Program Manager I, MEAL – Moldova & Ukraine

Job Title: Program Manager I (MEAL) Reports to: Head of Programs

Department: Moldova and Ukraine Country Program

Salary Grade: 9

Job Summary: You will manage MEAL programming in the Country Program (CP) for Moldova and Ukraine, designing and implementing project MEAL to advance Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work in serving the poor and vulnerable. Your MEAL-related management skills and knowledge will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of its programming.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Manage and implement all MEAL activities throughout relevant project cycles – project design, start-up, implementation and close-out – to ensure efficient and effective implementation in line with CRS program quality principles and standards and MEAL policies, procedures and practices, donor MEAL requirements, and industry good practices. Ensure project team and partner staff use the appropriate MEAL systems and tools.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff wellbeing. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, contribute to the recruitment process of project staff, and complete performance management for direct reports.
• Champion learning with project staff and partner teams. Analyze and evaluate project performance data following MEAL policy and industry good practices, including use of differential and inferential statistics (quantitative data), and content and trends analysis (qualitative data). Proactively identify issues and concerns and use participatory processes to overcome implementation obstacles, encouraging reflection on key issues, assumptions, and themes to identify and address gaps in learning. Promote the application of learning to improve program quality and to strengthen agency influence among external stakeholders.
• Act as a key resource person for MEAL in project design and proposal development in respective programming area, gap-filling and taking on growth responsibilities, as needed. Support the design of project-level theories of change, results frameworks, Proframes (logical frameworks) and MEAL narratives
• Lead the development and roll-out of project-level MEAL systems, including Performance Monitoring Plans or Performance Indicator Reference Sheets, Indicator Performance Tracking Tables, data collection instruments, Feedback and Response Mechanisms, and Detailed Implementation Plans which are appropriate to the scope.
• Coordinate the implementation of monitoring and accountability activities and processes (including ICT4MEAL) according to the Detailed Implementation Plan and MEAL system of Emergency Response and Recovery projects. Ensure the quality of monitoring data through annual data quality assessments. Support active seeking and responding to feedback from all members of targeted communities and other stakeholders.
• Contribute to evaluation of emergency projects through the development of terms of reference that include a balance of qualitative and quantitative methods, and the necessary level of technical rigor. Assure the quality of evaluation data through good data management. As required, support the identification, recruitment, and management of external evaluators to ensure high quality evaluation and learning.
• Represent the organization with donors, INGO working groups, UN, relevant local partners and relevant local government and community actors.
• Coordinate the identification of MEAL-related staff capacity and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and capacity strengthening and required interventions to support quality project implementation. Optimize partner participation and capacity development in the implementation of MEAL systems.
• Coordinate and monitor financial and material resources relevant to project MEAL needs. Through planning and oversight ensure efficient use of project resources for MEAL.

**Required Languages:**English; knowledge of Romanian or Ukrainian desirable

**Location:**Chisinau, Moldova

**Travel:**30% travel to Ukraine expected

**Supervisory Responsibilities:**None

Key Working Relationships Internal Head of Programs, Program Managers, MEAL Officers, Country Representative, Regional MEAL Advisor External Partner Organizations; Relevant Technical Working Groups

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with culturally diverse groups.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to write reports
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented

Preferred Qualifications

• MEAL-related project management experience in emergency response is highly desirable.
• Knowledge and experience of CommCare data collection tool is highly desirable
• Experience engaging with partner organizations.
• Experience contributing to the development of technical proposals.
• MEAL skills and experience preferred.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in International Development, International Relations or in the field of MEAL required.
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant field-based experience in coordinating or managing light to moderately complex projects required, preferably with an international NGO.
• Additional experience may substitute for some education.

Agency-wide Competencies 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

MEAL Competencies Each staff member in this position is expected to have solid knowledge and ability and can apply the following competencies with minimal or no guidance, in the full range of typical situations, while requiring guidance to handle novel or more complex situations:

• MEAL in Design
• Monitoring
• Evaluation
• Accountability
• Learning
• Analysis and Critical Thinking
• ICT4MEAL
• Management in MEAL

***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

Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.