Global MEAL Lead

A.    Background

The Strategic Plan of Muslim Hands UK acknowledges the significance of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) in guiding the organization towards a learning culture that prioritizes evidence-based practices and an impact-oriented approach. With the introduction of the new MEAL framework, a Result-based, participatory MEAL framework has been developed to assist the organization in evaluating the programs and determining whether it is achieving the intended and unintended results.

B.    Role & Responsibilities

MEAL Lead promotes high-quality and accountable programming in 20 operational countries of Muslim Hands through overseeing strong MEAL systems and practices and managing staff in the country offices. MEAL Lead will build good relationships with colleagues across project teams and support the integration of evidence-based good practice, learning and improvements to ensure accountable to and engagement with people in the communities that we serve, and are supporting to meet their needs in an effective and dignified way.

C.    Key Responsibilities

Programme Oversight

• Manage and ensure strong organization and planning of the day-to-day work of the MEAL team, ensuring timely field data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Review MEAL monitoring reports, ensure external audiences, providing useful coaching and feedback readiness.
• Design, organize, and analyze data collection, assessment, and evaluation reports.
• Oversee, further establish and develop MEAL systems promoting accountability to affected populations, sector quality standards & donor requirements.
• Ensure M&E plans and Indicator Tracking is in place for all programs, with required indicators collected and reported on in a timely and accurate manner.
• Monitor project progress on activities and impact to ensure that objectives are met, proposing recommendations and corrective actions as needed.
• Oversee the effective implementation of MH’s MEAL framework.
• Work with other wings of the Global Operations Development Department to ensure clear communication between teams and to improve the engagement of internal stakeholders.

Quality Management

• Develop a learning environment, and ensure that feedback is elicited from communities and is acted upon to improve the quality of programming.
• Maintain a focus on results and continuous improvement, including organizing lessons learned and the development of qualitative assessment reports around results.
• Ensure smooth functioning of the Monitoring Action Tracker to promote timely redressal of findings by country-based MEAL staff.

• Coordinate with the software development team to ensure that Information Management processes are functioning effectively and are integrated into program design.
• Ensure that MEAL staff are adhering to research ethics in their activities.

Team Management

• Line manage designated MEAL staff, including direct supervision and development.
• Develop a successor who has the knowledge, skills and experience to manage the MEAL team.
• Ensure clear communication, training, feedback & equitable opportunities for all MEAL staff.
• Provide platforms to the MEAL staff to ensure peer learning, sharing and team building.
• Facilitate regular team meetings and develop and build an effective team through a consultative leadership style and a transparent, honest and supportive communication structure.
• Develop direct reports to improve their skills, knowledge competence and performance.

Communication

• Develop and maintain a transparent, honest and supportive communication structure with colleagues to ensure they are kept informed of support-related activities and requirements.
• Support the MEAL team to have positive & open communication, and address issues in a fair, respectful and effective way.

Qualification & Experience:

• Masters in Public Policy, Development Studies, Anthropology, or any similar field.
• Strong understanding of research methodologies and qualitative and quantitative analytical tools.
• At least 8 – 10 years of experience at a senior Monitoring and Evaluation position, preferably looking after an international portfolio.