Senior Technical Advisor, MEAL for Youth Programming at Catholic Relief Services

You will lead the strategy development in the field of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) for youth programming globally and provide technical leadership and advice in line with CRS program quality and principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices to Technical Advisors and Regional and Country Program (CP) teams to advance the delivery of high-quality youth programming to the poor and vulnerable. Your expertise, leadership, and influence will be key in determining how effective, adaptive and innovative CRS youth programming is across the globe.
More specifically, you will lead CRS’ efforts to refine and implement a global learning agenda, carry out research, capture learnings, develop MEAL systems for youth programming and ensure that CRS’ youth programs are evidence-based and lead to positive outcomes, ultimately serving as the lead team member with respect to research and learning. Additionally, you will contribu te to the youth platform, designed to scale youth livelihoods and leadership, and lead its MEAL efforts related to scaling youth programming and influencing ecosystem actors.
Job Responsibilities:

  • Lead design and implementation of agency-wide strategies, standards, tools, and best practices in MEAL for youth programming that effectively engage partners, donors, and governments. Ensure a cross-sectoral approach that integrates gender, disability, protection mainstreaming, and disaster risk reduction.
  • Lead development and advancement of agency-wide standards, policies, innovative approaches, tools, and MEAL in youth programming, including application of partnership principles.
  • Contribute to HQ, regional, and country program staff efforts to pre-position CRS for strategic growth opportunities in youth programming. Provide technical guidance in proposal development and project design with a focus on complex projects to ensure innovative programming solutions and technical excellence. Support CPs to appropriately staff project teams.
  • Lead MEAL capacity strengthening initiatives in youth programming for staff and partners through ensuring development of learning agendas/curricula, organizing and/or facilitating trainings, workshops and conferences, and mentoring and coaching staff in innovative CRS approaches and tools. Provide mentoring and coaching to TAs, as well as CP and regional staff.
  • Provide technical assistance to youth projects in the development and refinement of project MEAL systems.
  • Lead the agency knowledge management and learning agenda in youth programming through setting conditions for collective learning that ensure the capture, documentation, and sharing of key successes, promising practices, lessons learned, and evidence-based implementation research, internally and externally, including publications in peer reviewed journals.
  • Collaborate with research partners and project teams to design and carry out targeted research activities to advance the evidence base on effective youth programming.
  • Coordinate a Community of Practice for MEAL in youth programming, promote knowledge management and collaborative learning processes at the project, program and institutional levels, generating robust evidence for project and programmatic learning that leads to action, decision-making and influence, and identify and disseminate learning, best practices and global trends on MEAL in youth programming.
  • Lead efforts to support uptake, analysis, and reporting on youth global metrics.
  • Represent CRS at global forums, UN, Congress, and major donor forums to present CRS’ work and research in youth programming to influence technical partner approaches, future funding opportunities, and policies. Network with relevant organizations to increase CRS’ profile in youth programming, influence in the global youth programming community, and donor diversification.
  • Effectively manage consultants.

Education and Experience

  • Master’s Degree in Statistics, Economics, International Development, Public Health, or related field required. PhD or equivalent degree (e.g., MD, DrPH, EdD) preferred.
  • Minimum of ten years of work experience in MEAL, including at least five years supporting youth programs, and with progressive responsibilities, ideally with an international NGO, with five years overseas in multiple regions as a MEAL technical advisor and five years as a program manager supporting MEAL components of youth programs and/or multi-sectoral project with a youth component.
  • Deep understanding and application of technical principles and concepts in MEAL and in particular related to youth programming. Good knowledge of related disciplines to ensure proper cross-sectoral approach.
  • Track record of contributing significantly to successful business development activities capturing public and/or private donor funding in youth programming.
  • Expertise in the development and production of tools, and other products to support youth interventions and programming in the areas of research, evaluation, and learning. Demonstrated experience to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through training, mentoring, and other formal and informal methods.
  • Demonstrated experience in program monitoring and evaluation including development of indicators, data collection tools and methodologies, data analysis, and data presentation.
  • Familiarity with guidelines and expectations from key donors such as USAID, Mastercard Foundation, etc.

Required/Desired Foreign Language: Fluency in French or Spanish preferred.
Travel Required: Willingness and ability to travel extensively, up to 30% of the time once travel resumes.

*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*.

Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.

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