MEAL Coordinator

PRESENTATION OF THE ORGANIZATION

SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL (SI) is an international humanitarian NGO which, for more than 40 years, has been providing assistance to populations affected by armed conflicts and natural disasters by meeting their vital needs for food, water and shelter. Particularly involved in the fight against diseases linked to unsafe water, the first cause of death in the world, SI's interventions provide expertise in the field of access to drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene promotion, but also in the essential area of food security and livelihoods. Present in around twenty countries, SI's teams - 2000 people in total made up of expatriates, national staff, permanent staff at headquarters, and a few volunteers - work with professionalism and commitment while respecting cultures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE POSITION

General objective:

The MEAL Coordinator designs and implement the MEAL action plans and MEAL strategy of the mission, in accordance with SI’s operational framework, and makes sure it is disseminated, understood and implemented by the mission staffs. He/she:

• Provides a methodological support to all program teams on technical questions linked to MEAL and cross-cutting issues such as: design of MEAL plan, quantitative and qualitative data collection, measure of indicators, complaint response mechanism, “do no harm” analysis, terms of references of internal and external evaluations etc.;
• Looks over the quality and relevance of internal monitoring and evaluation activities, recommendations and analysis produced by his/her department (studies, maps…);
• Carries out internal evaluations, with the support of the Deputy MEAL Coordinator and in close collaboration with technical and program teams;
• Makes sure his/her department is cross-cutting and well integrated with all departments (functional links) as well as coherent with all coordinators and managers;
• Supports training of program teams within his/her fields of expertise;
• Contributes to institutional knowledge building and improvement of MEAL methods and techniques;
• Contributes to the design of SI’s strategy by proposing a strategy in terms of M&E support to program teams, integration of cross-cutting issues (gender, protection, accountability, do-no-harm, community participation, disability, etc.)

The main challenges:

• Leading a multi-cultural and diverse team, with both direct and functional reporting lines
• Balancing between a technical advisory role for functional reports and a hand-on managerial role for direct reports
• Working on traditional Monitoring, Evaluation and Accountability approaches, while leading innovative Learning approaches and research initiaitves
• Leading the production of knowledge, while also advising the mission’s leadership on its strategic use in advocacy and fundraising, and making sure produced knowledge is actually beneficial for the Lebanon mission strategy

Priorities for the 2/3 first months:

• Getting familiarized with the different running projects and existing MEAL tools and processes
• Continue pushing the revitalization of the Learning component, and support the development of one of the first mission Learning strategies for Solidarites International worldwide
• Adapting the department’s 2024 action plan, to accomodate turn over and projected scale up or scale down plans

Responsibilities and main activities:

Strategic orientation

• Propose and develop sector-based action plans (M&E, accountability, gender, do-no harm) in accordance with SI’s policies and priorities for the intervention country.
• In collaboration with technical coordinators, produce an overall analysis of SI’s programs’ effects/outcomes through internal and external M&E as well as orientations, lessons learnt and recommendations
• Contributes to the development of SI yearly and multi-yearly strategies by providing evidence-based context analysis, in collaboration with technical and programme team, and indicators to measure overall outcome of SI intervention
• Make sure collected data are used to take appropriated operational decisions and to address contractual engagements with donors.
• Participate actively in programming work.
• Participate actively in the technical coordinators week
• Participate in M&E working groups and sector/inter-sector working groups when deemed relevant

Training and technical support

• Develop program teams’ capacities in his/her field of expertise: data collection and analysis (method, format, software etc.), measure of indicators, complaint response mechanism, do-no harm analysis, etc.
• Provide program teams with a technical and methodological support for M&E activities, data management (questionnaire design, sampling, data entry, extraction of useful data and interpretation) and integration of cross-cutting issues.
• Support program teams in creating or adapting tools for: indicators monitoring, impact monitoring (MEAL or M&E plan and survey tools), needs and context assessments or risk analysis.

Monitoring and Evaluation of SI programs

• Propose and organize M&E missions in collaboration with technical coordinators, field coordinators and program managers:
• Post-intervention Monitoring;
• Internal Evaluation (interim of final);
• Follow up mission with program teams to integrate cross-cutting issues (gender, do-no harm, etc);
• Needs assessments and situation analysis;
• Do-no-harm analysis;
• Thematic studies;
• Operational audits;
• Follow up of accountability monitoring framework.

These missions will be learning-oriented and will not only look at accountability to donors (falling under the responsibility of technical coordinators).

• Elaborate or contribute to the elaboration, review and harmonization of M&E tools, data management, especially in MEAL Plans.
• Validate relevance of reports, analysis, maps and recommendations produced by the MEAL department or PMs before their dissemination. Liaise with HQ if external publication.
• Propose adjustments, new activities to improve the quality of the operations or approaches, in consultation with technical coordinators.
• Contribute to terms of references for external evaluations and studies.

