PlayMatters MEAL Manager

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 28 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

Job Overview:
IRC is seeking Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Managers for a five-year project, “PlayMatters”, funded by the LEGO Foundation. This position will be a part of the larger PlayMatters initiative to increase play-based learning opportunities for nearly 1 million pre-primary and primary school aged refugee and host community children impacted by the humanitarian crises in East Africa and living in Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Uganda. This project aims to build children’s social, emotional, cognitive, physical, and creative skills through play in their homes, schools, and communities. The project is implemented in consortium led by IRC in partnership with War Child Holland, Plan International, Behavioural Insights Team and Innovations for Poverty Action. 

PlayMatters applies behavioural science and human-cantered design as well as adult behaviour change theories to transform parents, caregivers, teachers, and policy makers into change agents of playful learning, leading to improved learning and well-being for children.  

The MEAL Managers shall serve as the focal point and operational lead for PlayMatters project MEAL activities at sub regional level in the refugee settlements and host communities. S/he will, be responsible for day-to-day coordination, capacity sharing, management and support of MEAL activities including but not limited to for.  routine monitoring, data collection and entries, management of client’s feedback, data visualisations and project reporting among others. 
The MEAL Managers shall, under the supervision of the PlayMatters Senior MEAL Manager work collaboratively and in coordination with relevant stakeholders at district and subregional level as well as with staff and partners of IRC and consortium partners.   

Duties and Responsibilities:
•Contribute to the design, maintenance and the roll-out of project specific MEAL systems and guidance for tracking project achievements and outcomes. 
•Coordinate capacity development activities for MEAL for staff and partners   to plan, use and comply with project specific MEAL plans, processes, priorities, and requirements. 
•Contribute to the development, management, and utilization of strong data systems to inform project management improvements, learning and reporting. 
•Co- lead and ensure timely and accurate consolidation/analysis of project related data, information, and reports.
•Support regular consultations, knowledge exchange, accountability and feedback with staff, partners, and other relevant stakeholders. 
•Contribute to effective documentation, sharing and regular communication of lessons learned and evidence of good practices on PlayMatters.
•Support the implementation of project specific assessments, performance measurements, research evaluations and impact studies, 
•Represent, contribute, and participate as required to inter-departmental and cross sector activities in-country, across the consortium and externally.
•Support greater sharing and use amongst staff and partners of gender sensitive monitoring data including client feedback to ensure interventions are responsive to the needs of clients and are informed by a sound understanding of the context.