Company Profile

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. CRS Ghana was established in 1958, a year after Ghana gained independence. In Ghana, CRS works with local partners to tackle poverty on several fronts including improving health and nutrition; increasing access to safe water and improved sanitation; promoting agriculture to enhance food security; and increasing financial assets through Savings and Internal Lending Communities. 

Job Description

• Job Title:           MEAL Program Coordinator
• Area of Interest: Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Learning and Knowledge Management (MEAL)
• Position Type:   Full Time
• Location:         Tamale, Ghana  
• Reports to:       Head of Programs

Job Description:

• The purpose of this position is to manage, strengthen, and provide strategic leadership and direction to the Ghana Country Program MEAL systems and processes, ensuring cross-learning in MEAL among projects, and build capacity of MEAL staff.
• The MEAL Coordinator will be responsible for supervising MEAL activities and MEAL staff. 
• The MEAL Coordinator will work closely with CRS program teams and partner staff to develop high quality monitoring systems and tools which address indicators set out in project proposals.
• He/she will ensure that learning from projects is systematically captured and used throughout the country program.
• He/she will also take learning needs into account, and develop and conduct capacity building for MEAL and program staff, with support of the Head of Programs (HoP) and the Regional Technical Advisor for MEAL.  
• The MEAL Coordinator is expected to have a high level of self-initiative and use critical thinking skills to identify and fill gaps.
• The MEAL Coordinator will also work closely with the HoP to ensure that the Ghana country program complies with agency MEAL policies and procedures and actively promotes use of ICT4D.
• The MEAL Coordinator should have the ability to work sensitively and positively with programming teams and promote a learning environment.  

Specific Responsibilities:

Supervision and Capacity Building

• Provide direct supervision of, support to, and coaching for all MEAL Specialists
• Ensure that performance development plans reflect MEAL priorities across the country program and that regular feedback, including regular coaching sessions, inform formal and informal performance management activities
• Work proactively with Program Managers and Project Coordinators to ensure MEAL services provided to projects meet project management needs for decision making and reporting
• Coordinate with Project Coordinators to integrate their feedback in MEAL Specialists’ quarterly coaching sessions and annual performance management reviews
• Develop and co-facilitate MEAL workshops and modules for staff and partners to cultivate a culture of learning
• Ensure that the Ghana MEAL team is applying CRS MEAL policies and procedures appropriately and in a timely manner
• Support MEAL Specialists by accompanying field monitoring visits at least once a quarter
• Implement and manage the CRS Partnership Scorecard initiative for the Ghana country program
• Provide feedback to MEAL and other programming staff to improve the overall MEAL system and ensure quality implementation of MEAL activities

Project MEAL System Design

• Lead process to draft and finalize design of MEAL systems for all projects including project’s theory of change, results framework, Proframe, accompanying MEAL narrative, and operating manual for project MEAL in a timely  manner
• Provide strategic leadership and direction for the development and maintenance of MEAL systems, and the roll-out of new initiatives
• Serve as primary in country representative for MEAL components of proposal development
• Ensure consistent and appropriate use of ProPack I throughout MEAL team

Project Monitoring

• Support MEAL Specialists to ensure they are regularly meeting with partners, conducting visits to project sites, and conducting annual data quality assessments in accordance with MEAL Policies and Procedures
• Ensure that monitoring systems are functional and that data is being gathered and analyzed by MEAL staff as specified in project MEAL Plans
• Initiate, support and monitor annual beneficiary and service delivery indicator (BSDI) reporting
• Support all aspects of realizing studies and evaluations, including:  overseeing and defining sampling strategies; attending research and tool training workshops; leading quantitative, qualitative and participatory data collection efforts in the field; supervising the execution of field studies and ensuring the reliability and validity of data collected therein

Project Evaluations

• Provide support to MEAL Specialists to ensure data collection for baseline, midline and endline values for all projects as outlined in MEAL Policies and Procedures
• Review terms of reference for all required evaluations
• Lead efforts to coordinate final evaluations or after-action reviews as outlined in MEAL Policies and Procedures
• Provide support to MEAL Specialists to ensure organization of participatory reflection events with partners to identify learning and recommendations as a part of all evaluations and reviews
• Lead the design and implementation of assessments, gender analysis, stakeholder analysis, organizational capacity assessments, and other pre-program data collection and analysis
• Ensure the consistency of tools and indicators across all offices, sectors, and programs
• In coordination with the HoP, PMs and the MEAL Team, ensure project level and CP MEAL assessments are conducted and documented

