This position will strengthen systems and tools and build capacity for Humanitarian Monitoring, Evaluation, Beneficiary Accountability, and Learning at Save the Children US and across the global Save the Children movement. The MEAL Advisor will help demonstrate the impact of Save the Children humanitarian programs in the lives of children and improve the quality of humanitarian interventions, including emergency relief efforts, Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation. The position will play a leadership role in ensuring that MEAL components effectively contribute to the strategic vision and quality improvement priorities of the Department of Humanitarian Response.
Essential Duties, Responsibilities and Impact
Evidence Generation
- Lead SCUS efforts to improve the quality of Humanitarian evaluations and operational research.
- Support the design and implementation of research that will capture the outcomes linked to humanitarian interventions, particularly the areas highlighted in the strategic plan. This includes piloting methods that capture the difference that our DRR programming makes, as well as looking at what difference integrated programming has on program delivery.
- Whenever possible, build such research into new awards.
Programmatic MEAL and Quality Improvement Support
Ensure that information management issues are addressed at Humanitarian Quality Team meetings;
Champion the use of and demand for data in humanitarian settings across the organization;
Work with award managers to strengthen MEAL in the awards we manage, paying particular attention to high risk awards.
Help ensure strong and appropriate MEAL plans and budgets are in place. Support high risk awards by undertaking Technical Assistance trips to strengthen MEAL systems of the award.
Strengthen capacity of award managers to build MEAL systematically into awards and to conduct more effective monitoring visits through facilitating trainings and providing tools.
Support MEAL trainings for wider SCUS and provide trainings that share beneficiary accountability tools and case studies from the humanitarian side of the agency with the development side.
Strengthen capacity of award managers to build MEAL systematically into awards and to conduct more effective monitoring visits through facilitating trainings and providing tools.
MEAL in Emergencies
Deploy to humanitarian emergencies and provide remote technical backstopping for key emergencies.
Set up (or support country offices in setting up) the systems outlined in the Save the Children Key Humanitarian MEAL requirements document (including M&E plans and budgets, Output trackers, Indicator Performance Tracking Tables, assessments, etc.).
Build in-country capacity for humanitarian MEAL through training and coaching.
Support recruitment of MEAL staff for that particular emergency.
Global Humanitarian MEAL initiatives
Engage with and support humanitarian MEAL work at the global level through being a key member of the MEAL Humanitarian Technical Working Group and participating in other relevant working groups.
Support specific pieces of work (that may include the revision/strengthening of key tools) that are in line with SCUS priorities and strengths.
Ensure that SCUS priorities/concerns are reflected in strategic global documents of Save the Children International
Provide technical input into the development of sector wide guidelines & tools through continued active engagement with ANLAP, Sphere working groups, InterAction, & ACAPs.
Build linkages across Save the Children and other agencies and networks on issues pertaining to Humanitarian MEAL.
Team Management
Manage and strengthen the humanitarian MEAL team at SCUS.
Work with team members to clearly identify career development priorities and work to identify related trainings.
Share information on upcoming trainings available online and in person.
Identify deployment and other opportunities that will strengthen the technical skills of the team
Required Background and Experience, Skills and Behaviors
Advanced degree in a social science.
Strong background and experience in research and evaluation methods.
At least ten years’ experience in international programming, with at least five of those years focused on monitoring, evaluation, accountability, & learning.
Experience working in humanitarian emergencies or insecure contexts.
Experience in a wide range of monitoring and evaluation tools and techniques including assessment methods, performance measurement, indicator selection, quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis methodologies. Strong database skills and knowledge of current statistical packages.
Experienced trainer and facilitator with experience in development of training programs including curriculum design, presentation and teaching skills, and training of trainers methods.
Experience representing agency in international fora such as ALNAP.
Excellent interpersonal and cross cultural skills and ability to work as part of a team.
Strong analytical ability, especially related to problem solving and systems development.
Experience advocating for improved MEAL practices to decision makers at all levels (including senior management). Ability to articulate link between MEAL systems with project management, Quality Improvement and Theory of Change processes.
Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
Skills in diplomacy and consensus-building.
Commitment to beneficiary accountability within humanitarian responses and development programming.
Ability to travel up to 30%
Desired
Professional experience in a complex organizational setting (international organization, consortium, network)
Knowledge of a second language (esp. Spanish, French, Portuguese, Arabic) highly desirable.
Save the Children invests in childhood – every day, in times of crisis and for our future. In the United States and around the world, we are dedicated to ensuring every child has the best chance for success. Our pioneering programs give children a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. Our advocacy efforts provide a voice for children who cannot speak for themselves. As the leading expert on children, we inspire and achieve lasting impact for millions of the world’s most vulnerable girls and boys. By transforming children’s lives now, we change the course of their future and ours.
Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom Save the Children is in contact. As a humanitarian agency, Save the Children is obliged to create and maintain an environment that aims to prevent the sexual exploitation and abuse of children and promote the implementation of its child safeguarding policy. All representatives of Save the Children – employees, volunteers, interns, consultants, Board members and others who work with children on Save the Children’s behalf – are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation.
Save the Children provides an attractive benefits package including competitive salaries, a matching retirement plan, health and welfare benefits, life insurance, an employee assistance program, generous time off and much more. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws.
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