Research and MEAL lead

• Undertake continuous staff capacity assessment and develop capacity building plans
• Provide trainings and capacity building for field-level staff as required (MEAL Coordinators working for IPs and for Area/Field Offices)
• Ensure relevant staff receive proper orientation, induction, training to help them deliver their MEAL responsibilities
• Set standards and agreed performance objectives for all direct reports
• Conduct review and reflect sessions with partners on a quarterly basis based on the MEAL plan and agreed indicators; document outputs for wider sharing
• Conduct MEAL related annual performance review of the Activity to include all implementing partners and the Activitys core team

Planning, research, evaluations, assessments and other studies

• Participate in the development of annual implementation plans and ensure MEAL components (monitoring, evaluation, assessment/baseline, accountability and learning) are appropriately planned for and adequately budgeted in the implementation plan.
• Ensure programs and key activities have SMART objectives & indicators.
• Provide leadership for the design and implementation of research activities including developing the scope of work (SoW), timelines and associated budget.
• Ensure evaluations are undertaken in consultation with Country Office and SCUS MEAL teams.
• Lead/participate in program or Activity baseline study, evaluations, researches and assessment activities.
• Synthesize data and disseminate evidence for program improvement, advocacy and campaign purposes.
• Synthesize research, assessments, case studies, project success stories and lessons to be used for advocacy in the expansion of pre-primary education in an emergency context.
• Ensure assessments, action research, case studies, success stories and project lessons are presented in education sector community of practice sessions.
• Innovate with technology to find different methods for presenting data to non-experts.

Management and Leadership

• Provide overall supervision and leadership on the MEAL functions and strategy delivery at field level.
• Provide supervision, mentorship and professional development to MEAL staff 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.
• Participate in key meetings called by the CO MEAL leadership.
• Ensure MEAL evidence (IPTT, project performance/action trackers, etc) are used for management decision making and continuous performance improvement.

MEAL System Development and Management

• Provide strategic and technical guidance to address systemic weaknesses in MEAL systems in the field offices of the implementing partners
• Draw on and contribute to national trends and learning to drive innovation and continuous improvement in MEAL systems
• Provide leadership for the roll-out of the MEAL system in the field offices of implementing partners
• Ensure that the Activity MEAL Team and implementing partner staff understand the various steps and tools for the MEAL system and that this is used consistently across Activity areas
• Ensure that the Activity MEAL Team and implementing partner staff are using Quality Benchmarks as part of their day-to-day implementation and quality monitoring practices
• Support the design and roll-out of standardized monitoring tools and methodologies as required by the Director of MEAL.
• Ensure functional accountability mechanisms are in place as the four pillars of accountability (Information sharing, participation, establishing and implementing Compliant and Feedback Mechanisms (CFM), and staff capacity building.
• Ensure that regular monitoring/MEAL reports are received and communicated effectively to the Chief of Party and the Country Office Director of MEAL and to other relevant bodies in the national office; ensure reports are as per the standard quality, standard template, timeframe and communicated accordingly.
• Ensure communities and children know their rights and entitlements, have access to Activity information and participate in decisions that affect them.
• Ensure communities and children have access to safe and responsive mechanisms to handle their complaints and feedback.

Learning and Knowledge Management

• Lead the implementation of Evidence and Learning Management (ELM) framework for both the Activity core team and implementing partners, ensuring ELM system functionality and capacity.
• Support field programs in the identification of learning objectives and evidence gaps.
• In close collaboration with program teams, facilitate the generation, storage and sharing of knowledge (most significant change story, meta-analysis, research/evaluation summary reports, etc).
• Organize learning events to share evidence (both internally and externally) of what works and what does not in the implementation of the Activitys programs; ensure the utilization of learning and knowledge generated in decision making and programme improvement (maintain up to date action tracker and monitor the utilization and application).
• Participate in the preparation of ECCEiE project success stories, case studies and project lessons for CAR and donor reporting.
• Lead on behaviour change and innovative approaches to improve the utilization of evidence and learning for decision making.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Hold self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Hold the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Set ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Build and maintain effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Value diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develop and encourage new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

• At least a Masters degree in Monitoring and Evaluation studies, in demography, population studies, relevant areas of social development or equivalent and other relevant fields.

