Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator, LNGB

The International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest humanitarian agencies, provides relief, rehabilitation and post-conflict reconstruction support to victims of natural disaster, oppression and violent conflict in 42 countries. The IRC has worked in Sierra Leone since 1999. The IRC currently programs across three core sectors 1) Health 2) Women and Girls’ Protection and Empowerment (WGPE), and 3) Education. The IRC is committed to supporting the Government of Sierra Leone in the strengthening of the country. We seek to build upon our programming experience and introduce new programs that are adaptive, collaborative and evidence-driven, leading to a more educated, safe, healthy and empowered Sierra Leone.

SCOPE OF WORK

Building on this work over the years, the IRC in Sierra Leone has developed a new program framework, strategy and vision for 2016 – 2020. The country program has committed to ensuring that children, both in and out of school, have appropriate literacy, numeracy, social-emotional skills, and will work towards the reduction and elimination of barriers to ensure that girls are equally skilled and safe as boys. In line with this commitment, and in partnership with Concern International, Restless Development and BBC Media Action, the IRC will implement the four-year Leave No Girl behind project which targets 32,500 out-of-school girls (aged 13-17) and aims to ensure they have significantly improved learning outcomes and transition to education, training or employment. Upon completion of the learning programme, girls will receive one-on-one mentorship to develop their individual transition plans.

The IRC is recruiting for a Consortium Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Learning (MEAL) and Research Coordinator for the Leave No Girl Behind programme in Sierra Leone.

The Consortium MEAL and Research Coordinator will lead three main components: 1) Monitoring, 2) Research, Evaluation and Learning, 3) Accountability (including Client Responsiveness) that contribute to high-standards research, evidence-based program design, high-quality donor reporting and continuous improvement of program quality based on data and learning. Understanding of girls and women’ programming will be essential.

The Consortium MEAL and Research Coordinator will work under the oversight of the Senior Consortium Coordinator.

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITIES

GENERAL

· Oversee the implementation and on-going development of MEAL processes, systems and guidance across the consortium, including leading the design and roll-out of research initiatives for the programme,that are tailored to and appropriate for adolescent girls’ education and empowerment programming.

· Draw strategic input from key project stakeholders, including technical and M&E advisors, to continuously refine and improve project MEAL approaches and Research, bringing expertise in MEAL for adolescent girls’ education and empowerment programming.

RESEARCH, EVALUATION AND LEARNING

Research & Learning

· Elevate the design of research activities aimed at generating data about quality, efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness of program models and approaches that support girls’ education and empowerment in low-resource settings. Ensure these activities are integrated strategically in project work plans and learning is continuously fostered throughout program adaption and implementation.

· Incorporate research at micro and macro level program design, and ensuring evidence and learning are used to inform gender-transformative programming. Ensure this includes girls and women voices.

· Design and implement a systematic way of documenting and disseminating lessons learned and good practices internally and externally, and help increase project knowledge and gender and inclusion transformative potential, to ensure the intervention is responsive to needs of and informed by a sound understanding of the context and the needs of the target population (adolescent girls).

· Hold regular regional data review meetings with implementing partners to review data and discuss lessons learned, as well as inform program adaptations.**

· Work with the IRC Research Innovation Unit to created research outputs (factsheet, briefs, etc) for both institutional learning, strategic programming and policy influencing with a focus on education and empowerment of girls.

· Support the development of a dissemination strategy with key stakeholders in Sierra Leone, the Girls Education Challenge Fund Manager and global platforms.

Evaluation

· In collaboration with the project external evaluator (EE), support the design and delivery of the project impact evaluation, including development of methodology, measurement tools, qualitative and quantitative processes, and quality metrics through a participatory approach, whereby abiding by the GEC-LNGB requirements.

· Act as consortium focal point for providing support to the EE in the delivery of accurate and timely baseline, midline and endline reporting.

· Work closely with the EE on reviewing quality data and analysis.

· Review significant findings and trends and support the consortium to put these into action to support program adaptiveness and learning.

· Compile, analyse and disseminate quantitative and qualitative information for improved programs decision making.

· Act as focal point for coordinating technical support from the HQ Research and Innovation unit, ensuring technical advice is sought and used to deliver quality evaluation and research activities, and these are implemented in line with the IRC commitments in these areas.

