Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator – Erbil (National Position)

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

The IRC established programs in Iraq in 2003 to address the overwhelming needs of displaced people in Iraq and the neighboring countries. Since re-establishing its presence in Iraq in November 2007, the IRC has been assisting thousands of internally displaced families in the northern, central, and southern governorates in the sectors of protection, gender-based violence (GBV), early childhood development, economic recovery, Child Protection, and emergency humanitarian assistance. Today, the IRC works in close coordination with the humanitarian and development partners in Iraq and local stakeholders to address the needs of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Returnees, and Host communities. We operate in several governorates throughout Central and Southern Iraq, including Anbar, Ninewa, SAD, and Kirkuk, with additional offices in Erbil and Baghdad.

SCOPE OF WORK:

The Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator will provide the leadership necessary to ensure that the IRC Iraq program develops and meets its monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning commitments, as set out IRC’s Strategy and partnerships with donors. Core to this will be providing strategic direction to, and harmonization of MEAL efforts in the Iraq country program. The MEAL Coordinator will lead the MEAL Unit, which comprises of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning, the Information Management, and the Clients Responsiveness Components, contributing to evidence-based program design, accountability to clients and continuous improvements of program quality based on data and learning. The MEAL Coordinator will be responsible, in coordination with program teams, to promote the MEAL culture within IRC and across Local Partners through putting in place a capacity sharing strategy. This position supervises Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning staff, Clients Responsiveness and accountability staff, and Information Management Manager, and reports to the Deputy Director for Programs (DDP).

Responsibilities:

Program Management, Technical Quality, and Strategy

• Provide strategic direction for the development and optimization of MEAL systems and resources, organizational structures and their interaction with MEAL, and the development and roll-out of new MEAL-related initiatives.
• Ensure the MEAL function is guided by the IRC global strategy and the MEAL standards and practices.
• Establish/ maintain a coherent Iraq MEAL system (approaches, procedures, structures), encompassing both programs implemented by IRC, as well as programs implemented in partnership with partners.
• Provide technical assistance and quality assurance to MEAL Unit staff and Program staff (including but not limited to the design of MEAL plans, data collection tools, data management and analysis), to ensure programs are properly supported by the MEAL Unit.
• Ensure continued functioning of, use of and improvements to, the beneficiary feedback and response mechanism, and adherence to regional standards and expectations
• Ensure continued generation of accurate information about clients reach.
• Ensure the use of innovative and technology-driven appropriate MEAL systems and tools.
• Develop systems and procedures that measure country program-wide performance and achievements towards outcomes (using the Outcomes & Evidence Framework core indicators and other methods as appropriate) and strategic and organizational commitments
• Oversee the technical quality of work by MEAL unit team members supporting the unit’s and program teams’ implementation of MEAL systems.
• Regular reviews of the in-country MEAL manual to ensure its alignment with the country programme directions.
• Ensure the utilization of the Program Indicators Dashboard to regularly report visualized figures that support decision making.
• Support the design of the country Strategic Action Plan through contributing with the provision of impact and scale information.

Program Design, Planning, Implementation, and Closure

• Provide MEAL technical assistance to program teams within IRC and Partners and inputs into the design stages of program proposals and budgets.
• Lead the technical review and validation of the proposals’ Theories of Change, Logical Frameworks including donors and standard IRC indicators and ensure they robustly link the overall objective with the activities.
• Ensure consistency of indicators across all parts of the programs as appropriate, maintaining a bank of program indicators.
• Develop the MEAL budget to ensure that the function is adequately resourced to meet the MEAL requirements at both the projects and country programme levels.
• Lead the development of the MEAL plans including measurement methodologies, Implementation plans and measurement tools.
• Utilize historic data/information, and -in collaboration with sector leads- Identify lessons learned and best practices from previous programs to maximize their incorporation into the design of new projects/programs.
• Work closely with the grants unit to integrate MEAL results into donor reports as well as in the internal Project Cycle Meetings.
• Lead on planning and managing internal or external program evaluations, impact studies and case studies.
• In close collaboration with the program leads, guide and facilitate as necessary Lessons Learnt events.

Clients Responsiveness and Accountability:

• Contribute to and lead the design and implementation of the Needs Assessments to ensure that the programs are relevantly designed incorporating clients’ views.
• Maintain/strengthen the Clients Feedback Mechanism functionality across the IRC country programme, and support partners, strengthening/establishing their feedback systems.
• Ensure the clients feedback are responded to within a reasonable timeframe.
• Ensure the clients feedbacks are utilized to inform strategic, programmatic, and project corrective decisions.

