Program Manager I (MEAL) At Catholic Relief Services

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

Job Summary

You will manage Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning (MEAL) in the Lebanon Country Program (CP) for Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) programs implemented in Lebanon and outreach countries, designing and implementing project MEAL systems to advance CRS’ work in serving the poor and vulnerable. Your MEAL-related management skills and knowledge will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of projects to benefit those we serve.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• Manage and implement all MEAL activities throughout relevant project cycles – project design, start-up, implementation and close-out – to ensure efficient and effective implementation in line with CRS program quality principles and standards and MEAL policies, procedures and practices, donor MEAL requirements, and industry good practices. Ensure project team and partner staff use the appropriate MEAL systems and tools.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff wellbeing. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, contribute to the recruitment process of project staff, and complete performance management for direct reports.
• Champion learning with project staff and partner teams. Analyze and evaluate project performance data following MEAL policy and industry good practices, including use of differential and inferential statistics (quantitative data), and content and trends analysis (qualitative data). Proactively identify issues and concerns and use participatory processes to overcome implementation obstacles, encouraging reflection on key issues, assumptions, and themes to identify and address gaps in learning. Promote the application of learning to improve program quality and to strengthen agency influence among external stakeholders.
• Act as a key resource person for MEAL in project design and proposal development in respective programming area, gap-filling and taking on growth responsibilities, as needed. Support the design of project-level theories of change, results frameworks, Proframes (logical frameworks) and MEAL narratives, including the identification of key indicators of change and appropriate methods for data collection and use.
• Lead the development and roll-out of project-level MEAL systems, including Performance Monitoring Plans or Performance Indicator Reference Sheets, Indicator Performance Tracking Tables, data collection instruments, Feedback and Response Mechanisms, and Detailed Implementation Plans which are appropriate to the scope and context of projects.
• Coordinate the implementation of monitoring and accountability activities and processes (including ICT4MEAL) according to the Detailed Implementation Plan and MEAL systems of each project. Ensure the quality of monitoring data through annual data quality assessments. Support active seeking and responding to feedback from all members of targeted communities and other stakeholders.
• Contribute to evaluation events through the development of terms of reference that include a balance of qualitative and quantitative methods, and the necessary level of technical rigor. Assure the quality of evaluation data through good data management. As required, support the identification, recruitment, and management of external evaluators to ensure high quality evaluation and learning.
• Coordinate the identification of MEAL-related staff capacity and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and capacity strengthening and required interventions to support quality project implementation. Optimize partner participation and capacity development in the implementation of MEAL systems.
• Coordinate and monitor financial and material resources relevant to project MEAL needs. Through planning and oversight ensure efficient use of project resources for MEAL.

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in International Development, International Relations or in the field of MEAL required.
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant field-based experience in coordinating or managing light to moderately complex projects required, preferably with an international NGO.
• Additional experience may substitute for some education.

Required Languages

• Fluent written and spoken Arabic and English required

Travel

• Must be willing and able to travel approximately 35% of time

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with culturally diverse groups.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to write reports
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented

Preferred Qualifications

• MEAL-related project management experience in the livelihoods, education and/or protection sectors is highly desirable.
• Experience engaging with partner organizations.
• Experience contributing to the development of technical proposals.
• MEAL skills and experience preferred.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship

MEAL Competencies (for CRS MEAL Program Staff)

Each staff member in this position is expected to have solid knowledge and ability and can apply the following competencies with minimal or no guidance, in the full range of typical situations, while requiring guidance to handle novel or more complex situations:

• MEAL in Design
• Monitoring
• Evaluation
• Accountability
• Learning
• Analysis and Critical Thinking
• ICT4MEAL
• Management in MEAL

Supervisory Responsibilities

MEAL Senior Project Officer

Key Working Relationships

Internal: Program Managers, Senior Project Officers, Project Officers, Finance Officer, Head of Programs, Head of Operations, Regional MEAL Technical Advisor, Sector specific technical advisors

External: Partner program teams, including Caritas Lebanon and Caritas Jordan program teams, Partner Heads of Programs, other INGOs in sector working groups

***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer