CARE seeks a MEAL Director for the anticipated USAID-funded Regional Resilience Leader with Associates Activity for the Sahel Region. This Activity aims to expand resilience in the Sahel, improving the ability of individuals, households and communities to mitigate, adapt to, and recover from perennial shocks and stresses. The Activity will address the unequal impact of shocks, stresses, and climate change on women and youth, and their implication on households and the local economy. The focus of the Activity will be Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Chad and possibly the Gambia.
The MEAL Director will be responsible for establishing and managing the MEAL system for the Activity, ensuring that it aligns with both CARE’s global standards and specific USAID requirements. This will include working collaboratively with staff from the Leader Award and staff from Associate Awards to develop and implement a robust MEAL framework that captures accurate and relevant data, promotes Collaboration, Learning and Adaptation (CLA), and ensures accountability to both beneficiaries and USAID.
This Activity is expected to be a five-year Leader with Associates Award in the $100-300 million range with a ceiling of $200 million.
This is a Key Personnel position, subject to USAID approval. It is also subject to project award and funding. National and international candidates are encouraged to apply. This position will be based in Dakar, Senegal.
Responsibilities:
- Develop the overall framework for MEAL systems for the Leader Award and Associate Awards. Develop and monitor Performance Management Plans (PMP) to systematically document outcomes.
- Ensure alignment of MEAL activities with Leader and Associate Award goals in and contribute to the development of Leader and Associate Award annual work plans to identify targets.
- Develop and update the Leader Award Learning Agenda to outline key research and learning lines of inquiry and ensure inclusion of Collaboration, Learning and Adapting (CLA) activities across the Associate Awards.
- Monitor activities of the Leader and Associate Awards and track these activities against the relevant results frameworks.
- Conduct field visits for data collection, validation, and to monitor data quality for both the Leader and Associate Awards, in collaboration with Associate Award MEAL and/or learning leads.
- Ensure timely compilation and reporting of data for both the Leader and Associate Awards.
- Capture and document lessons learned, and champion scaling up of best practices for both the Leader and Associate Awards.
- Craft and execute annual program plans for the Leader and Associate Awards, setting performance benchmarks, and overseeing monitoring mechanisms in collaboration with Associate Awards MEAL leads.
- Offer overarching guidance and supervision for the MEAL function, ensuring it aids both the Leader and Associate Awards in achieving their goals.
- Ensure utilization of global best practices of USAID guidelines regarding Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA).
- Guarantee that MEAL and CLA activities for both the Leader and Associate Awards have sufficient budgetary allocations and oversee the prudent and timely use of the budgets.
- Strengthen the capacity of MEAL and/or CLA teams in coordination with Associate Award MEAL and/or CLA leads by providing and supporting regular coaching, supervision, performance assessments, and capacity building to enhance their skills and professional development.
- Oversee, in collaboration with Associate Award MEAL leads the deployment and enactment of MEAL strategies for the Leader and Associate Awards, protocols, and in-country activities, including organizing training sessions for both MEAL and relevant project staff.
- In collaboration with the Associate Award MEAL Leads, provide technical leadership, capacity building and support to project and partner staff in planning and implementing MEAL systems and activities, data-based program decision-making, and results reporting.
- Support the Chief of Party (COP) to coordinate mid-term and final evaluations.
Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in statistics, data management, public health, international development, economic development or other relevant is required.
- 8-10 years of relevant senior experience in international development as MEAL Director on large humanitarian or development projects.
- Proven experience in quantitative and qualitative research methods, survey design and implementation, and statistical data analysis.
- Demonstrated MEAL experience in food security, agriculture and livelihoods.
- Strong experience and knowledge of USAID M&E guidelines, systems, and reporting requirements and the Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) approach. Strong data visualization and report writing skills, and ability to translate technical information for non-technical audiences.
- Experience working in Sahel region.
- Experience recruiting, developing, and managing staff and teams.
- Demonstrated skills building and maintaining relationships with project stakeholders, local partners, and local organizations.
- Fluency in English and French required (spoken and written).
- Strong oral and written communication skills; excellent demonstrated inter-cultural, interpersonal, and negotiation skills.
- Demonstrated commitment to PSHEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Harassment, and Abuse).
- Demonstrated commitment to principles of Diversity, Equity, Belonging and Inclusion (DEBI).
- Ability to travel within West Africa as required and as security conditions allow.
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