MEAL Coordinator at Save the Children Nigeria

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.

We are recruiting to fill the oposition below:

Job Title: MEAL Coordinator

Reference No.: 210003ET
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Employee Status: Fixed Term

Child Safeguarding

• Level 3- The responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with children or young people and, in the overseas context all posts are considered to be level 3 posts in view of potential situations which may allow staff unsupervised access to vulnerable children and young people.

Role Purpose:

• Save the Children with NRC and UNICEF leads the Nigeria NGO Education Consortium as Grantee for Education Cannot Wait (ECW) Seed funding, an innovative model for education in emergencies programming. The objective of the Education Consortium is to coordinate (including disbursement of funds) selected organisation for implementation of the Multi Year Resilience Plan (MYRP) for Nigeria across 3 State
• The Education Consortium will manage and coordinate disbursement of Education Cannot Wait over 2 years. The MYRP Theory of Change focuses on conflict-sensitive interventions, that move communities from emergency to recovery and towards development. The funding for MYRP will ensure that out of school children (OOSC) in priority areas have flexible, responsive routes into learning opportunities, that support their transition into further levels of education and that support their holistic wellbeing and development. The MYRP in line with ECW priorities focusses on interventions targeting 3-18 years especially refugees, IDPs, returnees and host communities
• The MEAL Coordinator will be responsible for design and coordinating rollout of the MEAL systems as well as contextualizing and disseminating ECW MEAL guidance (based on existing guidance provided by ECW) to selected organizations
• Under the guidance of the Education Consortium Manager and Head of Education, the MEAL Coordinator will ensure that MEAL Systems are implemented by consortium partners in a coordinated, harmonized and aligned manner, in line with donor requirements and commitments
• The MEAL Coordinator will be responsible for supporting the Consortium Manager in submission of timely and regular progress reports to the in-country MYRP Steering Committee as well as participating in the SC meetings as requested
• The MEAL Coordinator will also liaise with the staff from SCI, NNGOs and INGO to be selected with other grantees of ECW in Nigeria like UNICEF and NRC to ensure that MEAL Systems and application of standard indicators is well understood and implemented.

Key Areas of Accountability
Monitoring:

• In close collaboration with the Education Consortium Partners, track and oversee the implementation of harmonized monitoring tools and aligned indicator definitions for the project
• In close collaboration with Consortium Partners, put in place an operational MEAL plan for ECW including mechanisms to monitor and document the progress of implementation of Programme activities, Specifically
• Lead the design / review of MEAL pack, to include the Indicator Performance Tracking Table, Log frame, Activity Tracking Table and MEAL plan. Maintain an updated Indicator Performance Tracker (IPT) and Output tracker, in additional other report requirements as may be requested
• Provide technical guidance and lead capacity building of the Consortium Partner staff, and stakeholders on implementation of MEAL within the Programme; to include capacities for data collection, storage, indicator definition and reporting
• Input to the development of aligned Quality Benchmarks for the Education Consortium activities to guide monitoring and ensure actions plans agreed on after QB monitoring are implemented in timely manner
• Review Programme data collection tools to ensure that tools provide required information on programme indicators
• Enhance use of digital data management with in the program, this may include use of Kobo and ODK among other programs
• Conduct routine data quality assessment and continuous quality improvement of the program to ensure program implementation and report quality
• Participate/coordinate the design of quantitative and qualitative participatory Programme evaluations (baseline, annual and final evaluations), assessments, reviews and other special studies
• Work closely with the National Consortium Unit Manager to ensure that performance indicators are regularly tracked and that activities implemented are well aligned with the indicators
• Support implementation of programme MIS and integration of   Geographical Information System (GIS) in programme reporting. Support GIS mapping and dissemination of MIS / GIS reports. Provide MIS content / requirements and feedback to MEAL team and document progress on indicators / achievement of targets
• Where applicable, roll-out mobile data collection and monitoring systems and document learning and suggestions for improvement.

Evaluation:

• With the Consortium Manager, coordinate the development of Terms of Reference for the programme evaluations
• Coordinate the logistics of project evaluations as necessary and ensure data collection, analysis and write-up is in line with SCI and donor standards as well as set timelines.

