MEAL Manager

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 24 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 50 countries, our 8,300 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Action Against Hunger USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network. As an independent NGO, Action Against Hunger USA currently manages operations in 8 countries: Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia and Haiti. Action Against Hunger-USA has over $100 million in programs, and approximately 1,800 permanent staff based in New York City, Washington D.C, Nairobi, and country offices. Additional growth is anticipated.

       1. Summary of position

The MEAL manager is responsible to oversee the overall MEAL functions and day-to-day management of the MEAL activities at the base. The MEAL Manager role will provide essential support to AAH’s programme by supporting leadership and management, roll-out of the MEAL system and building capacity at the field level to deliver against the minimum Operating Standards in his/her respective base. He/She builds system and staff capacity to ensure that AAH programmes are of high quality to beneficiaries and donors and learning is institutionalized for program improvements. He/She will ensure proper planning and implementation of the monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning activities, monitor day to day activities in the field, and oversee proper delivery of activity progress reports, donor and partner reports. 

Purpose 

• To contribute to the progress of the country's MEAL system towards its strategic goals through developing and maintaining an effective MEAL system in designated base. 

• To provide support to project implementation and to lead the process of MEAL, create conditions so that learning is fed into program decision-making.

• To contribute to the development of Action Against Hunger’s MEAL and mission strategy.

• To develop systems of documentation of learnings and best practices, to organize and share internally and with external stakeholder

Engagement

Internal: Filed Coordinator: hierarchical relationship + exchange of information MEAL Technical Advisor: exchange of information + technical support

External: Local governmental and non-governmental partners: exchange of information, coordination, training, supervision, influence on the choice of technical options Local authorities: exchange of information, participation in regular M&E activities Local representatives of international aid organizations: exchange of information

Key Delivery

Reporting

• Monthly APR reports of projects and summary of sector key performance indicator
• Follow up and track accountability reports using existing CFRM platforms  using the dashboard 
• Monthly MEAL Activity and budget performance tracking
• Develop, review and facilitate baseline and end line evaluation and survey reports 
• Follow up the DHIS II database recordings for the base, and ensue all records are up to data on the system on agreed timeline. )
• Facilitate Beneficiary verification and validation activities and develop reports
• Lead and conduct Post distribution monitoring
• Periodic donor reports review and validation and incorporation of MEAL reports
• program quality and routine monitoring reports
• Facilitate learning and After Action Reviews ( AAR) activities, and develop and track key leanring from this events, including  success stories

Essential job duties

Objective 1: Management and leadership

• Provide overall supervision and leadership on the MEAL functions and strategy delivery at base level
• Prove supervision, mentorship and professional development to program and MEAL staffs in the base so that staff have the required capacity and enthusiasm to undertake their responsibilities
• Provide oversight of MEAL budget and ensure effective and timely utilization for the appropriate MEAL activities
• Be the key link among the MEAL team at capital office and  base level operations and management team
• Ensure MEAL evidences (APR, project performance/action trackers, routine monitoring, AAR, assessment etc) are used for management decision making and continuous performance improvement and be part of the base level management team member

Objective 2:  MEAL system development and management

• Support the organization MEAL system development or strengthening and  roll-out of the MEAL system for the respective base as applicable 
• Ensure program staff understand the various steps and tools for the MEAL system and consistent use across projects / areas
• Ensure programmes/projects are using program quality monitoring as part of their day to day implementation and quality monitoring practices
• Support on the design and roll-out of standardised monitoring tools and methodologies as required by the MEAL department and field level teams.
• Ensure that regular monitoring/MEAL reports are produced and communicated effectively to MEAL department and other relevant bodies in the base office, including, but not limited to monthly APRs and other adhoc reports
• Develop and track MEAL plan for each project implementing in the specific base and ensure partners engaged in supporting implementation at the base are well-acquitted with the ACF and donor MEAL tools and protocols;
• Ensure all projects have standard activity progress reporting tool and  follow the proper use among program staff
• Rigorously review the quality of APR reports and provide timely feedback to program manager
• Organize and lead program coordination meeting at base level to review the progress and challenges of programs
• Undertake baseline and end-line survey’s with high quality in data collection, analysis, and reporting;
• Plan and undertake post distribution monitoring,  and beneficiary verification on the guidance of the standard  
• Support  the annual need assessment exercise of the mission,
• Undertake routine field monitoring visits jointly with project and partner staff 
• Develop an action tracker for all type of monitoring and evaluation events and follow its implementation 
• Review and support donor and government reports with evidences and results 

Objective 3: Establish an effective accountability system and management

• Ensure functional accountability mechanisms are in place as the four pillar of accountability (Information sharing, participation, establishing and implementing Complaint and Feedback Mechanisms (CFM), and staff capacity building.
• Ensure communities and target beneficiaries know their rights and entitlements, have access to project information and participate in decisions that affect them
• Ensure communities and target beneficiaries have access to safe and responsive mechanisms to handle their complaints and feedbacks
• Regularly assess the effectiveness of existing complaint outlets and conduct periodic consultation with the community to decide the appropriate channel together with them
• Make sure each project have context-based functional accountability system for the base;
• Ensure timely and relevant project information shared for communities and beneficiaries;
• Ensuring project beneficiaries know about the project activities, their entitlements, targeting criteria, and feedback and complaint mechanism;
• Ensuring communities and project beneficiaries actively participated throughout the project period;
• Ensure complaint and feedbacks are collected, recorded in a database, reviewed timely, tracked and shared with program managers for a timely response; and update the monthly accountability dashboard
• Ensure the implementation of Action Against Hunger’s accountability minimum standards across all projects
• Support the capital MEAL and the mission in roll outing accountability SOP and guideline;
• Ensuring the voices and concerns of the community and beneficiaries we serve are heard through regular individual and community level assessment (FGD and KII);
• Inform management immediately when serious complaints are lodged (Serious complaints which need to be reported to senior management immediately are cases of suspected fraud, corruption, staff misconduct, or abuse of children/beneficiaries);

