MEAL Lead

The MEAL Lead will be responsible for developing, managing, and implementing a MEAL system across all RRISE program components and sectors. This includes designing and overseeing a centralized MEAL information management system, ensuring standardized data collection tools, unified indicators, and harmonized MEAL reporting templates.

The MEAL Lead will also lead the program's Value for Money (VfM) monitoring, reporting, and adaptive management in line with FCDO's VfM framework. This includes developing VfM metrics, tracking unit and cost-per-beneficiary data, and benchmarking performance against comparable programs.

The MEAL Lead will work closely with IRC Senior MEAL Coordinator, consortium partners MEAL focal persons, the Regional METAL Lead, technical staff, and government and donor counterparts to ensure that relevant data is collected, stored, analyzed, and used to inform management and design decisions.

The MEAL Lead will directly oversee the consortium-based research, data, and knowledge management staff in delivering research and learning activities. S/he will have line management responsibilities for relevant MEAL staff and will directly report to the consortium Team Lead.

Responsibilities:

• Develop, manage, and implement a MEAL system across all RRISE program components and sectors
• Design and oversee a centralized MEAL information management system
• Ensure the lead organization's MEAL system draws on and triangulates with the independent needs and sector data function
• Manage the lead organization's relationship with the independent monitoring and learning function and the independent accountability partner
• Lead the program's VfM monitoring and reporting in line with FCDO's VfM framework
• Support a structured adaptive management protocol for addressing MEAL and VfM underperformance
• Work closely with FCDO's commissioned TPM entity
• Provide training, guidance, and technical assistance to national and local NGO and CSO partners on MEAL systems
• Lead the collection, verification, consolidation, and analysis of performance and accountability data
• Communicate information obtained through MEAL activities to program staff, consortium partners, and external stakeholders
• Develop and ensure compliance with procedures for collecting and reporting program performance data
• Regularly review data collection processes and perform data quality assessments
• Prepare the MEAL section of annual work plans and the overall programme results framework
• Participate in and provide input to program strategy
• Oversee baseline surveys, assessments, and evaluations
• Lead consortium-wide learning and reflection processes
• Oversee and support research design and implementation
• Provide technical oversight on MEAL-related budgeting
• Conduct regular visits to program sites
• Facilitate peer-learning exchanges between partners and produce learning briefs and analytical reports

Requirements:

• An advanced degree (Master's) from an accredited university in social science, international development, evaluation research, statistics, or related discipline
• A minimum of 7 years of experience in MEAL/MEL/MERL/M&E for large-scale, multi-sector humanitarian or FCDO-funded complex programming
• Experience with multi-sector humanitarian programs in Nigeria or comparable protracted-crisis, access-constrained contexts
• Significant experience carrying out MEAL activities in hard-to-reach and insecure regions
• Experience supporting adaptive and agile management within locally led or intermediary delivery models
• Strong understanding of localization and locally led MEAL approaches
• Experience designing MEAL systems that incorporate independent verification functions
• Experience designing and tracking VfM metrics and applying FCDO's 5Es framework
• Strong negotiation skills and the ability to develop relations with local counterparts, donors, and other stakeholders