ACCOUNTABILITY

• In collaboration with the Protection Specialist and Education Specialist, build feedback loops in the program MEAL plan that promote, regularly collect and respond to adolescent girls’ and female mentors feedback suggestions, ensuring child participation, gender, disability, social norm and ethical standards, in line with IRC global good standards for Client Responsiveness.

· In collaboration with the CCU Protection Specialist and the IRC Safeguarding Specialist, ensure safeguarding standards are mainstreamed in the research and monitoring methodology, upheld in the delivery of monitoring and research activities and regularly monitored throughout implementation.

MONITORING

• Oversee and coach the Sr. M&E Manager in implementing the Project Routine Monitoring systems and protocols, including

• monitoring plans and tools to measure project progress against logframe indicators.

• conducting analysis of project data.

• conduct regular quarterly data audits with consortium partners.

• ensuring maintenance of programme databases (including data entry, validation, merging / aggregation, cleaning and storage).

• develop regular field monitoring calendars and tools.

• prepare monthly programme data reports for dissemination.

• Support consortium partners in implementing and using monitoring templates, standards, approaches and tools for data collection and data management. Progressively enabling the Sr. M&E Manager to take this role up fully.

REPORTING

· Support the Sr. M&E manager in the review and consolidation of monitoring data for reporting against the logframe and performance indicators for donor reporting and internal programme review.

· Provide M&E support to the Senior Team Leader for the compilation and completion of donor reports.

· Participate in regular field monitoring visits to ensure data quality and compliance against reporting as needed.

· Review partner technical reporting to validate against data reports.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIP

· Position Reports to: Senior Team Leader, LNGB

· Position technically supervises: National M&E Manager

· Position receive technical support from: IRC Sierra Leone MEL Coordinator.

· Internal: All staff and departments within the Sierra Leone Country Program (primarily Program teams), Regional M&E unit, HQ/Regional Technical Units (Technical Assistants and M&E specialists), HQ Research and Innovation Unit

· External: Partner organizations, other humanitarian actors

DURATION

1^st February 2021 – 31^st January 2022, renewable.

REQUIREMENTS

To effectively deliver this engagement, the applicant should meet the following requirements:

Education

· Master’s degree in education or related field.

· Ideally, further education and training in girls’ education programming and gender and social inclusion transformative approaches.

Work Experience

· Prior experience working on large scale, complex research evaluation and research activities in the field of girls education, girls’ empowerment or similar programs is essential.

· Prior experience working on education programs focusing on adolescent girls is essential.

· At least 5 years’ relevant experience working in a low resource setting. Previous experience in managing large scale programme or consortia level M&E systems is essential.

· Demonstrable experience working with partners in MEAL and Research activities, including capacity building.

Demonstrated Technical Skills

· Demonstrated experience in adolescent girls and women education and/or empowerment programs.

· Demonstrated data management and analytical skills, with demonstrated experience in managing large data systems and in qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis.

· Excellent skills in information/data analysis, including consolidation and analysis of highly diverse data, and report writing, including experience with statistical analysis and data management software and methodology along with key platforms.

· Demonstrated experience in designing monitoring, evaluation and learning systems, tools and processes in an international development context.

· Proven M&E training and capacity building skills, ideally in supporting partners.

· Familiarity with a range of evaluation methodologies (RCT, mixed methods).

· Previous experience in survey/baseline and endline design, collection and analysis.

· Confident and proficient use in MS Excel, and some experience in the use of DHIS/use of mobile technology for data collection.

· Excellent English speaking/writing skills required.

Demonstrated Managerial/Leadership Competencies:

• Excellent planning and organizational skills; Self-motivated and able to work without close supervision, including prioritizing work and multi-tasking to meet deadlines.

• Excellent analytical, presentation, and reporting;

• Excellent relationship-building, interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively represent IRC at forums and with donors.

• Strong negotiation skills essential with experience in conflict resolution desirable.

• Superior oral and written communication skills, with ability to express ideas and concepts clearly and persuasively with internal and external stakeholders.

• Positive attitude to work, self-reflective, motivated, inspired, collegial.

• Proven ability to work well in teams and promote teamwork, thrive in a multi-cultural environment, be flexible and handle pressure with professional grace.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

https://rescue.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/11231?c=rescue