MEAL Coordinator

Guiding the overall MEAL strategy and implementation of related activities in the Programme Area.

Lead the area office in project MEAL section in project designing logic models, MEAL plan development and MEAL activities.

Providing timely and relevant information about the projects to internal and external departments/stakeholders through multiple reporting templates. This entails close communication with all involved in MEAL framework design and coordination at Programme Area and CO level.

KEY RESULT AREAS 

Technical Level

• Ensuring that IRP becomes a self-correcting and learning organization through planning, benchmarking, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning Involvement of communities at Programme Area level.
• Ensuring achievement of organizational objectives. 

Operational Level

• Key support in development and operationalization of overall MEAL framework in consultation with MEAL team at CO.
• Guide the process for identifying and designing the key indicators for each theme/sector, to record and report progress against the MEAL framework at Programme Area level
• Support in development of comprehensive system for programmatic (thematic and project specific) data management and archiving to produce analytical reports as and when required
• Support in designing and facilitating lessons learning activities and ensuring applications of learning in programme development at Programme Area level. 

Organizational Level

• Demonstration of IR Values while working with communities
• Empowering communities to ensure organizational accountability
• Efficient and quality tasks management
• Knowledge of IR strategic priorities
• Identification & documentation of organizational successes
• Special attention to gender, age and disability inclusion during the MEAL activities.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Technical

• Support in annual conducting annual and mid-term programme reviews, participatory impact assessments, process monitoring, operations monitoring, integrating accountability principles and lessons-learned workshops at Programme Area level.
• Designing project specific MEAL frameworks which integrate all the MEAL related activities and information gathering mechanisms at Programme Area level.
• Providing quality input to programme in steering the process for designing the appropriate reporting formats for monthly, quarterly and annual progress reports at Programme Area level
• Guiding the process for identifying the key performance questions and parameters for monitoring project performance and comparing it to targets at Programme Area level.
• Clarifying the core information needs of the MEAL unit at Programme Area level and Area programme, funding agencies and other key stakeholders.
• Setting out the framework and procedures for the evaluation of project activities in consultation with programme/project stakeholders.
• Conducting baselines, area specific contexts, assessments by designing appropriate methods of collecting, updating and reviewing the data.
• Providing effective and timely dotted-line mentoring/supervision to MEAL staff based in the area offices.
• Integrating Accountability Mechanism in accordance with MEAL framework and standard humanitarian standards by implementing complaints handling mechanism at field level.
• Extracting key lessons learned and undertaking innovative initiatives.
• Operational (Elaborate the operational key results areas in detail).
• Undertaking periodic monitoring visits of areas offices to take stock of how MEAL framework is being practiced and suggest critical recommendations for improvement and course correction at Sindh level.
• Ensuring follow-up mechanism is in place with respect to key recommendations, observations and findings coming from MEAL staff, thematic leads and reviews at Programme Area level.
• Support in managing consultancies (recruit, guide and supervise in consultation with MEAL Manager) if consultancies commissioned for baselines, evaluations, impact studies and assessments at the Area office level.
• Participatory impact assessments, process monitoring, operations monitoring, integrating accountability principles and lessons-learned workshops.
• Designing project specific templates and ensuring timely report of MEAL activities from the field.
• Data management and archiving to produce analytical reports as and when required.
• Steering the process for designing the appropriate reporting formats for monthly, quarterly and annual progress reports.
• Design appropriate formats for Project performance reports, analytical reports and qualitative reports.
• Designing TORs for baselines, evaluations, impact studies or assessments.
• Integrating Accountability Mechanism in accordance with MEAL framework and standard humanitarian standards by implementing complaints handling mechanism at field level.
• Organise and undertake training with stakeholders, including primary stakeholders, in MEAL skills, including participatory aspects.
• Designing and facilitating lessons learning workshops, conducting lesson learning surveys and sharing the learning with programme teams.
• Organizational (Elaborate the organizational key results areas in detail).
• Ensure compliance with IR’s policies & procedures in true spirit for effective delivery of services to communities.
• In depth understanding of IR values and their demonstration in the field while working with communities.
• Abide by the IR zero tolerance policy towards bribery & corruption through sensitization / empowerment of communities on coping mechanism so that they can raise voice as & when feel inappropriate.
• Thorough knowledge of IR strategic priorities to ensure effective implementation with future sustainability.
• Assist in identification & documentation of organizational successes for show casing IR work
• Facilitate communities in adaptation of environment friendly & cost effective approaches to meet their current as well as future needs with specific attention to climate change.
• Focused efforts to be made for mainstreaming of marginalized groups i.e. Persons with disability and old age, minorities, Women & children etc. in consultation & implementation of project activities at ground.
• Strengthen mechanism to Influence the decision makers through communities to pay attention towards, giving voice to the suffering and the excluded, highlighting the protection needs of people.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

• It is essential that the post holder shows a good understanding and sympathy with the organizational values & principles, vision and mission as well as commitment to its PSEAH (preventing sexual exploitation abuse and harassment) protocols. IR has a zero-tolerance policy towards PSEAH and don’t support any action that promotes or encourages PSEAH.
• IR is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom IR engages. IR expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

Computer Skills:

• MS Office, Outlook, SPSS, familiarity of working with online databases

Language:

• English, Urdu, and Sindh

Key Personal Qualities:

• Strong emotional intelligence and resilience, and able to maintain self-control in difficult situations.
• Able to work under extreme conditions in field areas.
• Good communication skills in local as well as English / Urdu language which delivers information with clarity in a wide range of situations.
• Has a positive nature and able to overcome issues that create hindrance in achievement of entrusted goals / objectives.
• Has a learning attitude and a continuous improvement philosophy.

Technical Skills:

• Leadership qualities, personnel and team management (including mediation and conflict resolution);
• Skills of developing frameworks, LFA, qualitative and quantitative indicators.
• Skills and knowledge of embedding quality and accountability in organizational and programmatic steams.
• Analytical and communication skills;
• Experience in MEAL system design and mainstreaming in programme cycle management;
• Skill in learning-oriented analysis of MEAL data.
• Understanding of rural development, with a focus on participatory processes, joint management, and gender issues
• Report writing skills (both process and progress)
• Skills in conducting strategic reviews.

Value Added Skills

• Training skills in MEAL frame work development and implementation;
• Skills in developing of case studies, success stories and human interest storiesKnowledge of managing organizational budgets and financial planning. 
• Skills in data analysis