Technical Advisor (MEAL Education)

This position will provide technical monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) guidance, in 2 primary sectors: education (primarily USDA McGovern Dole school feeding awards) (60%), and support to the crosscutting EQUIP team (justice peacebuilding and protection) (20%). In addition, assistance will be provided to Global Grants for proposal development and MEAL system set-up when Global Grant MEAL staff are unavailable (10%). MEAL team members are also often asked to support other agency and cross-cutting initiatives (10%). As part of a team of technical advisors and specialists within the Headquarters (HQ) MEAL unit, the TA will support proposal development, program implementation, research and strategy design and create linkages between program monitoring and evaluation to enhance accountability and learning in the various programming sectors. Specific Responsibilities: Technical Assistance/Capa city Strengthening

• Contribute to the development and implementation of agency-wide strategies, standards, tools, and best practices in MEAL that effectively engage partners, donors and governments. Help ensure a cross-sectoral approach integrating gender, protection mainstreaming, and disaster risk reduction.
• Backstop regional MEAL advisors to advise and assist CRS staff remotely or on-site for strategic planning and how to best apply program design and implementation standards, best practices, partnership principles, tools, and M&E, ensuring high-quality implementation, particularly for education, school feeding and crosscutting EQUIP initiatives
• Incorporates required and emerging good practices and the latest donor requirements for MEAL into regional MEAL efforts and ongoing technical support especially for education, school feeding, and for MEAL of crosscutting EQUIP initiatives
• Backstop regional MEAL advisors to provide technical review and support across range of sectoral projects
• Backstop regional MEAL advisors to develop and review baseline, midterm review and final evaluation TORs, and assist with project evaluations or other assessments, including rapid or in-depth sectoral assessments
• Contribute to capacity strengthening initiatives in MEAL for staff and partners through helping develop learning and training strategies and agendas/curriculums, conducting trainings and workshops, and mentoring and coaching to CP staff.
• Communicates agency approach to MEAL and key findings, to regional colleagues including support to CRS’ Global Results efforts especially in the areas of education, school feeding and crosscutting EQUIP initiatives
• Builds capacity of MEAL Coordinators or Managers and MEAL Officers and partners to address their job requirements

Program Growth and Project Design

• Contribute to pre-position CRS for growth opportunities. Lead or contribute to the development of the MEAL portions of the technical design for Global Grants or large and/or complex education, school feeding and crosscutting EQUIP proposals, including defining appropriate monitoring systems and indicators, including log frames, detailed implementation plans, budgets, and narratives reflecting donor and stakeholder MEAL industry standards and CRS MEAL policies and procedures. Advise project teams on integrating donor strategies, priorities and technical requirements into CRS’ approach.
• Backstop regional advisors as they guide country program teams in the development of project MEAL systems that meet donor requirements and adhere to the agency’s MEAL policies, procedures, and practices. Contribute to the customization and design of digital forms for data collection and the design of approaches for data visualization that facilitate use of data and quality reporting. Contribute to or lead the periodic review of MEAL systems, particularly for large, complex education, school feeding and crosscutting EQUIP projects.

Accountability and Learning

• Contribute to knowledge management and learning through collecting and analyzing program data, evaluating strategic projects, assisting with measuring program impact, capturing, and sharing lessons learned, best practices, research and internal reports for education, School Feeding and crosscutting EQUIP initiatives.
• Communicates agency approach to MEAL and key findings, to regional colleagues especially education, school feeding and crosscutting EQUIP technical advisors, IDEA, OverOps KML department, USDA Unit and Country Program staff in documentation and dissemination of case studies and learning in support of project level, country program and global learning agendas and raise the profile of CRS programming. Assist CRS in communicating MEAL results and marketing key successes in MEAL

Basic Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in International Development, Education, Social Sciences, or related field
• Experience with program monitoring and evaluation, including applying data collection tools and methodologies, data analysis, and data presentation.
• Minimum of five years relevant international working experience in an advisory or management role with progressive responsibilities, ideally with an international NGO, with minimum of three years working for programming interventions in MEAL.
• Previous experience providing technical assistance and developing successful proposals for external donor funding is required.
• Demonstrated application of technical principles and concepts in MEAL. General knowledge of other related disciplines to ensure proper cross-sectoral approach.
• Experience in business development, project design and proposal development, including technical writing.
• Professional working knowledge of Spanish, French, Portuguese and/or Arabic

Travel: up to 30 %. Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position. CRS' talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation. CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.