Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Coordinator

The MEAL Coordinator develops the mission’s MEAL action plans in accordance with SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL’s operational framework. S/he ensures each plan is properly understood and implemented by the mission’s team members.

Responsibilities

The MEAL Coordinator provides methodological support to all the program teams. S/he also guarantees the quality and the relevance of any monitoring activities and internal evaluations carried out on the mission, together with any recommendations and analysis provided.
S/he is involved with experience capitalisation and developing SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL strategy, by providing a support strategy for the programs in terms of monitoring, evaluation and integration of any “cross-functional issues” (type, protection, accountability, negative impact, community participation, disability inclusion, etc.).

Activities :

Strategic focus :
The MEAL Coordinator must know how to:
• Propose and develop sector-specific action plans.
• Produce an overall analysis of the effect/impact of SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL’s programs through monitoring and evaluations carried out by the MEAL service itself or by external assessors.
• Ensure data collected is used to take the appropriate operational decisions and to meet any contractual commitments concerning the financial backers.

Training and technical support
The MEAL coordinator must be able to:
• Develop the capabilities of program teams in the areas of collection and analysis of data (method, formats, software, etc.), indicator measurement, feedback and complaint mechanisms, negative impact analysis, etc.
• Provide technical and methodological support to programs for the implementation of monitoring and evaluation activities, data management (development of questionnaires for surveys, sampling, input method, extraction of useful data and interpretation) and integration of cross-functional issues.
• Support SI teams through the creation or adaptation of tools to: monitor indicators on the project and the impact of activities (through both a monitoring and evaluation plan, and the ensuing surveys/tools) or analyse risk factors.

Monitoring and Evaluation of Programs SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL
The coordinator proposes and organizes monitoring and evaluation missions for SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL programs in liaison with the technical coordinators, field coordinators and program managers:
• Post-intervention follow-up mission
• Internal evaluation mission (intermediate or final)
• Support mission for program teams considering cross-functional issues (gender, do-no-harm, etc.)
• Do-no-harm analysis mission
• Thematic studies
• Operational audits
• Mission to monitor the implementation of accountability frameworks
– S/he validates the relevance of the reports, analyses, maps and recommendations produced by the MEAL team or the project managers before dissemination / transmission to the persons concerned.
– S/he proposes adjustments or new activities to improve the quality of the operations or approaches used by the teams, in consultation with the other technical coordinators.
– S/he contributes to the terms of reference for external evaluations and studies.

Accountability 
• S/he designs and implements complaint response mechanisms.
• S/he ensures that complaints are recorded in an official database, processed and that people receive an appropriate, timely response.

Knowledge Management / Reporting / Representation
• S/he ensures the correct use of SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL knowledge management tools and their diffusion in the field.
• S/he supports the process for following up recommendations (internal and external) of program teams and works on the action plans in order of priority with the technical coordinators.
• S/he validates and distributes the final versions of the monitoring and evaluation reports, studies and analyses produced by the MEAL team.
• S/he draws on his/her area of expertise to supports the Head of Mission in fundraising, negotiation and review of project proposals (MEAL and cross-functional issues).

Job-related skills

Education
– Higher education qualifications relating to the social sciences, international humanitarian or development studies. However, more importance is attached to field experience, ability to persuade, and to work across different functions, than to formal qualifications.

Expérience
– At least 3 years of experience in an international humanitarian NGO, including at least one year in a similar post (monitoring/evaluation or MEAL);
– Experience in the implementation of monitoring and evaluation systems;
– Experience in team management and training/capacity-building;
– Experience in the implementation of beneficiary complaint and feedback mechanisms preferential

Technical skills and knowledge
– Skills in implementation of quantitative and qualitative surveys NOTE TO SI including data collection, training, supervision, sampling, analysis and sharing results (visualisation)
– Training facilitation skills;
– Ability to analyse and summarise;
– Full competence of tools for collection, data management and statistical analysis (including ODK and MS Excel)

Functional skills

ANGLAIS

– Clear and unambiguous expression, both in writing and speech
– Easily able to understand others

COMPUTER SKILLS

– Fully competent in database management (Microsoft Office)
– Fully competent in communication tools (email, internet, communication software, etc.)

FRENCH

– Possess good written French
– Speak confidently both in public and in day-to-day interactions

SOFT SKILLS

– They are required for all field positions:
– This means showing adaptability, flexibility, reliability, conviction, discernment and initiative.
– Common sense is one of your key assets, along with empathy, listening skills and strong persuasive skills…

Possible career progression

From the field to headquarters:
The duties of the MEAL Coordinator vary quite widely from one mission to another. In the event where emergency response programs require the implementation of effective and lighter systems enabling quick/quality data transfer, certain recovery contexts or latent crises may require the development of more in-depth reflections on the impact of our actions and the determinants of change in our participating populations. Therefore, the MEAL Coordinator might apply different modes of action across several missions. This position offers the possibility to progress into other coordination positions (Deputy Head of Mission for example), Head of Mission, or even Program Desk Manager at SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL headquarters.