MEAL Manager

The MEAL Manager at the Ituri Field Office provides strategic and operational leadership for the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) function across Save the Children’s portfolio in Ituri province. The role ensures a robust MEAL system is in place to measure results, guarantee data quality, strengthen accountability to children and communities, produce useful evidence, and support decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Translate the country office MEAL strategy into priorities, work plans and operational standards adapted to the Ituri portfolio and ensure consistent implementation across projects and intervention areas.
• Ensure each project has a complete and functional MEAL framework from inception including logical framework/theory of change, MEAL plan, indicator matrix, data collection plan, reporting calendar, evaluation plan, learning plan, accountability mechanisms and adequate budget.
• Harmonize indicator definitions, tools, methods, collection frequencies and disaggregation rules to enable reliable consolidation of results at field office level.
• Regularly monitor programme and project performance, identify gaps against targets, milestones and quality standards, and facilitate documented corrective actions with relevant teams.
• Advise Field Manager and programme leads on trends, performance risks, data gaps and adaptive management priorities.
• Supervise design, improvement and use of data collection and monitoring tools including digital tools ensuring simplicity, security, relevance and compliance with SCI and donor requirements.
• Implement and oversee systematic data quality assurance including consistency and completeness checks, documentary verifications, validation visits, Data Quality Assessments (DQA), action plan follow-up and correction traceability.
• Ensure quality of coverage, participation and results data including relevant disaggregation by sex, age, disability and other criteria while limiting double counting and applying institutional beneficiary counting rules.
• Ensure proper use of SCI-approved information management and visualization systems (e.g. Kobo/ODK, Excel, Power BI, institutional platforms) and promote decision-oriented dashboards.
• Ensure data security, confidentiality, archiving and governance especially for personal and sensitive data related to children, survivors and feedback mechanisms.
• Coordinate with technical advisors and Head of MEAL the planning and implementation of baseline, mid-term/final evaluations, studies, surveys, rapid assessments and other evidence exercises planned in projects.
• Ensure methodological quality of protocols, terms of reference, sampling plans, tools, enumerator training, data collection, quality control, analysis, interpretation and reporting.
• Ensure ethical, safeguarding, consent/assent, data protection and safe and meaningful child participation requirements are respected in studies and evaluations.
• Disseminate results to teams, partners, children, communities and stakeholders in accessible and appropriate formats and follow up action plans from recommendations.
• Support identification of learning questions and evidence needs of Ituri portfolio and contribute to country office research and learning initiatives.
• Ensure existence of safe, accessible, inclusive, confidential and child-appropriate feedback mechanisms in all intervention areas with Accountability/MEAL and programme teams.
• Ensure communities have appropriate information on activities, eligibility criteria, SCI commitments, participant rights, feedback mechanisms and response timelines.
• Supervise regular analysis of feedback, complaints, information requests and suggestions, identify trends and risks, and ensure response and improvement actions are assigned, tracked and closed within agreed timelines.
• Support integration of child and community participation in programme design, monitoring, reviews and evaluation with focus on girls, children with disabilities and other at-risk groups.
• Escalate sensitive feedback or safeguarding concerns promptly according to SCI procedures and confidentiality principle.
• Promote data use culture within field office through periodic performance reviews, reflection sessions, learning workshops and cross-sector/project analyses.
• Translate monitoring, evaluation, accountability and feedback data into concrete recommendations for activity adaptation, technical quality, efficiency and decision-making.
• Document and share good practices, innovations, lessons learned, case studies and significant changes and facilitate their integration into new projects, strategies and advocacy approaches.
• Ensure recommendations from evaluations, DQA, audits, project reviews and support missions are actioned and tracked to closure.
• Contribute to new proposals and project amendments by developing or revising theories of change, logical frameworks, indicators, measurement methods, MEAL plans, evaluation approaches, accountability mechanisms, learning plans and MEAL budgets.
• Provide programmes and Awards/Grants teams with reliable data and analyses for internal, donor and institutional reports and conduct quality review of performance results and narratives before submission.
• Ensure MEAL systems align with SCI standards, contractual requirements and reporting obligations while avoiding unnecessary duplication of tools and processes.
• Contribute to project start-up reviews, periodic reviews, project closures and capitalization exercises to ensure lessons and data obligations are considered at each programme cycle stage.
• Manage MEAL team effectively with inclusive, performance-focused approach including individual objectives, work plans, prioritization, supervision, regular feedback, performance evaluation and professional development.
• Define clear role and portfolio distribution among team members to ensure sufficient coverage of projects, sectors and geographic areas.
• Identify skill needs and implement structured coaching, mentoring and training plan on MEAL methods, analysis, visualization, accountability, learning and data quality.
• Create collaborative, supportive and accountable environment ensuring MEAL teams work closely with programme leads, technical teams and support functions.
• Participate in recruitment and onboarding of MEAL staff and contribute to human resources and budget planning for MEAL function proportional to portfolio.
• Assess and strengthen MEAL capacities of implementing partners, agree standards and improvement plans and ensure integration of MEAL requirements in agreements, work plans and partner monitoring mechanisms.
• Support joint monitoring approaches, data reviews and accountability mechanisms consistent with partners and relevant local structures.
• Represent MEAL function of field office in internal meetings, technical working groups, coordination spaces and exchanges with partners or stakeholders when delegated.
• Maintain regular communication with Head of MEAL and contribute to country office MEAL initiatives, standards, tools and priorities.
• Ensure availability and rapid activation of emergency-adapted MEAL arrangements including simplified tools, counting methods, frequent monitoring, feedback mechanisms, rapid assessments and situation reporting.
• Support response teams to produce rapid but sufficiently reliable data for prioritization, needs monitoring, operational adaptation and accountability.
• Adapt MEAL systems to access, security and mobility context including use of remote monitoring methods when necessary and appropriate.
• Integrate safeguarding, gender, inclusion, non-discrimination and meaningful child participation principles systematically in MEAL systems and activities.
• Promptly inform Field Manager and Head of MEAL of any major risks related to data quality, compliance, accountability, ethics or results achievement.
• Produce regular updates on Ituri MEAL performance including key results, risks, corrective actions, support needs and priorities for next month/quarter.
• Comply with Save the Children policies and procedures related to child safeguarding, code of conduct, harassment and abuse prevention, security, equal opportunities and data protection.
• Perform any other reasonable and relevant tasks at the request of Field Manager or Head of MEAL.
• Apply and promote integration of protection, Do No Harm, gender, inclusion and safeguarding principles in MEAL tools, collection activities and analyses.
• Verify use of protection checklists and application of community participation principles by staff and partners involved in data collection and monitoring.
• Analyze disaggregated data to identify risks, access barriers or protection issues and formulate recommendations to programme teams.
• Document and report protection issues observed through MEAL activities according to SCI procedures.
• Apply SCI security procedures in all MEAL activities and report any deviations to responsible persons.
• Integrate security constraints and mitigation measures in preparation of assigned data collection activities.
• Report security information and issues encountered in the field to competent services.
• Write incident reports if necessary and transmit to concerned persons.

