Job Description and Requirements

Job Title: MEAL Coordinator

Job Grade: G7

Reports to: Country Director

Salary: 1520

Supervisor: Team members working for database staff, CRM, monitoring, evaluation, learning and accountability

Location: Amman with frequent travel to the field offices

​Islamic Relief Worldwide

Islamic Relief Jordan is a country branch of Islamic Relief Worldwide. Islamic Relief Worldwide is an internationally recognized charity (Charity No.: 328158), looking back on nearly 40 years of experience in humanitarian and developmental aid. It was founded in 1984 in Birmingham, UK, in response to the devastating famine in the Horn of Africa. Since then, Islamic Relief has grown into a charity that is active worldwide, putting development projects, emergency aid, and rebuilding projects into action in over 44 countries around the world.

Islamic Relief Jordan (IRJ) began its operations in 1997 with orphan’s sponsorship, sponsoring hundreds of orphans living in Jordan. IRJ extended its programs to seasonal projects with Ramadan and Qurbani distributions and In-Kind donations. IRJ has established strong partnership with international non-governmental organization and local one’s strengthening the overall response to the Syria crisis. At the onset of Syria humanitarian crisis in late 2011, IRJ provided emergency response to those affected by violence in Syria and has since then scaled up its capacity and operations with number of 75 staff across the country.

IRJ program unit works toward introducing relevant interventions to Jordanians as well as Syrians and Palestinians refugees that would impact their lives and improve their life conditions. IRJ program unit act upon IRW mandate and in line with IR-Middle East and Eastern Europe strategy that aims to ensure Safe, dignified and peaceful living conditions for refugees, IDPs and vulnerable groups as well as communities at risk of disasters in the Middle East. IRJ office has expanded with the Syrian crisis in 2011, reaching more than 200,000 refugees by 2013 with an annual income of 35,000,000GBP.  The unit has successfully introduced interventions in a multi-sectors response, being the lead agency responsible for humanitarian assistance in the north of Jordan, reaching 200,000 refugees providing food, health care, cash for shelter and non-food items such as hygiene kits and winterization items in 2015 and 2016. The program unit is now strategizing the Syrian intervention and working toward a holistic integrated approach with the host community and planning to move toward early recovery and then development to ensure sustainability through introducing innovative approaches in education promotion, community development and income generation. IRJ is committed to Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS), Sphere Standards in emergency response and HAP 2010 Standard in Accountability and Quality Management.

The MEAL section works in close coordination with program unit for quality assurance, need assessment, development of right-holder selection criteria, devising methodology of implementation, baseline and endlines surveys to analyze impact, gap analysis and lessons learned etc.  

Our values and commitment to safeguarding:

IRJ is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity, and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults, and beneficiaries with whom IRJ engages. IRJ expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organization.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records checks. IRJ also participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.

In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment.

Purpose of the position:

The MEAL Coordinator will bring significant experience and fresh ideas to lead on MEAL system implementation, review and evaluations, MEAL budgeting, recruitment, as well as support to proposal writing and log frame development. The post holder will ensure that all Islamic Relief projects are supported to ensure quality, effectiveness, and appropriateness of their programs. It will be important for the post-holder to capture lessons learned and document them well. Post holder will make sure these lessons learned are adapted to improve on-going and future programming. S/he will guide Islamic Relief Jordan teams to maintain an effective monitoring system across all sectors, including the use of beneficiary feedback data, to assure the quality of interventions. The MEAL Coordinator will lead on building capacity of staff and partners (where applicable) on MEAL framework particularly on accountability and participation, with a specific focus on rightsholders.

The position holder will ensure that the program has evidence-based knowledge to inform the direction of the program from assessment and regular program monitoring documents. Special attention should be paid to the positive and negative impact that interventions have on rightsholders, marginalized and disabled persons.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system to be used for all IRJ projects and programs, ensuring consistency with the overall Islamic Relief-Headquarters monitoring and evaluation policy and framework and including standards developed by key international NGOs and donors.
• Be Responsible for IRJ database team in updating, verification it in regular bases to avoid any duplications.
• Make sure that all IRJ projects are on the On-Track system and updated on monthly basis.
• Monitor program implementation and measures effectiveness; and ensure quality implementation of the projects as per the donors’ guidelines, project proposals, budget and signed SLAs
• Lead in developing assessment tool and in conducting the studies (Baselines, KAPs, Needs assessments, Midline and end line evaluations)
• Develop M&E plan for all projects proposals in coordination with programs development department for any new proposal submitted to the donor
• Work closely with the program teams to ensure that MEAL becomes an integral element of project implementation leading to enhanced quality, accountability management and impact.
• Update IHSAN and work with all departments in IHSAN action plan to be updated on due time
• Provide leadership and coordination in the designing, documentation, monitoring, and evaluation of IRJ new and ongoing projects activities for the purpose of meeting the relevant standards of all related stakeholders.
• Participate in the dissemination of monitoring and evaluation results and feedback into planning of future projects and programs, including the preparation of special reports and lessons learned materials.
• Follow up with program to develop database line for projects’ proposals.
• Produce M&E reports for all IRJ funded projects
• Update CHS action plan
• Conduct pre- and post-project’s evaluation per the agreed project plan.
• Develop tools and formats for planning, monitoring, and evaluation (in close cooperation with the relevant Department at HQ) and supports program staff and local partners in application of these tools.
• Maintain complaints register for all complaints received
• Maintain learning log for all projects implemented
• Responsible for Risk Management (JCAD)
• Responsible for IRJ business plan consolidation
• Follow up on external and internal audits reports
• Conduct monitoring and evaluation field visits to IRJ projects and distributions.

 Required Qualification:

• Minimum University graduate degree or above in relevant field
• Minimum 5 years of experience working in INGOs sector, increasingly responsible experience in projects management, including 3 years’ experience in monitoring and evaluation preferably in international I/NGOs.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
• Proficiency in IT especially MS Office and ERPs will be an added advantage.
• Positive and energetic attitude with "can do" mentality and willingness to perform highly demanding as well as menial tasks with equal zeal and enthusiasm.

Technical knowledge Skills & abilities:

• Strong projects development, design and monitoring skills.
• Strong organizational development skills and experience in development of and training for monitoring and evaluation systems
• Good understanding on result-based monitoring techniques
• Strong participatory management.
• Diplomacy, tact & negotiation skills
• Report writing skills
• Problem solving skills
• Good understanding of capacity assessment methodologies; excellent ability to identify significant capacity building opportunities; 

Personal knowledge Skills & abilities: 

• Design and building of monitoring and evaluation system.
• Numerical analysis and database management.
• Operational characteristics, services and activities of project management. 
• Modern and complex principles and practices of projects monitoring and evaluation.
• Principles and standard practices of projects cycle management.
• Principles and practices of projects budgeting and reporting.
• Principles of supervision, training and performance evaluation.
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral).
• Team building and team management. 

Developing and maintaining relationships:

• Very good team management skills and the ability to lead a team from different background and skills.
• Very good verbal and written communications skills and the ability to relate to people from all backgrounds.

Managing yourself in a pressured and changing environment:

• Demonstrated ability at being flexible and adapt to changing situations.
• The ability to remain calm while dealing with conflicting priorities and working under pressure.

Operating safely and securely in a humanitarian response:

• Relevant experience in implementing security policy/protocols.

Leadership in humanitarian response:

• High-level interpersonal, influencing and communications skills.
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.