MEAL Manager at Youth Integrated For Positive Development Initiatiative

Youth Integrated For Positive Development Initiative is a youth-led organization established on the 26th day of March 2014. The organization is providing humanitarian assistance to the conflict-affected and marginalized group especially vulnerable women, children, youths, and elderly, by protecting their rights, restoring their means of livelihood, and provision of basic education, water sanitation, and hygiene, food security as well as shelter including women and youth empowerment.

Duty location: Maiduguri (Minimal field visit)

Report to: MEAL Coordinator-Specialist & Head of Program
Duration: 12 Months with Possibilities of extension

Role Purpose:

This managerial position is under the overall guidance of the Head of Programs. The MEAL Manager leads the monitoring and evaluation (M&E), information management (IM), and accountability units and ensures that country-wide MEAL activities and strategy are in place to support quality programming and a strong evidence base for the relevance and impact of YIPDI Nigeria Humanitarian response. The MEAL Manager is responsible for feeding into strategic decisions and program design based on the evidence and outcomes of ongoing monitoring and evaluation work, which are translated into action plans and day-to-day tasks, providing support and/or technical MEAL and IM guidance to country operations while overseeing country activities. The MEAL Manager ensures that the Nigeria country office is compliant with Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS). MEAL Manager will work closely with Area Managers, Project Managers, and Technical Coordinators to improve program quality and performance and ensure adoption of best practices and lessons learned across the operational areas in Nigeria.

Responsibilities 

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning

• Act as the lead for YIPDI Nigeria Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning activities in line with the YIPDI’s global Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning Minimum Operating Procedures (MEALMOPs).
• Develop and oversee the design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation methodologies, M&E plans and workplans, tool development, data collection, data cleaning, analysis, and report writing and output production.
• Contribute to the proactive dissemination and use of knowledge gained through MEAL activities among project teams and other relevant departments throughout the life of the program.
• Manage budget requirements, development, and spending for MEAL/IM and project assessment activities and set direction by prioritizing and organizing resources to achieve objectives.
• In coordination with program and technical managers, support the design and implementation of needs assessments within the areas of intervention to support the evidence-based design of programming.
• Lead the facilitation of quarterly level-based learning events, and other ad hoc learning events in close coordination with project managers and technical coordinators to produce lessons learned reports and other related documentations capturing key internal learnings from program/project interventions.
• Participate in country-level strategic planning sessions and assist project managers, technical coordinators, and senior management in the development of annual plans, strategies, and program design using strong evidence from program M&E and other research initiatives.
• Participate in project kick-off meetings, review meetings, and close-out meetings to highlight cross-project components aimed at replicating good practices and strengthening synergies between projects or programs.
• Assist the Grants department in developing strong indicators and logical frameworks for new projects.
• Participate/lead on the procurement process and management of external assessment and evaluation consultancies
• Lead on monitoring and evaluation of partner implementation.

Accountability

• Coordinate the implementation and continuous update of the accountability systems for YIPDI projects, working closely with Area Managers and Technical Coordinators.
• Continually adapt and improve the country program’s beneficiary and feedback complaint mechanism and set-up new systems, information sharing approaches, and modalities for promoting community participation to be maximally inclusive, accessible, and effective.
• Serve as the organizational focal point on Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS), ensuring local compliance and reviews across all standards. Liaising with regional colleagues responsible for accountability, compliance, and risk management.
• Supervise the annual or biannual CHS self-assessment and prepare the resulting accountability improvement plan (AIP).
• Support regular code of conduct (CoC) and Community Feedback Mechanism (CFM) refresher training for staff, country-wide.
• Ensure creation and distribution of the monthly non-sensitive complaints report.

Information Management

• Contribute to the development of the MEAL’s information management strategy by reviewing information needs and gaps and evaluating current information management processes and tools.
• Design/develop, test, maintain, support, and improve the IM system that maintains and organizes data on YIPDI activities and provides support in reporting, project tracking, and data analysis.
• Develop database security measures to safeguard information against accidental or unauthorized damage, modification, or disclosure, especially in terms of sensitive beneficiary information.
• Ensure that information systems and processes are compliant with applicable standards and guidelines related to information management and data protection, including donor standards and requirements
• Ensure effective data management by improving existing or developing new data collection tools and methodologies, designing, and managing database systems for analysis purposes.
• Draft information products such as reports, charts, and infographics by turning data into graphic products to facilitate the dissemination of information to external stakeholders.