Accountability

• Design and roll out of feedback and complaints response mechanisms (FCRM)
• Ensure that the key principles of the mechanism are respected.Ensure that regular analysis of the complaints and feedbacks received are done.
• Ensure that complaint response mechanisms are established and are accessible to all stakeholders.
• Ensure that complaints are registered and logged into a formal database.
• Ensure that complaints are addressed and that an appropriate and timely response is given to the complainant.
• Ensure that effective referral system for inter-agency and internal referrals is in place
• Promote participation of communities in all phases of project cycle, including assessment, design, implementation and M&E
• Provide regular analysis of feedback and inputs received by communities to promote evidence-based decision making processes by senior management and programme teams
• Promote awareness on PSEA among communities and ensure that SI staff is aware on how to receive and report sensitive complaints, in particular related to protection concerns, namely GBV and SEA

Institutional Knowledge Building (IKB)

• Make sure that all IKB tools are disseminated and used on the mission.
• Build on institutional knowledge on M&E activities and missions’ results (lessons learnt and recommendations) and make sure these are known by technical and field coordinators.
• Support recommendation tracking process (internal and external) and work together with technical coordinators on action plans.
• Participate into centralizing and disseminating procedures, guides and tools with HQ.
• Build on an expertise network in his/her field and, if possible, develop partnerships with counterparts.
• Use SI’s IKB tools to document MEAL tools and methodologies/approaches; sharing with relevant HQ departments.
• Produce a detailed handover report in the approved SI format at the end of the employment contract, validated by the HoM and Desk Program Manager.
• Writes minutes of his/her work meetings.

Coordination and operational monitoring

• Ensure consolidation and validation of the department’s activity work plan.
• Ensure achievement of the department’s objectives.
• Actively participate in the mission’s coordination meetings.
• Take part of the monthly review of programs (budget, operational, logistics…) and of budget follow up for his/her department.

HR management/Capacity Development

• Together with the Deputy Country Director, defines the MEAL set up and HR needs.
• Ensure that communication schemes, roles and responsibilities and procedures inside the MEAL department (if any) are coherent and relevant. If needed, propose improvements.
• Make sure that new staffs from program and MEAL departments are briefed on MEAL’s roles and responsibilities.
• Evaluate and assess the performance of collaborators under his/her direct supervision.
• Lead workshops, coordination meetings and/or technical exchange programs
• Supervise adherence to security regulations by personnel under his/her supervision.
• Supervise and support MEAL teams in implementing their action plan and achievement of their objectives.
• Identify technical training requirements and the resources available in the work area
• Makes sure that handover reports are produced by all staffs and are shared with HQ (if relevant).
• Actively participate in organization of Regional Technical Weeks;

Reporting / communication / representation

• Validate and disseminate final versions of M&E reports, studies and analysis produced by the department.
• Support the Head of Mission for fundraising, negotiation and review of project proposals in his/her field.
• Write project proposals and reports’ paragraphs on crosscutting issues and MEAL.
• Convey information to the relevant authorities on security matters or any event having a possible consequence on Solidarités International activities and the security of the teams.
• Ensure that all reports are delivered on time and in the correct format
• Represent SI when asked and/or delegated to do so.
• Ensure that SI is represented at all meetings or forums concerning his/her department
• Upon request, develop articles, case studies and success stories.
• Reply to headquarter (DTQP, Desk) requests regarding specific needs

Reporting/Communication

ORG CHART POSITION (reporting and functional relationships)

Line manager: Deputy Country Director - Head of Programme

Line Report(s):  Deputy MEAL Coordinator and Research and Learning Manager

Functional Manager:  Bases MEAL Managers and officers

PROFILE NEEDED

Studies :  Advanced university degree (minimum BA) in research & analysis, international development & humanitarian studies, social studies or equivalent with significant experience in MEAL

Experience and Skills :

• At least 3 to 5 years’ experience in the MEAL Sector within humanitarian/emergency contexts with a minimum of 1 year within a MEAL Coordinator/Advisor role in an INGO
• High representation skills and experience required (donors and sector levels)
• Knowledge of the Lebanese context and experience with SI are a plus.

Language :  Excellent writing skills (in Arabic and English), analytical and synthesis skills.

IT :  Good commands of Microsoft office

Qualification :

• Ability to independently organize work and prioritize tasks
• Strong diplomacy skills, patience and clear communication skills
• Ability to coordinate many departments / teams and provide guidance and leadership
• Demonstrate an understanding of the international humanitarian response and coordination mechanisms, and humanitarian reform
• Team spirit, ability to federate and coordinate team members
• Commitment to the fundamental principles of SI’s charter and ethics.
• Capacity for analysing and synthetizing comprehensive information & technical data
• Ability to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through training and mentoring
• Good knowledge in statistics and sampling methods
• Knowledge of donors prerequisites
• Sufficient administrative/financial knowledge to understand/review financial reports/budgets.

SI WILL OFFER YOU

A salaried post : 3090 USD as basic salary

Vacation : 1.75 paid leave per month

Social and medical cover