Information and Communications Technology

• Act as the Iraq country program focal point for organization-wide or cross-sectoral MEAL-related data management, consolidation/aggregation or reporting requirements.
• Support the IM manager in digitizing the relevant MEAL business processes, and in making good strategic choices for the prioritization and use of technology for MEAL purposes.
• In collaboration with the regional MEAL Technology coordinator, ensure that the IRC strategic Technology commitments are piloted, tested, and smoothly cascaded into the country program.
• Ensures a robust data flow that clarifies the data processing pathway from the designing of the data collection tools to the dynamically visualized reporting.
• Support the program teams to develop strong data generation, management, and utilization systems.
• Support MEAL and program teams in effectively sharing MEAL resources for learning, knowledge management and communication, across programs and locations.
• Ensures the MEAL data is well protected and only shared with authorized personnel.

Capacity Building and Mentoring

• Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing guidance on career paths.
• Coach, train, and mentor staff with the aim of strengthening their technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing professional development guidance.
• In close collaboration with the partnerships department, develop and execute a coherent strategy and plan for strengthening and sharing MEAL capacities of partner organizations.

Staff Management & Development

• Deliver and execute a plan to build the capacity of staff.
• 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.
• Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis.
• Supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, providing regular and timely performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being; approve and manage all leave requests to ensure adequate coverage
• Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Safeguarding, and Global HR Policies and Procedures

Coordination and Representation

• Actively contribute and liaise with regional and global counterparts to continuously learn and keep up with MEAL best practices and share learning with team accordingly.
• Serve as Country Focal point for regional MEAL initiatives.
• Maintain working relationships with MEAL counterparts in other relevant international and local NGOs in Iraq as relevant.
• As needed and in coordination with other program sector leads and country program management, represent IRC in inter-agency forums and discussions

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

Line management: Deputy Director for Programs

Direct reports: Information Management Manager, Clients Responsiveness and Accountability Senior Officer, Research, Monitoring and Learning Manager.

Internal: senior management team members, grants and partnership staff, program coordinators, field coordinators, Regional Measurement Advisor, regional MEAL technology Coordinator.

External Donors, other INGOs, local NGOs and other partners.

Requirements:

• BA/BS Degree in international development, social sciences, statistics or a related field; MA/MS a plus
• Minimum of 5 years professional experience in monitoring and evaluation of multi-sectoral programming in post conflict settings; INGO experience required.
• Strong measurement, analytical, systematic-thinking, planning and organizational skills;
• Demonstrated experience and excellent skills developing qualitative and quantitative data collection tools
• Demonstrated experience and excellent skills developing logical/results frameworks, indicators and other key MEAL tools
• Demonstrated experience and excellent skills in data/information management and analysis, with experience using databases and software applications
• Demonstrated Experience in Data Visualization
• Demonstrated experience and capacity in conducting field-level data collection and data entry
• Experience in capacity building and team building
• Must be capable of applying their skills and knowledge in a range of capacities, including direct implementation, advisory functions, training and the transfer of technical knowledge and management skills to others
• Proven ability to work well in and promote teamwork, be flexible and handle pressure with professional grace
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with ability to express ideas and concepts clearly and persuasively with senior internal and external stakeholder. Fluency in English required, fluency in Arabic recommended.

PERSONAL/OTHER SKILLS:

• Excellent inter-personal skills, demonstrating diplomacy and tact;
• Able to influence and motivate individuals that are not under direct line management;
• Capable of applying skills and knowledge in a range of capacities, including direct implementation, remote management, advisory functions, training and the transfer of technical knowledge and management skills to others;
• Comfortable in a multi-cultural environment;
• Flexible and able to handle pressure;
• Values learning and takes a strong interest in new developments in the field of M&E;
• Willingness to spend about 30% of time in the field.

Note: List of responsibilities, professional and personal skills are considered indicative and not exhaustive; actual duties may differ or change depending on office and agency priorities at the time.

Standards of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Gender Equality IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including maternity leave, gender-sensitive security protocols, and other supportive benefits and allowances. Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: Per the Iraqi Ministry of Health COVID-19 guidelines, IRC requires candidates who are selected for positions to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter IRC premises. However, the exemption is only accepted per the Iraqi Health regulation and upon the provision of a negative PCR test.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Notice to all Job Seekers

IRC implements an equal employment opportunity policy, and our recruitment process is based on merit.

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If anyone asks you for any financial or non-financial favors to help you secure a job at IRC, kindly report to [email protected].

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