MEAL Budgets and Human Resources

• Develop and manage annual 1550 budget for MEAL
• Review and ensure appropriate budgeting and human resources for MEAL activities in all new project budgets  
• Ensure MEAL team has the software and hardware required to excel in their mandate.  Work with HoP to budget appropriately to fill gaps.
• Support HoP to ensure all job descriptions for program staff reflect each position’s MEAL competencies and that program staff development plans include MEAL objectives which reflect these competencies

Accountability

• Lead orientation of new program staff on principles and practices of beneficiary accountability
• Monitor to ensure MEAL Specialists consult with beneficiaries to define indicators for project success; establish feedback and response channels that reflect preferences of members of targeted communities; and document and respond to all community feedback on a quarterly basis
• Identify methods through which beneficiaries can be more involved in defining program success indicators, and monitoring program progress management of collective communication approaches (i.e. community notice boards and integrated community meetings)
• Work with Program Managers and Project Coordinators  to ensure the process of working with communities is reflected in program implementation plans
• Monitor to ensure all project MEAL systems meet donor MEAL requirements
• Review MEAL Specialist plans to communicate evaluation findings to key stakeholders

Learning for Improving Program Quality

• Lead orientation of new program staff on the basic principles and practices of learning
• Lead development and management of annual country program learning agenda
• Lead planning and implementation of annual country program learning event
• Leverage lessons learned, best practices, program data, evaluations, and other information to contribute to donor communication pieces, proposal annexes, success stories, case studies, and other high-quality, results-based documentation
• Lead posting of all approved evaluation reports and reviews to Gateway

ICT4D

• Lead country program efforts to integrate ICT4D for improved data collection, analysis and decision making
• Ensure relevant staff are trained in the use of digital data collection software and devices
• Liaise with IT Coordinator to ensure all MEAL equipment is appropriately entered into the inventory management system and managed on a “check-out” basis
• Liaise with relevant partners and CRS teams using technologies to ensure timely troubleshooting and smooth functioning of systems
• Ensure submission of ICT4D project support request forms prior to making investments in ICT4D for MEAL

Other

• Support programming staff to incorporate participatory methods into community level MEAL systems and tools
• Work with senior management to identify and pursue strategic opportunities for program development, expansion, etc.
• Draft scopes of work and provide supervision to MEAL consultants and field level staff as required
• Review MEAL sections of project reports for accuracy and completeness

Key Working Relationships:

• Internal: Country Representative, Head of Programs, Unit Heads (Health, Agriculture, etc.), Project Coordinators, Project M&E Officers, MEAL RTAs, CRS MEAL Team
• External: Donors, international and local partners, National Catholic Secretariat, Government partners, program beneficiaries

Note: List of responsibilities, professional and personal skills are considered indicative and not exhaustive; actual duties may differ or change depending on office and agency priorities at the time.

Required Skills or Experience

• Master’s degree in a directly related field, such as operations research, quantitative analysis, etc.
• At least three years of Coordinator-level experience with an NGO (experience with INGO preferred) and five years’ experience in MEAL/M&E  
• Experience working with large donors i.e.: USAID, UN, BMGF, etc.
• Experience writing proposals for financing and reports meeting donor requirements
• Experience using ICT for data collection high desired; proficiency in database development/management, SPSS, EPI-Info, Access, Excel and skills in analyzing, interpreting and communicating information to various stakeholders required
• Significant experience in conducting quantitative and qualitative assessments and surveys (including sound understanding of sampling issues)
• Supervisory experience and experience with leading and managing studies and consultants
• Experience with facilitation, capacity strengthening and partnership building, with the capacity to empower staff through opportunities for growth & development
• Willingness to travel up to 20%

Personal Skills:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, ability to work well with people, good judgment
• Ability to work independently, but also coordinate effectively as part of a team
• Excellent planning and organization skills
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills
• Proven ability to multi-task and meet deadlines
• Demonstrated capacities to establish and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships with donors, Church partners, government officials, local organizations, communities and other stakeholders
• Cultural sensitivity, patience and flexibility
• Commitment to CRS’ mission, personal accountability and drive to serve others
• Strong computer skills (MS Word, Excel, Outlook and Power Point)
• Ability to transfer knowledge through formal and informal training

Agency-Wide Competencies:

• 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.
• Serves with Integrity
• Models Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning

CRS Competencies for Program Managers:

• Sets clear goals and manages towards them
• Collaborates effectively with staff and stakeholders
• Manages financial resources with integrity
• Applies program quality standards to project design and organizational learning