Accountability

• Work alongside consortium partners to ensure a functional Complaints, Feedback, Response and Feedback is in place in line with SCI’s standard and expectations, the Standard Operating Procedure for the programme and donor expectations
• Collect and manage complaints and feedback in close coordination with Programme team. Track timeliness of response to complaints and maintain an updated Programme complaints tracker
• Build capacity of partner organisations with regards to Accountability to Affected Communities.

Learning:

• Foster and develop a culture of learning within the Education Consortium Unit and SCI
• Establish information sharing mechanisms for partner staff to document and share examples of good and bad practice and learning
• Document learning on working in consortia and pilot innovations and interventions and share with key stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities for research and learning questions in collaboration with the Consortium Partners and Technical Specialists
• Facilitate documentation of programme results, impact, best practices and significant changes. Document learnings and best practices; disseminate learnings, reports, publications and participate in learning sessions, and ensuring that the lessons learnt are utilized to inform programming and advocacy.

Communication, Coordination and Networking:

• Foster a culture of information sharing, and collaboration within the Education Consortium
• Be available for and responsive to questions, queries and requests for information and support from Consortium Partners
• Create and sustain positive working relationships internally with other technical staff; externally with the district local government and CSO partners, and other stakeholders, and also maintain an up to date understanding of key development trends in the Programme area
• Representing the programme in Education coordination fora at the district as may be requested by the line manager.
• Ensure coordination with the government activities and structures in the implementation Consortium activities
• In collaboration with National Consortia Unit Manager, MEAL Manager and Partnership Manager provide routine periodic partner monitoring and provide regular guidance and support to ensure partner’s effective implementation of MEAL according to best practice and donor requirements
• Coordinate monthly MEAL Working Group meetings with MEAL representatives from consortium partners, minutes are shared with key stakeholders and follow-up on recommended action points.

Behaviours

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds 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:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity.

Qualification

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in either Statistics or Development Studies.

Experience and Skills
Essential:

• Minimum of five years work experience in monitoring and evaluation working experience (preferably in education/protection related programmes with an International NGO)
• Minimum of three years of consortium experience in education on MEAL will be added value
• Knowledge and use of various survey methods for monitoring of different programs
• Previous experience working in partnership programmes
• Prior experience establishing and running coordination mechanisms
• Prior experience in training and management of data collectors
• Demonstrable experience and understanding of the education sector global and national standards
• Additional training and experience in biostatistics or monitoring and evaluation and MIS of an added advantage
• Experience of working with local partners and District Local Government in Child Rights Governance, Education and Child Protection is an added advantage
• Strong analytical skills and strategic planning abilities
• Sound written and oral presentation skills
• Ability to establish and maintain conducive collegial relations and perform effectively as a member of a team
• Willingness to travel and work in hard-to-reach areas, occasionally under strenuous conditions
• Computer literacy and excellent documentation skills are a must. Microsoft office especially word, spreadsheet (Excel), Access, SPSS and GIS applications)
• Availability and willingness to work extra hours during times of humanitarian responses
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures
• Ability to intervene with crisis management or troubleshooting as necessary
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching
• Excellent time management and planning capacity.

Desirable:

• Experience working on GIS mapping projects.

The Organisation

• We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better health care, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realize the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard. 

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children.  We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

Save the Children is committed to ensuring that all our personnel and programmes are absolutely safe for children.

We undertake rigorous procedures to ensure that only people suitable to work with children are allowed to join our organization and all candidates will, therefore, be subject to this scrutiny.

We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Application Closing Date
28th May, 2021.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

• Applicants are advised that Save the Children International does not require any payment or expense during the entire recruitment process. Any request in this direction should be immediately reported as it is contrary to the values and practices of our organization
• Due to the volume of applications received, Save the Children may not provide feedback to all applicants. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
• Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, as applications will be reviewed as received. Save the Children reserves the right to change the closing date, if considered necessary
• Female candidates are encouraged to apply.