Requirements

• Be of Congolese nationality or have legal right to work in DRC according to recruitment rules.
• University degree at Master/Bac+5 level in monitoring and evaluation, statistics, social sciences, economics, development, public health, information management or related field.
• Good understanding of programme cycle, logical frameworks/theories of change, results-based management and accountability and learning approaches.
• Fluency in written and spoken French; strong professional proficiency in English highly desirable due to institutional and donor requirements.
• At least 7 years of progressive experience in MEAL in humanitarian and/or development programmes, including at least 3 years in coordination, supervision or team management role.
• Proven experience designing and managing multi-project and/or multi-sector performance monitoring systems including indicator definition, MEAL plans, databases, dashboards and reporting schedules.
• Strong experience in data quality assurance, DQA, database management, cleaning and analysis, trend interpretation and presentation of results for decision-making.
• Experience designing and conducting surveys, evaluations, studies or assessments including sampling, digital data collection, quality control, analysis and report writing.
• Practical experience with accountability mechanisms to affected populations and child participation, including analysis and use of feedback for programme improvement.
• Significant experience in capacity building, coaching and supporting programme, MEAL teams and partners.
• Excellent analytical, synthesis and writing skills with ability to translate complex data into clear messages, recommendations and operational decisions.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience with digital data collection tools such as Kobo/ODK; good command of at least one analysis or visualization tool (e.g. Power BI, SPSS, Stata, R, Python, NVivo or equivalent).
• Ability to work in complex humanitarian environment, manage multiple priorities, travel regularly to field and maintain quality under time and access constraints.
• Strong interpersonal, facilitation, communication and influencing skills with technical and non-technical profiles.
• Previous experience in Eastern DRC, ideally Ituri, or similar conflict and displacement affected context is desirable.
• Experience monitoring programmes funded by multiple institutional donors and reviewing quality of reports and proposals is desirable.
• Experience with multi-project information systems or dashboards, remote monitoring methods, or integrating partner data is desirable.
• Knowledge of Save the Children priority sectors including child protection, education, health, nutrition and WASH is desirable.
• Experience in applied research, capitalization, knowledge management or qualitative analysis is desirable.

Skills

• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Programme Cycle Management
• Logical Frameworks
• Theories of Change
• Result-Based Management
• Accountability and Learning
• MEAL Coordination
• Team Management
• Performance Monitoring
• Indicator Definition
• MEAL Plan Development
• Database Management
• Data Quality Assurance
• Data Cleaning
• Data Analysis
• Trend Interpretation
• Survey Design
• Digital Data Collection
• Quality Control
• Report Writing
• Accountability Mechanisms
• Capacity Building
• Coaching
• Advanced Microsoft Excel
• Kobo
• ODK
• Power BI
• SPSS
• STATA
• Python
• NVIVO

Languages

French, English