actors for effective emergency response. Experience in supporting partner organizations in implementing MEAL.

● Experience setting up and managing beneficiary feedback mechanisms and multi-sectoral monitoring systems.

● Excellent communication and facilitation skills.

● Skills in mobile data collection (particularly via Kobo or Commcare) required.

● Proficiency with data visualization tools (particularly PowerBi), preferred.

● Experience developing technology solutions for humanitarian programming, preferred.

● Experience and competency in moderate statistical analysis and reporting preferred.

● Experience working with IRC and an understanding of IRC’s systems and processes is strongly preferred.

● Fluency in English and French required. Working knowledge of Arabic and/or Spanish considered a strong asset.

EHAU strives to build a diverse and inclusive team at all levels who as individuals, and as a group, embody our culture statement creating a working environment characterized by critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity for us to achieve our aspirations as a unit and deliver the best possible services to our clients.