MEAL Manager

Job Posting Organization:
Relief International (RI) is an international non-profit organization that partners with communities impacted by conflict, climate change, and disaster to save lives, build greater resilience, and promote long-term health and wellbeing. Established with a mission to provide essential services and support to vulnerable populations, RI has grown to employ over 7,000 staff and local volunteers. The organization operates in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, focusing on Health and Nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Education, and Livelihoods programming. RI emphasizes evidence-based, conflict-sensitive, and climate-smart approaches to ensure that local programming is safe and inclusive, reaching those in need effectively. The organization is an alliance of four entities—Relief International, Inc., Relief International-France, Relief International-UK, and Relief International-Europe—working under a unified leadership team to achieve their shared mission.

Job Overview:
The MEAL Manager will lead and enhance the implementation of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) systems across all geographical areas covered by Relief International (RI) in Syria. This role is crucial for ensuring quality, effectiveness, and accountability in program delivery. The MEAL Manager will oversee evaluations, monitoring, learning processes, and data-driven decision-making, playing a key role in ensuring MEAL best practices are followed. The position involves driving the development, integration, and continuous improvement of MEAL systems, ensuring robust data collection, analysis, and reporting mechanisms are in place. The MEAL Manager will collaborate closely with RI teams and partners to enhance accountability, learning, and adaptive programming, while also supporting proposal development, budgeting for MEAL activities, and ensuring compliance with donor requirements. This position is open to national candidates only and will be based in Damascus.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The MEAL Manager will be responsible for ensuring that the MEAL system is fully integrated into design" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">program design and implementation, aligning with donor and RI standards. Key responsibilities include leading the development and improvement of cross-sectoral MEAL frameworks, tools, and methodologies; conducting in-depth analysis of program data to inform decision-making, strategy, and program adaptation; overseeing beneficiary feedback mechanisms to ensure accountability to affected communities; and ensuring accurate and timely reporting on program impact, learning, and donor compliance. Additionally, the MEAL Manager will develop and oversee the rollout of an organizational MEAL system that supports both emergency and development programming, integrate mobile technology and digital tools for data collection, analysis, and reporting, and ensure the harmonization of MEAL approaches, tools, systems, and reporting in accordance with donor guidelines. The role also involves providing technical guidance on assessments, evaluations, and surveys, supporting third-party monitoring activities, driving continuous learning through structured reviews of program implementation, and contributing to regular maintenance of learning databases.

Required Qualifications:
The essential qualifications for the MEAL Manager position include a Master’s degree in social sciences, statistics, international development, or a related field. Candidates must have a minimum of five years of experience in MEAL within humanitarian or development organizations, with proven experience in designing MEAL frameworks, logframes, and performance monitoring plans. Strong experience in quantitative and qualitative research methods, including survey design and data analysis, is required. Knowledge of MEAL requirements for major donors such as USAID, OFDA, ECHO, DFID, and BPRM is essential. Candidates should possess advanced proficiency in Excel, Power BI, and statistical software such as SPSS, STATA, and EPI-Info. Additionally, demonstrated ability to manage teams and build MEAL capacity in complex environments, along with strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, are necessary for this role.

Educational Background:
Candidates must hold a Master’s degree in social sciences, statistics, international development, or a related field. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of MEAL systems and their implementation in humanitarian and development contexts.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of five years of experience in MEAL within humanitarian or development organizations. This experience should encompass designing MEAL frameworks, logframes, and performance monitoring plans, as well as strong familiarity with quantitative and qualitative research methods, including survey design and data analysis. Candidates should also have experience in managing teams and building MEAL capacity in complex environments.

Languages:
Arabic is essential for this position, and fluency in English is also required. Proficiency in these languages is critical for effective communication and collaboration with local teams, stakeholders, and partners.

Additional Notes:
This position involves a significant travel requirement of 60%. The role is classified under the Technical Family T7 level and requires standard pre-employment checks. The MEAL Manager will report to the Deputy Country Director and will have direct reports, including technical oversight for MEAL managers at the HUB, which may change based on organizational restructuring. The position does not have budget responsibility, but it does involve relationship management with programs and support teams.