MEAL Coordinator

PURPOSE OF DIVISION:

Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) is an international relief and development charity which envisages a caring world where people unite to respond to the suffering of others, empowering them to fulfil their potential. We are an independent Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) founded in the UK in 1984 .  Working in 47 countries, we promote sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities to eradicate poverty, illiteracy and disease. We also respond to disasters and emergencies, helping people in crisis. Islamic Relief provides support regardless of religion, ethnicity or gender and without expecting anything in return.

JOB PURPOSE:

To establish, manage and improve effective and efficient systems within IR-Lebanon that verify progress, capture learnings, demonstrate accountability and measure impact at country level.

MEAL Coordinator will strengthen the MEAL system, ensuring it is institutionalized, and that staff have the capacity required to implement it, she/he will ensure that all projects in the country, are regularly monitored for their effectiveness and appropriateness and that result / lessons are documented and communicated to inform on-going implantation and future programming. She/he will guide teams in achieving outcome/impact focused projects and accountability to beneficiaries in line with Islamic Relief and donor’s Policies and practices.

The MEAL Coordinator will facilitate building capacities of staff for accountability and participation, with a specific focus on the beneficiaries. In Summary, the MEAL Coordinator will be responsible to make sure that country management and program management is properly informed:

• To the extent to which our interventions are affecting the lives of the targeted populations;
• Have evidence-based knowledge on the positive and negative impact that our interventions are having over the communities where Islamic Relief Lebanon works;
• Receive regular, timely and context-specific, meaningful feedback from our staff, partners, programme participants and that feedback effectively informs and signals areas where strategic attention is required.
• Have very effective MEAL system.

Islamic Relief’s (IR) has been working in Lebanon for more than 16 years. IRL is implementing several projects in the sector of Food, WASH, Health, Education, and shelters. 

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Job Responsibility :

Specific Duties and Roles

Establishment and implementation of a functioning M&E system:

• Ensure that the organisation delivers on all internal and external MEAL requirements in a timely manner and with high quality information.
• Develop a MEAL Framework for Islamic Relief Lebanon based on the scope of work and programms.
• Strengthen the MEAL system and processes to assure achievement and progress towards project objectives and outcomes.
• Support the development of projects outcome and learning indicators for Results frameworks, Log frames and other purposes.
• Ensure that data collection methodologies used at field level are standardised, enabling the specific across all operational sectors.
• Support project teams with assessment/ Evaluation planning, ensuring that minimum criteria for quality evaluations are integrated into design and implementation.
• Ensure that all assessment/ Evaluation reports meet the Islamic Relief Worldwide quality criteria, and promote the integration of recommendations and lessons learnt in project planning and future programming.
• Provide leadership in programme and project reviews- project specific, Quarterly review, Mid-year and Annual Reviews.
• Application of technology to Monitoring and Evaluation.
• To perform any additional tasks assigned by line manager and IRL management.

Support to accountability, learning and capacity building:

• Supervise proper and comprehensive Complaints Mechanism (CRM) for program where each complainant is properly listened and responded
• Ensure that all staff at all levels, including Senior managers fully understand and promote accountability in general.
• Contribute to improvements in existing policies and procedures to enhance effective accountability mechanisms.
• Ensure that all programmes are designed and implemented in accordance with international standards (such as but not limited to CHS) and National standards.
• Develop and report on the accountability and participation- related indicators and issues, and produce an annual report on the accountability and participation work.
• Responsible for preparation of periodic, midterm and final reports of the projects.
• Ensure that participation activities are well documented and learning is shared with Islamic Relief Lebanon programmes, and Islamic Relief Worldwide.
• Ensure that participation activities are appropriately planned and budgeted for in programme design and funding applications.
• Incorporate learnings from each project in designing new projects.
• By facilitating information sharing with key stakeholders, including beneficiaries, ensure that Islamic Relief Lebanon promotes transparency throughout all stages of implementation.
• Ensure that project activities are designed to promote feedback of sexual exploitation and abuse and handling of serious complaints including child abuse.
• Support the documentation of program learnings and presentations, etc).
• Participate in designing and implementation of studies, assessments and learning in coordination and cooperation with sectors’ technical coordinators and programme staff.
• Lead assessment studies and incorporate needs assessments in program design.
• Keep management updated about needs of the communities and suggest priorities for IRL to help communities in need.
• Participate in respective cluster meetings to learn from other actors as well as share experiences
• Lead documentation and public of annual reports for sharing
• Ensure appropriate staffing within the MEAL team.
• Provide leadership, motivation, Guidance and technical support to the MEAL team.
• Provide technical supervision of the field-based MEAL staff through regular contact, field visits and meetings.
• Identify training needs of staff and conduct trainings to address the capacity gaps, in collaboration with their line-manager and the human resource department through: effective use of the performance management system (establish clear objectives, on-going feedback, periodic reviews and fair and unbiased evaluation), - coaching, mentoring and other development opportunities; - recognition and reward for outstanding performance;- documentation of unsatisfactory performances with appropriate tools.

Reporting, proposal development and representation:

• Support the generation of timely and high-quality reports for reporting and proposal development purposes to key stakeholders (donors and beneficiaries). This may include monthly/quarterly progress reports and statistics as well as mid-/final reports to stakeholders.
• Participate in proposal development to ensure accurate information is provided in project design and that the programme response logic is clear and well defined.
• Support in conducting the programme need assessments
• Represent Islamic Relief to a range of external actors, including beneficiaries and other stakeholders such as local/national government authorities, UN agencies, peer organizations and private sector organizations (as required).

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

PERSON SPECIFICATION

A) EDUCATION/TRAINING

Required:

• University degree in Social Sciences, Development studies or related field

B) EXPERIENCE 

• 3-5 years experience in the field of MEAL working with INGOs/NGOs

Required:

Professional Qualifications

• Extensive experience in working for NGO or INGOs on Development fields with a minimum of three years of relevant experience
• Demonstrated capacities to establish and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships with government officials, local organizations, communities and other stakeholders.
• English-language proficiency (speaking, reading, writing).
• Good writing and reporting skills
• Ability to multi-task and meet deadlines
• Proficiency in computer applications (MS Word, Excel, Power point)

D) COMPETENCIES

 Core Values (Required) :

• Commitment .      
• Diversity and Inclusion.
• Integrity

Core Competencies (Required):

• Communication.
• Working with People.
• Drive for Results.

Functional Competencies (Required):

• Formulating Strategies and Concepts.
•  Planning and Organizing.

E) CONTACTS/KEY RELATIONSHIPS 

F) PROBLEM SOLVING (Thinking Environment)

• Ability to deal with complex situation and solve issues and problems

G) WORKING CONDITIONS AND LEVEL OF TRAVEL REQUIRED

The recruitment is “subject to signing donor agreement”

Islamic Relief considers the welfare and protection of children, young people and people at risk to be paramount to the organization. With a zero tolerance approach Islamic Relief have is committed to safeguarding people within our programs and projects from Exploitation and Abuse which also describe standards in behavior expected from the organization, its staff and representatives towards each other and those we serve. Any candidate offered a job with Islamic relief will be expected to sign Islamic Relief Safeguarding Policies and code of conduct alongside to their contract of employment

This job description may change based on the situation in the field. All staff are expected to show high level of flexibility in order to respond to the ever-evolving situation. Furthermore, he/she can be required to perform other related duties as identified by his/her supervisors.