Essential

• Minimum of 8 years of programming experience within the aid sector, working in MEAL roles including in managerial/leadership responsibilities, preferably linked to one of Save the Childrens priority technical sectors (Education, Child Poverty, Child Protection, Child Rights Governance, Livelihoods/resilience and WASH), and with the majority of that time focused on overseeing comprehensive MEAL systems that ensure program effectiveness and quality.
• Understanding of both emergency/humanitarian and development contexts, with a preference for experience in both contexts.
• Demonstrated commitment to creating a learning culture
• Solid and relevant experience adhering to international quality standards (Red Cross Code of Conduct, Sphere, CHS) or equivalent.
• Ability and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming surge teams, in the event of emergencies or proposal development
• Experience and knowledge of evidence generation and learning on what works (and doesnt work) for children, including designing/commissioning, implementing and applying: needs assessments, baseline studies, evaluations and research, learning workshops, and learning agendas.
• Direct experience of working with communities in participatory activities. Experience and knowledge of systems for accountability to children and communities, including information sharing, the participation of adults and children, and feedback and reporting mechanisms.
• Ability to prepare and facilitate technical MEAL training and workshops. Direct experience working with communities in participatory activities.
• Proven success in building and managing a team and dedication to developing staff capacity through training, supervising, coaching, and mentoring.
• Experience participating in/leading organizational improvement processes.
• Skilled at communicating and influencing across relevant teams and offices.
• Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mind-sets
• Demonstrable analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience in solving complex issues through analysis, defining, and planning a clear way forward and ensuring buy-in.
• Ability to present complex information clearly and concisely.
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures
• Ability and willingness to be flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure contexts, including flexibility to work with incoming emergency response teams.
• Proficiency in relevant data collection and analysis software; including both qualitative and quantitative data analysis software.
• Ability to work independently and as part of teams/groups
• Strong remote-working abilities and self-motivated.
• Willingness to travel to field sites.
• Fluency in a national language required
• Proficient in speaking and writing English.
• Commitment to Save the Children values

Desirable

• Experience or knowledge of working and living in relevant region/context
• Experience in implementing MEAL activities within an ECDE context
• Experience in promoting quality and impact through at least one cross-cutting area: gender equality and inclusion, adaptive and safer programming; child rights; disability; migration, and displacement.
• Experience and knowledge of Save the Childrens structure, mandate, and child focus

KEY COMPETENCIES

Technical competencies:

• Ensures linkages across portfolio ensuring quality and coherence of MEAL systems and evidence gathering
• Manages resources and capacities to develop and maintain quality MEAL systems
• Facilitates strategic alignment of data to global priorities

Generic Competencies

• Child Rights: Promotes an enabling environment for participation, and accountability to children
• Be the Innovator: Promotes innovation to find new and better approaches to driving progress for children
• Deliver Results at Scale: Promotes a clear focus on impact in a project and programme design, management, and oversight

SC Values:

SC Values areAccountability,Ambition,Collaboration,Creativity,andIntegrity. To meet the value system, the post holder is expected to demonstrate the following Competencies on an ongoing basis:

Leading(align with Ambition, Integrity collaboration, and creativity)

Leading and Inspiring Others:Demonstrate leadership in all our work, role models our values, and articulates a compiling vision to inspire to achieve our goals for children

Delivering result:Takes personal responsibility and holds others to account to deliver our ambitious goals for children, continually improving own performance or that of the team/ organization.

Developing Self and Others: Invest time and energy to actively develop self and others to help realize their full potential and to build the organizations capability for further.

Thinking(align with Ambition, creativity, Collaboration, and Creativity)

Problem-solving and decision makingTakes effective, considered, and timely decisions by gathering and evaluating relevant information from within or outside the organization and making appropriate judgments.

Innovating and Adapting: Develop and implement innovative solutions to adapt and succeed in an ever-changing uncertain work and global environment.

Applying technical and professional expertise: Applies the required technical and professional expertise to the highest standards; promotes and shares best practices within and outside the organization.

Engaging(align with Collaboration, Creativity)

Working effectively with othersWorks collaboratively to achieve shared goals and thrives on the diversity of people and perspectives; knows when to lead and when to follow and how to ensure effective cross-boundary working.

Communicating with Impact:Communicates clearly and confidently with others to engage and influence; promotes dialogue and ensures timely and appropriate messages, building confidence, and trust with others.