MEAL Manager

CARE is currently seeking a dynamic expert who will lead the MEAL Department (Officers and Assistants) in providing quality MEAL implementation, review, evaluations, lessons learned, MEAL budgeting as well as contribute to the design of proposals and lead on log-frame development. The MEAL Manager will ensure that CIL’s programming, including partner implementation, is properly supported to ensure quality delivery, accountability, impact and effectiveness of CIL interventions.

The MEAL Manager must capture the lessons learned/best practices and communicate this information in a cross-cutting approach to improve on-going and future programming. On the other hand, he/she must ensure the effectiveness of the helpline system and use the right-holders’ feedback in improving the quality of interventions. Furthermore, the MEAL Manager will provide support in capacity building to the MEAL team as well as partners’ staff on M&E, accountability and participation and ensures the qualitative and quantitative reporting is evidence based. The MEAL Manager is expected to travel to the field frequently.

2. Reporting Lines

Director of Program Development and Impact

3. Organizational Relationship

MEAL Officers and Assistants; External Consultants; and Senior Helpline and Accountability Officer

4. Specific Duties and Responsibilities

JOB RESPONSIBILITY 1: MEAL System Design and Implementation (20% of time)

• Lead on the development and oversee the roll-out of an organizational MEAL framework (emergency and development) ensuring accountability to donors and beneficiaries.
• Promote all aspects of MEAL to support the creation of an organizational culture which prioritizes quality programming and evidence-based reporting.
• Ensure that data brought together and findings from across thematic and operational programming form a coherent basis for analysis of impact which promotes learning and strategy development for the whole organization.
• Communicate top level learning / analysis reports and monitoring data to ensure that management can make informed decisions on a timely basis to scale up and face operational challenges.

JOB RESPONSIBILITY 2: Monitoring and Evaluation of programs (30% of time)

• Lead on the development of M&E plans, indicator matrixes, and clear data collection plan in discussion with the MEAL and program teams.
• Lead on all field data collection exercises.
• Ensure proper planning and implementation of baseline surveys, monitoring and evaluation exercises and impact assessments when needed (Formulate assessments and M&E tools; Organizing and conducting baseline, PDMs, and producing analytical qualitative and quantitative reports).
• Support MEAL team in organizing field activities, and support in recruiting, training and managing volunteers.
• Ensure proper data analysis, together with the project team and MEAL staff, and share them in the required format.
• Support systems to manage information generated by MEAL activities and Helpline, such as complaints databases.
• Assist in reviewing data bases and data tracking tools of diverse projects in order to maintain data quality for collating reliable and consistent data which meets minimum reporting requirements of donors and CIL.

JOB RESPONSIBILITY 3: Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development (20% of time)

• Manage the MEAL personnel, forming a solid team identity within the organization and creating cohesion between team members working in different geographical areas.
• Oversee the recruitment of appropriate MEAL staffing in Development and Emergency Programming.
• Ensure that the MEAL system operates effectively with the support and resources required and that there are clear links and reporting lines between field and CO level and between MEAL and other departments.
• Support the MEAL team progress on specific projects, providing management oversight on progress and problem-solving in case of challenges.
• Define expectations, provide leadership and technical support as needed so that MEAL staff can perform their roles as required.
• Manage the performance of direct reports in the MEAL unit through performance management, coaching, mentoring, training and development.
• At the organizational level, devise and manage a MEAL training program with the goal of increasing capacity and awareness of MEAL for all staff. Assess training needs and engage MEAL team staff to roll-out the training program.

JOB RESPONSIBILITY 4: Accountability, Learning, and Research (15% of time)

• Support the functionality of the Helpline and Accountability Unit, to ensure the highest standards of accountability to right holders and projects’ participants.
• Support all evaluation activities in the mission (methodological approach, data collection, analysis and report writing).
• Ensure Core Humanitarian Standards are mainstreamed through program design and implementation via MEAL framework and running relevant trainings.
• Establish/follow-up on FAM system within CIL and provide support needed for the hotline attendants in following up on complaints and responses.
• Lead on lessons learned exercises and ensure findings are institutionalized.

JOB RESPONSIBILITY 5: Program Design (15% of time)

• Ensure that MEAL is an integral part of the program design stage and features in all proposal development.
• Ensure that MEAL resources are included in proposal development and work creatively to secure funding from diverse sources, to ensure that MEAL is integrated in emergency and development programs in a sustainable way.
• Manage the MEAL budget for quality delivery

Other tasks:

• The MEAL Manager is part of the Extended SMT and is expected to actively participate.
• In case of emergencies, the MEAL Manager will be the focal point for MEAL activities, ensuring that appropriate logframes are in place and followed upon for highest quality and impact of the activities - as assigned by the SMT and/or the Line Manager.
• Other responsibilities & duties as required by the Line Manager.

5. Qualifications / special skills or knowledge

a. Skills & knowledge:

• Experience in both emergency and development contexts, preferably with solid experience in more than one of CIL’s priority sectors: Protection, GBV, Livelihoods, Food Security, and Shelter.
• Extensive knowledge in qualitative and quantitative data collection methods and analysis.
• Extensive experience interacting with and relating to gender professionals and international stakeholders at senior level.
• Team player with strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong internal relationships and networks.
• Motivated self-starter who enjoys working in a collaborative and international environment.

b. Experience:

At least   3-5  years of relevant experience, especially at NGOs, academic organizations, standard-setting bodies, public agencies focused on development and humanitarian programming in the Middle East

c. Academic background:

Master’s degree in one or several of the following areas: business management, statistics, public policy, social sciences or equivalent

4. Languages: English and/ or Arabic are the working language of CARE International in Lebanon.

11. of other languages is an asset.

PSEA and Safeguarding Child policy

CARE International in Lebanon is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

CARE International in Lebanon and its employees and stakeholders abide by the CARE International Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Child Safeguarding Policies.