MEAL Manager, Climate Asset Management for Restoring Landscapes and Livelihoods in the Philippines Program

Job Title: MEAL Manager, Climate Asset Management for Restoring Landscapes and Livelihoods in the Philippines Program

Reports to: Chief of Party- Climate Asset Management for Restoring Landscapes and Livelihoods in the Philippines Program

Job Type: Full-Time

Department: Country Programming

Salary Grade: Band 9

Location: Manila Philippines

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

CRS Philippines, established in 1945, is the longest running, continuous CRS country program in the world with extensive programming in peacebuilding, emergency response and recovery, and disaster risk reduction. The Philippines country program has over 100 staff members in Manila, Davao, and Cotabato City offices. CRS Philippines is committed to collaborating with our strong network of church partners, national and subnational government agencies and secular NGOs throughout the country.

Job Summary

You will lead and provide strategic direction of the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Accountability systems for the Climate Asset Management (CAM) for Restoring Landscapes and Livelihoods in the Philippines Program of the Global Evergreening Alliance (GEA), of which CRS is a member. CRS Philippines serves as the Lead Implementation Organization (LIO) for the CAM in the Philippines in partnership with consortium members.
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S/he will be responsible for coordinating and supervising MEAL activities, working closely with CRS program teams and partner staff to develop and implement high-quality monitoring systems and tools that address indicators in the initiative’s logical framework. The MEAL Manager will directly supervise one MEAL Officer.

**** THIS POSITION IS CONTINGENT UPON DONOR FUNDING **

Roles and Key Responsibilities

MEAL Strategy and Design

· Provide input into the design and strategic direction of the overall MEAL system of the consortium at the regional level including performance monitoring plans (PMP), performance indicator reference sheets (PIR), indicator performance tracking table (IPTT), data collection instruments, data and reporting flow maps, feedback and response mechanisms (FRM), and detailed implementation plan (DIP) and lead the development and adaptation of the the Philippines-specific MEAL system as well as the larger MEAL system led by GEA.

· Support the project team and MEAL team in the design and implementation of vulnerability assessments, stakeholder mapping and analysis, gender analyses, and other pre-program data collection and analysis.

· Ensure the consistency of indicators and tools across all partners.

· Collect and analyze lessons learned and best practices from previous and ongoing programs capturing the impact of carbon sequestration activities to ensure they feed into program strategies as appropriate.

· Leverage lessons learned, best practices, program data, evaluations and other information to generate donor communication pieces, success stories, case studies and other high-quality, results-based documentation.

· Work with the senior management team to identify and pursue strategic opportunities for program expansion.

MEAL Implementation

· Lead mandated evaluations, needs assessments, annual surveys, case studies and other research efforts.

· Develop tailored MEAL operating manual to ensure complete, up-to-date, high quality MEAL system, containing essential data collection tools, data flow maps and analysis plans to address need-to-know information for program quality and donor reporting.

· Contribute to donor reports through high quality project data interpretation and report inputs.

· Support learning-to-action events and reflection sessions to systematically analyze data to promote adaptive management and to document and incorporate lessons learned into program design and implementation.

· Ensure MEAL and program teams regularly review and adjust MEAL plans and tools as needed by the project context.

· Ensure that transparent high-quality accountability mechanisms, including beneficiary feedback and response mechanisms, are in place and are regularly discussed at the appropriate level with necessary responses and feedback documented.

· Collaborate with other CRS country programs that are implementing Land Restoration Initiative activities to share learning, resources, and support across offices.

· Work with MEAL and IT staff to maximize the value and utility of ICT4D in MEAL initiatives including CommCare is highly desirable.

MEAL Capacity building

· Provide training, mentoring, and ongoing technical assistance to implementing partners to ensure effective implementation of MEAL methodologies and tools and high-quality data.

· Support partners to incorporate participatory methods into community-level MEAL systems and tools.

· Conduct field monitoring visits events frequently with project teams and implementing partners.

· Conduct periodic data quality audits and provide technical assistance to address any issues identified.

Basic Qualifications (BQs)

Education and Experience

· Master’s degree in statistics, biostatistics, economics, agriculture, environmental sciences or other relevant subject with strong quantitative background. Additional experience may substitute for some education.

· Five years’ experience working in a development setting preferably with an international NGO, with experience of progressively increasing MEAL responsibility in international development projects particularly in Landscape Management and Restoration, Climate Smart Agriculture or Sustainable Agriculture Practices or other relevant areas.

· At least two years of supervisory experience.

Required languages – English; Tagalog is preferred

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 0% in the Philippines.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

· Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make sound judgment and decisions and offer innovative solutions

· Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic approach to relationships and ability to influence results.

· Consortium management experience preferred.

· Good presentation and facilitation skills

· Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented

· Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise in developing and operationalizing routine monitoring systems designed to track both output and outcome indicators (including work with logical frameworks and theories of change)

· Strong ICT4D skills and GIS mapping experience; familiarity with biophysical and landscape level assessments and remote sensing tools is a plus.

• Experienced in developing data quality assurance strategies, data management and data visualization; including proficiency in database development/management, Stata, SPSS, EPI-Info, Access, Excel and skills in analyzing, interpreting and communicating information to various stakeholders.
• Demonstrated expertise and experience in data utilization strategies and can creatively think about active data sharing techniques.

· Experience with facilitation, capacity strengthening and partnership building through formal and informal training, with the capacity to empower staff through opportunities for professional growth and development.

· Experience engaging with partner organizations and the Government of the Philippines at national and local levels.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity

• Continuous Improvement & Innovation

• Builds Relationships

• Develops Talent

• Strategic Mindset

• Accountability & Stewardship
Supervisory Responsibilities

MEAL Officer

Key Working Relationships:

Internal : Deputy Country Representative, Head of Programs; Chief of Party, Head of Operations, Senior Management Team, HQ and Regional Technical Advisors

External : Global Evergreening Alliance (GEA) Program Coordination Unit; implementing partners, government and sector stakeholders**

*Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer