MEL Coordinator (Syria)

General Description of the Programme:

GOAL has been working in Syria since 2013, responding to the acute needs of conflict-affected communities. GOAL is working in Idleb Governate, both through direct implementation and through partners, delivering food, non-food programming to highly vulnerable populations, and provision of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) through support to Water units, as well as emergency support to recently displaced households.

GOAL has been working in North Aleppo Governate since 2019, through direct implementation and through partners, delivering food, non-food programming to highly vulnerable populations, as well as emergency support for recently displaced household.

Job purpose:

The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) department consists of approximately 79 staff based inside Syria with remote management from Antakya in Turkey and Amman in Jordan. The MEL Coordinator is responsible for leading and coordinating routine project monitoring, liaising with GOAL and donor Third-Party Monitors, ensuring the implementation of programme assessments, baselines/endlines, and evaluations, overseeing the systematic capturing and sharing of programmatic learning throughout the GOAL Syria programme and beyond, while providing strategic leadership and direction for the M&E department. The role reports directly to the Senior Programme Quality Coordinator and has 2 direct reports.

The MEL Coordinator will provide strategic oversight and leadership combined with the technical expertise to ensure that GOAL’s MEL systems are implemented effectively and are agile and fit for purpose as the programme evolves. S/he will be the focal point in the programme for all aspects of MEL. A key part of the role will be capacity building and remote support to the M&E team inside Syria, as well as for GOAL’s partner organisations. S/he will be tasked with identifying strategic learning goals in collaboration with GOAL’s programme and programme quality teams while ensuring that they are harmonised with learning priorities at GOAL HQ. Advocating for accountable programmes will be key to this role which should ensure evidence-based programming and donor compliance in a remote management context.

Duties, objectives and competencies

Leadership and Management

• Oversee the activities of GOAL’s MEL team in Syria, which includes GOAL-direct MEL, and partner monitoring, providing technical support and oversight.
• Provide leadership within the Programmes team overall on issues of programme quality, monitoring, evaluation and learning.
• Coordinate and oversee the MEL work of the GOAL Syria response, including efforts around alignment of data management structures, systems, instruments.
• Lead on the implementation of GOAL Syria RoadMap, and oversee its deliverables.
• Lead regular Learning Review Consultations & Workshops with key stakeholders in GOAL Syria’s programmes.
• Lead on the finalization of the Learning Capture and Capitalization Framework and its regular updates.
• Establish and lead learning capture processes with GOAL partners, including facilitating regular forums to discuss lessons learnt, and their application to future programme design.
• Ensure the proper implementation of GOAL’s performance management system for direct reports, including individual and project planning, , regular feedback, coaching and mentoring, mid-term reviews and annual performance appraisals.
• Support the development of job descriptions, management structures and performance management, alongside the Field MEL Coordinator based in Syria.
• Oversee the MEL budget, ensuring appropriate grant budgets are developed and spending is in line with those budgets. Ensure SPQC is flagged on any issues and spending concerns.
• Provide capacity building, technical support and training to the MEL team based in Syria as well as the Programmes teams.
• Act as the main point of contact for MEL with donors.
• Represent the needs and priorities of MEL at internal and external venues as needed for the production of high-quality and actionable outputs of the MEL systems.
• Backstop for Senior Programme Quality Coordinator when on leave.

Support to Program Quality

• Lead on development and updating of Monitoring Frameworks, guidelines, and SOPs, bringing together tools and outlining systems.
• Design data collection tools, design and coordinate surveys and studies to support monitoring and evaluation of GOAL programming.
• Conduct systematic data quality audit checks for GOAL.
• Feed into the overall programme strategy, providing data and analysis as required for strategic purposes and new programme design, including proposal development.
• Work with the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Advisor.
• Work with GOAL Syria MIS team to design MEL data management products to support programme implementation and decision making.
• Continuously look to incorporate new tools and technologies to capture learning.
• Ensure that learning capitalisation processes are supported through analysis of relevant program data and presented using suitable data visualization techniques to support the evidence-based decision making for program development and planning purposes.
• Craft strategic learning briefs and write high level reports, highlight success stories, support the communication of program impact/overall results, targeting a variety of external audiences including, donors, and partners.
• Work closely with GOAL’s HQ MEAL team to disseminate learning products within and outside the organization.
• Support SPQC on internal research initiatives for GOAL Syria and represent country mission on all external research initiatives that involve the region/HQ.
• Develop or update M&E plans and ensure that routine project monitoring takes place on time.
• Coordinate, supervise and review all assessments, evaluations, and research, and ensure prompt analysis and dissemination among stakeholders.
• Ensure that all grant proposals and reporting include solid MEL components and work with the Programmes teams to develop appropriate results frameworks, logframes and indicators.
• Continue to develop and improve on GOAL’s independent monitoring systems meant to ensure accountability, both to beneficiaries and to donors.
• Ensure that Lessons Learned generated from MEL activities are tracked and addressed and ensure participation of the MEL team in Programme Review and Planning meetings. Undertake additional roles requested by SPQC.
• Lead on GOAL MEL systems by which the MEL team supports the program implementation team in timely and accurate reporting to donors (Planner).
• Ensure proper documentation and administration of all MEL team outputs.
• Oversee the reporting of GOAL Global and country indicators through ensuring quarterly and timely reporting of indicators on the SCORE system and ITT.

Partners Engagement

• Ensure standardization of M&E tools used by GOAL and Partners, including monitoring tools, SoPs, Data Aggregation tools and guidelines, leading on training and orientation sessions conducted to ensure harmonization of application.
• Provide capacity building, technical support, and training to GOAL’s local partners on all areas of M&E.
• Lead on the process of Data Quality Audits for GOAL Partners, and ensure documented results and recommendation are shared with Partners.
• Review GOAL Partner M&E products and provide technical feedback as needed.
• Establish and lead learning capture processes with GOAL partners, including facilitating regular forums to discuss lessons learnt, and their application to future programme design.
• Coordinate donor communication with the partners as needed.

Third-Party Monitors and Final Evaluators Engagement and Contract Management

• Conduct the technical evaluation of tender proposals for Third-Party Monitors and Final Evaluation suppliers for GOAL programmes.
• Manage the relationship with GOAL and donor contracted external evaluators and third-party monitors, those monitoring both GOAL and Partners’ programmes, including leading on communications, acting as the main focal point, coordinating tool and report reviews by GOAL teams and ensuring quality implementation and products.

Requirements (Essential)

• Bachelor’s degree in any of the following: Social Sciences, Information Management, Development Studies, or relevant discipline.
• A minimum of five (5) years’ experience with MEAL activities for humanitarian programming.
• Strong knowledge of and demonstrated practical experience of M&E methodology (particularly appropriate quantitative and qualitative/participatory research methods), data analysis and report writing. Experience with Food Security, cash-based and livelihoods, Nutrition and WASH programmes MEL strongly preferred.
• Experience with management of MEAL systems with multi-grants/donors is a must.
• Experience in managing multi-sectoral programming is a must.
• Demonstrated experience with staff management; experience with distance/remote management a plus.
• Experience leading MEL systems, processes, and attaining quality results with partner organizations
• Proven capacity to build the MEL skills of colleagues, partners, and community members.
• Familiarity with Middle East and NWS context is a distinct advantage.
• Confident presentation and facilitation skills, proven record in provision of trainings a plus.
• Advanced skills with MS Office (particularly Excel).
• Ability to work under pressure, with minimum supervision.
• Excellent oral and written (English) communication skills.

Requirements (Desired)

• Understanding of database design is desirable.
• Knowledge of statistical software packages, such as MS Access, SPSS, Stata.
• Knowledge of Sphere and Core Humanitarian Standards.
• Oral and written (Arabic) communication skills a distinct advantage.