MEAL Coordinator At International Rescue Committee

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 50 countries and more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

The IRC worked in Haiti from 2010 through 2016, initially launching an emergency response to the earthquake and later delivering child protection, water and sanitation, health, women’s protection and empowerment, and economic recovery programs in Port-au-Prince and beyond. Even with the closure of its country office in 2016, the IRC has continued to provide operational, technical, and financial support to a small number of Haitian NGO partners, including in response to the 2021 earthquake. Haiti was identified as one of 20 countries at greatest risk of a major new—or significantly worsened—humanitarian crisis over the year ahead in IRC’s 2023 and 2024 Emergency Watchlist given its political instability, gang violence, rising food insecurity, disease outbreaks, and climate shocks that could drive rapid escalation of the humanitarian crisis. In early 2023, IRC re-opened its Haiti operations and scaled up its emergency response with a fully partner-led response in Port-au-Prince and surrounding communities. The focus has been on neighborhoods highly affected by gang violence as well as limited access to healthcare and services for survivors of violence and/or cholera hotspot issues. IRC is also engaging with partners in the Artibonite and Ouest Departments to service unmet needs in those areas.

The IRC Emergency Humanitarian Access Unit (EHAU) led the initial emergency responses and support establishing a country program that can be fully transitioned under the Latin American (LATAM) region.

Position overview

Reporting to the Deputy Director of Programs and technically supported by the Regional Measurement Advisor, the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator works in close collaboration with program, grants and support teams to optimize monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning capacities and opportunities of the IRC mission in Haiti high-quality programming for the clients we serve and support the global ambitions of IRC Strategy 100, especially the Data Ambition, and the Country Strategic Action Plan.

To this end, the MEAL Coordinator is responsible to ensure that a monitoring, evaluation and accountability and data management system is in place, sufficiently resourced and successfully implemented from collection to visualization. And that MEAL data is contributing to improved learning and program quality. The MEAL Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that MEAL principles are integrated in every step of the project cycle, as per IRC’s corporate guidelines and contributes to the implementation of the Country Strategic Action Plan and Strategy 100.

In support of these goals, the coordinator provides vital technical assistance, capacity sharing, individual mentoring, supervision and training to MEAL staff at IRC and partners.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Lead all aspects of MEAL (including client feedback mechanisms) across multiple partners, sectors, and geographical areas;

• Develop, coordinate and strengthen capacity sharing partnerships with MEAL counterparts of partner agencies;

• Represent the IRC on MEAL at internal and external meetings, forums, and other events;

• Champion design, access and use of data by leaders and partners for shared learning and evidence-based decision-making;

• Shape and implement MEAL systems and approaches that meet IRC standards and practices, that meet project and program needs, enable accountability to clients, partners, and donors, and foster program learning;

• Reinforce integration of cross-sectoral priorities in MEAL, including gender, protection, safeguarding, disaster risk reduction, Diversity-Equality-Inclusion and Do No Harm.

Partnership

• Champion a culture of effective and respectful partnerships. Promote partner-led programming in line with IRC’s “why not partner?” and “partner as equals” approach.

• Develop staffing structures with the appropriate number of staff to effectively manage partnerships and ensure quality.

• Ensure that partnership considerations are incorporated into the overall emergency response plan and that local partners are actively engaged response design and program delivery.

• Participate in the identification of potential partners and stakeholder analysis process.

• Actively contribute to the relevant sections of Partner Capacity Analysis (PCA) and the subsequent development of partner support plans.

• Manage the implementation of action items in the MEAL sections of partner support plans.

• Lead and/or support collaborative project and budget design with partners.

• Ensure each program design defines IRC’s emergency approach based on how we can best support, reinforce and complement local actors.

• Work collaboratively with partners to ensure that project budgets reflect fair market value.

• Ensure appropriate budget allocation for IRC to support partners in alignment with the overall response / program design.

• Review and provide feedback on partner technical tools, reports, and data as required. Collaborate with partners on recommended adaptations or process improvements.

• Actively participate in the Partnership Working Group (PWG).

Technical Oversight

• Provide technical leadership for a strong monitoring system and processes throughout the project cycle from the design, implementation to close-out and learning including:

o Using learning and evidence from internal and external sources including previous projects to inform proposal design and Theory of Change;

o Developing and operationalizing, logical frameworks, MEAL plans, data collection tools, processes for data management, clients feedback approaches, quality checks and audits, and data visualization;

o Developing and advocating for adequate MEAL budget and staffing structure for all projects;

o Producing high-quality data, analysis, reports, presentations, and dashboard of key findings that foster learning and decision-making and share in key meetings such as project cycle meetings and strategic senior management team meetings.

• Provide technical leadership for the design, method, and conduct of surveys such as baseline and endline, and the commission of evaluations and surveys as required in coordination with program coordinators, technical advisors, and external partners where vital;

• Lead and advocate for the expansion of standard mobile data technology and online dashboard to enhance timeliness and quality of data collection, analysis and visualization;

• Provide technical leadership to IRC’s effort in meeting its internal and external accountability commitments through the implementation of client feedback and response mechanisms.

Human Resources

• Promote the growth and development of others in IRC teams and partners: Assess proficiencies; develop and lead targeted learning and training strategy. In particular, coach, mentor and support MEAL staff, provide vital tools and resources, as well as on the job training;

• Supervise medium to large sized MEAL team across multiple sectors and geographical areas: Set clear performance objectives; manage staff work plans; establish regular performance reviews; champion a positive working environment for professional development; foster an inclusive and respectful team climate, where all staff are valued and respected and can contribute to their maximum potential;

• Lead the recruitment of country MEAL staff, TTA’s, consultants and, support their onboarding.

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: Program Coordinators and Managers, Regional Measurement Advisor, Grants Coordinator, Finance, relevant Regional/HQ-based colleagues.

External: Partners, Clients.

Requirements

• A University degree in a relevant subject area (statistics, monitoring & data management, social science, public health, economic development, or a related field) – a technical degree together with additional relevant work experience may substitute for education;

• A minimum 5 years of working experience within Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and learning-related functions;

• Demonstrated genuine interest in and commitment to collaboration and partnership with local actors in emergencies;

• Leadership experience and proven technical skills in setting up quality MEAL systems that lead to evidence-based decision-making for multi-sectorial and multi-donor funded programs;

• Demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through training, mentoring, and other formal and non-formal methods together with strong presentation and reporting skills;

• Strong management and social skills and proven track record to work with diverse groups of people in a multicultural environment;

• Self-motivated with excellent organization, planning, and analytical skills – able to work without close supervision, including prioritizing work and multi-tasking;

• Proficiency and experience with mobile data collection such as Kobo, CommCare, ODK Collect are crucial as well as proficiency with Microsoft Excel; SPSS, SATA or other similar software;

• Knowledge of Tableau, PowerBi or GIS software are additional assets;

• A strong understanding of accountability and proven ability to build Client Feedback Systems is a distinct advantage;

• Willingness to travel within Haiti as security and access permit

• Fluency in French and English (written and speaking).

Standard of Professional Conduct: The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.

Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.