Team Management

• Directly line manages 4-6 staff including setting objectives and co-creating workplans, performance development, team building and capacity building for the larger MEAL field team; Oversee the provision of technical support, coordination, and task assignment/workplan setting to the MEAL and IM field teams based in the specific areas of implementation, accompanied by frequent field visits.
• Develop the capacity of MEAL field teams and the Nigeria-based MEAL team to a range of MEAL competencies required throughout the program lifecycle, including but not limited to qualitative research methods, data cleaning and analysis, data visualization, and proficiency in programming such as Power Bi, Excel, and Kobo.
• Ensure that appropriate tools and coordination activities are in place to ensure proper planning of MEAL activities and good coordination from within the team (ie, weekly team meetings, task trackers, etc)

Internal and External Coordination

• In coordination with program and technical managers, represent YIPDI externally with Donors, Partners, and the wider aid community through sectoral working groups and other coordination forums as relevant.
• Provide capacity building activities in research, MEAL, accountability, and IM to implementing partners as needed per the capacity building plans, jointly created with partners and the Partnerships Specialist, as well as oversee all coordination with partners on the joint design and implementation of MEAL activities.
• Negotiate and ensure YIPDI’s compliance with external data sharing agreements with consortium partners.
• Actively contribute and collaborate with regional/global counterparts to promote M&E and IM best practices and joint learning across YIPDI programs.
• Perform other duties as directed by the Head of Programmes.

Qualifications, experience, and technical competencies 

Essential

• A Master’s degree in a relevant field with at least 5 years of relevant experience or a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (international development, social sciences, statistics, public health, etc.) 
• Minimum of 5 years of work experience within the field of monitoring and evaluation, of which 3 in a similar management role
• Experience working with International NGO’s, UN agencies
• Experience working in monitoring and evaluation of FSL, protection, Shelter and WASH sectors in an emergency and post-emergency context
• Experience in developing/ guiding information management systems for large humanitarian programs.
• Experience in participatory assessment and community-based monitoring approaches.
• Experience in partnership with Local Civil society and Government institutions
• Clear understanding of Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS).
• Experience with capacity building of staff in MEAL and IM, and in convening and facilitating trainings and workshops
• Excellent analytical and report writing skills (English)

Desirable experience

• Previous experience working  within a humanitarian aid organisation in the context of North-East Nigeria is a plus.
• Experience in the use of Engineering software AutoCAd, ArchCad, Water Cad if an add advantage
• Experience of working in insecured environments and of security management, when relevant.
• Experience in developing/ guiding information management systems for large humanitarian programs, as relevant.
• Familiarity with the relevant data collection software, preferably Kobo Toolbox, Activity Info, Commcare, ODK, DEEP, NVivo, ONA, etc.
• Experience in statistical software, SPSS, and visualisation tools such as Power.
• Certification in the Advanced MEAL programme/course

Languages

• Excellent communication skill is required in English  and Hausa .

Capacity Building:

• Identify learning and training opportunities for YIPDI staff and partners and work as a mentor and role model for junior staff.

Representation, Advocacy & Organisational Learning:

• Ensure that YIPDI’s work is coordinated with efforts of other agencies and Government, and take a leadership role within Interagency Coordination forums, ensuring the specific needs of children are being addressed.
• Advocates for minimum standards of humanitarian relief and maintains in accordance with the Sphere Charter and YIPDI’s Code of Conduct.

General

• Comply with YIPDI policies and practices with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities, fraud, and other relevant policies and procedures.

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds him/her accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving the YIPDIvalues.
• Holds the team accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences for results-oriented.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development, and encourages their team to do the same.
• Widely shares their personal vision for YIPDI, engages and motivates others.
• Future-oriented, think strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships with their team, colleagues, Members, and external partners.
• Values diversity and sees it as a source of competitive strength.
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.
• Willing to explore more innovative solutions in WASH Programming

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates the highest levels of integrity.

Additional job responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive, and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within a reasonable level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities:
The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the YIPDI Equal Opportunities, Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:
Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and adults; protect them from harm. Safeguarding means: protecting children and adults from abuse and maltreatment, preventing harm to children and adults' health or development, ensuring children and adults grow up with the provision of safe and effective caretaking, action to enable all children and adults to have the best outcomes.

Humanitarian response:
In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be flexible.

YIPDI is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to diversity without distinction based on age, gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, or physical ability. We think outside the box, encourage ideas, and give responsibility to all employees at all levels. You will have many opportunities to be heard and take the initiative.

Method of Application

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