Objective 4: technical support and capacity building

• Undertake continuous staff capacity assessment in respective base and develop capacity building plans
• Provide trainings and capacity building for field-level staff as required
• Coaching and mentoring for project staff and making sure that the set standards and procedures are implemented effectively and meet the highest quality standards
• Ensure relevant staff received proper orientations, inductions, training to help them deliver their MEAL responsibilities
• Sets standard and agreed performance objectives for all direct reports (if any)
• Liaise with partner organizations and provide necessary capacity building trainings and coaching as needed

Objective 5: Learning and knowledge management

• Lead the implementation of learning and knowledge framework in the base and support there is a functional system and capacity in the base
• Support programmes in the identification of learning objectives and evidence gaps. 
• In close collaboration with program team facilitate in generating, storing and sharing knowledge (most significant change story, meta-analysis, research/evaluation summary reports, etc). 
• Ensure utilization of learning and knowledge generated in decision making and programme improvement (maintain up to date Hub action tracker and monitor the utilization and application)
• Facilitate experience shared and review meetings at the field level between sectors;
• Establish a system for gathering, organizing, documenting, and sharing of learnings and best practices;
• Producing success stories and share for learning and program implementation improvement;
• Document and share best practices and learnings through publications, web sharing, and other means within the mission;
• Together with the filed coordinator and PM, facilitate annual data reviews and reflection sessions to track progress and agree on corrective action together with the program team

Objective 6: Reporting

• Closely work with capital and base level (if any) grant and reporting team to coordinate the timely submission of reports 
• Review the technical accuracy and quantitative steepness  of program reporting of the base;
• Summarize program and donor reports, internal and external evaluation reports, learning documents and case studies, ad-hoc reports, and provide inputs where necessary.
• Take an active role in the analysis of program achievements during donor and other reporting, together with the Program Managers and Field Coordinator

                   2. Supervisory Responsibilities

• N/A

                 3. Gender Equality Commitments  

• Foster an environment that supports the values of women and men, and equal access to information.

• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.

• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion. Race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.

• Value and respect all cultures. 

                 4. Fiscal Responsibility

• Budget follow up (BFU) regularly and ensure the utilization of allocated budget in timely manner to ensure accurate and effective use of funds.
• Update the monthly BFU and facilitate the monthly cash needs forecast ensuring adequate funds are always available.
• Ensure that budget is implemented in compliance with Action Against Hunger and donor regulations.
• Developing annual financial plans of the program and ensure that these financial plans are implemented in accordance with annual physical/activity plans.

                 5. Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.   

               6. Working Conditions, Travel, and Environment 

• The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required.

• Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business purposes. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high-security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases. 

                 Required Qualifications and Professional Experience

• Master’s degree in humanitarian affairs, international development, public health, epidemiology, statistics, economics, or other social/developmental sciences
• At least 7 years of proven experience in the Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Accountability of humanitarian or development programs
• Demonstrated knowledge of M&E concepts and international humanitarian quality standards
• Experience with mobile data collection is mandatory, and experience working in DHIS II database system is preferable
• Experience with GIS (preferred)
• Fluency in English (both written and spoken skills)
• Knowledge of the local language is mandatory.

              Required Skills & Competencies

Essential

• Professional, motivated, open, creative, mature, responsible, flexible, and culturally sensitive
• Excellent communication, writing, and analytical skills
• Proven ability to translate evaluated results into learning strategies
• Experience in monitoring and evaluating  donor (i.e. ECHO, SIDA, PRM, EHF) funded activities
• Skills in statistical and other software (MS Excel, SPSS, SPHINX, STATA, EPI Info, ENA for SMART, GIS, etc.)
• Microsoft Office Skills (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
• Experience in humanitarian M&E
• Experience in designing and leading internal and external evaluation
• Experience designing and leading capacity building and training for national teams
• Familiarity with Management Information Systems (Databases) and GIS
• Knowledge of project cycle management
• Commitment to ACF mission, values, and policy

PREFERRED

• Previous experience with nutrition, WASH, food security, and livelihoods programming.
• Previous experience with cash-based interventions (i.e. cash for work, cash transfers, or cash vouchers)
• Experience with mobile data collection processes and platforms
• Experience with GIS and spatial analysis
• Familiarity with Management Information Systems (Databases)
• Languages: (indicate fluency level)
• English (fluent)
• Knowledge of local language (Desirable)

How To Apply

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

If you are interested, please send your application composed of nonreturnable CV, Covering Letter with “MEAL Manager-Wollega” written in the subject line, to the following address: 

Through www.ethiojobs.net 

Deadline: 21 July 2024

NB: Only short-listed applicants will be, communicated and the selection process includes a technical test and an interview. 

Action Against Hunger-USA provides all staff with an _attractive salary & benefits package. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees & qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Action Against Hunger-USA complies with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment