Catholic Relief Services - Zambia Country Program

MEAL Manager (Inclusive Family Strengthening Project)

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Job Description

About CRS
Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identify is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as part of our staff and as partner’s people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and commitment to serving those in need. Since 2000 CRS Zambia has been implementing a number of programmes to support vulnerable communities in Zambian. Recent programming areas include: nutrition, agriculture, food security, HIV/AIDS, WASH, financial inclusion, and early child development.
Project Summary
Children who grow up in safe, healthy, nurturing families have better outcomes in life—including improved cognitive, emotional, and social development, better health, and greater success in school. To help break the cycle of poverty, CRS is implementing the Inclusive Family Support Project in Zambia to create more resilient families and communities.
CRS’ Children in Families Strategic Change Platform is a bold initiative to strengthen families. The goal of the platform is to help vulnerable children thrive in safe, healthy, and nurturing families; create more resilient and supportive communities; and work with governments to establish policies and systems that strengthen families. CRS also advocates with governments, donors, and other regional and global stakeholders to direct resources and support to strengthening families.
Through the Inclusive Family Support Project in Zambia, CRS will build upon decades of experience in community and family strengthening activities—and our strong partnerships with the Catholic Church, governments, and local organizations—to ensure families in targeted communities have the resources and skills to care for children. To strengthen families, CRS will help caregivers learn and practice positive parenting; connect isolated families with supportive communities; help children—especially children with disabilities—attend remote or in-school learning and access health and social services; and build families’ resources through savings groups, cash grants, school vouchers and financial education.
Job Summary
The Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Manager will provide technical analysis and support in the area of MEAL in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices to deliver high-quality programming to the poor and vulnerable. Working closely with CRS technical experts, project staff and local implementing partner staff, the MEAL Manager will leverage his/her skills and knowledge to implement an effective and adaptive MEAL system. S/he will also engage in cross learning between the Kenya and Zambia family strengthening projects supported under CRS’ Children in Families Strategic Change Platform.
Job Responsibilities
Support the MEAL Coordinator in participatory processes to design a robust project-specific MEAL system within 120 days of project start date.
Coordinate and/or perform MEAL activities in support of project design and implementation, including but not limited to: needs assessments, strategic planning, recommendations for project adjustments, monitoring and evaluation, and technological solutions.
Support the development of project documents and tools, as well as technical manuals or guidance, training materials, and quality improvement and assessment guidelines.
Prepare presentations and coordinate project communication needs by writing and editing communication resources, such as case studies, brochures, briefs, peer-reviewed articles/reports, for both internal and external audiences.
Collect and disseminate MEAL related information and resources to project staff, partners, and the donor.
Ensure the collection of routine program data for donor reporting and adaptive management.
Review the quality of data collected from the project to ensure it is in line with CRS M&E standards.
Identify new approaches and methods for learning.
Contribute to the learning agenda by researching and analyzing information, conducting literature reviews, mappings or information gathering from various internal and external sources on assigned topics.
Coordinate maintenance of virtual resource and documentation databases.
Work with the MEAL Coordinator to develop past performance references for the project that are posted on CRS’ internal project management and customer relationship management systems.
Support the MEAL Coordinator in the development of Terms of References for implementation of all evaluation events, including, but not limited to: baseline and final evaluation activities, special surveys, pilot programs, client verification activities and operational research.
Conduct regular visits to project sites to provide relevant, clear, high-quality, and timely onsite technical support mentoring and coaching.
Collaborate with project staff and implementing partners to ensure that the MEAL system captures and transmits Participant and Service Delivery Indicators (PSDI) data annually according to CRS standards, definitions, and processes.
Support annual Self-Assessment exercise for the project.
Typical Background, Experience & Requirements
Education and Experience
Bachelor’s degree in International Development, Social Sciences, or Economics or other field related to MEAL required.
Minimum of three years of relevant work experience with an international NGO, with at least one year of field-based programming experience. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
General knowledge of technical principles and concepts in MEAL.
Knowledge of project design requirements and regulations of major donors.
Knowledge of latest technological tools that have the potential to be applied in MEAL.
Strong English writing skills.
Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, knowledge-sharing networks.
Experience working with web-based data collection platforms (e.g Open Data Kit, KoboToolBox, iFormBuilder, CommCare).
Personal Skills
Good relationship management skills with ability to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary and multicultural teams
Strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking capacity and skills
Good writing skills
Strong data collection and research skills and ability to interpret and analyze data
Proactive, resourceful, and results-oriented
Required/Desired Foreign Language: Fluent English
Travel Required: 50%
Key Working Relationships:
Internal: Program Manager – Family Strengthening, MEAL Coordinator.
External: Local implementing partners’ field officers.
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.
Trusting Relationships
Professional Growth
Partnership
Accountability
Disclamer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.
Important Note: By applying to this job, I understand and acknowledge that CRS requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. Further, I understand that if I am a successful candidate, I will be subject to a comprehensive background check, and my personal/professional references will be asked to evaluate my behaviors related to the above safeguarding-related topics.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Applicant Instructions: Please email a cover letter, and curriculum vitae which should include three references to: crszambiajobs@crs.org. Please include the position you are applying for in the subject line.
The closing date for applications is 20th December 2020. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Application email or URL: crszambiajobs@crs.org

Job Summary

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Full Time Job Type
Salary Salary: TBD
Catholic Relief Services - Zambia Country Program

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