*This post is contingent on donor funding and donor approval of the candidate.

About CRS:

CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, regardless of race, religion, or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work are accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. Since 2004, CRS has provided life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable communities negatively impacted by conflict and natural disasters in areas such as the Darfur region.

Background:

CRS Sudan will implement an emergency food security program to address acute food security shocks in Sudan. The project will serve as a food pipeline for affected populations in Central and West Darfur.

Job Summary

You will manage and provide technical oversight for Monitoring Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) in the development and implementation of the Country Program’s (CP) Food security activity, ensuring effective MEAL systems and processes are in place that support high-quality programming advancing CRS work in serving the poor and vulnerable. Your MEAL-related management skills and knowledge will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving its impact.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Lead comprehensive MEAL systems’ design, development, and maintenance. Ensure consistency in tools, indicators, and methods across partners, sectors, and programs. Incorporate participatory methods at the community level.
• Lead essential evaluations, needs assessments, annual surveys, and other evaluation efforts. Include leading and overseeing the entire Post Distribution Monitoring (PDM) process, ensuring timely evaluations of distributions, analysing feedback, and ensuring that insights inform future distributions
• Update the project MEAL operation manual to ensure its relevance and quality. Ensure it encompasses tools, data flow maps, and analysis plans essential for program quality and donor reporting. Oversee agency-driven MEAL inquiries and requirements, including end-of-year beneficiary counts, Annual MPP self-assessments, and other mandates.
• Analyze and interpret data to contribute high-quality insights to donor proposals and reports. Collaborate with the MEAL team to prepare, review, and optimize MEAL calendars, ensuring timely evaluations and assessments.
• Collaborate with the Country Program (CP) MEAL Manager and program quality team to design and co-facilitate MEAL workshops for staff and partners. Emphasize MEAL tools, processes, and best practices to foster a learning-centric culture.
• Organize and conduct orientations introducing new MEAL and program staff to essential CRS systems and resources. Provide consistent mentoring to CRS and partner staff, enhancing their capacity to fulfill annual performance and development plans.
• Regularly conduct field monitoring visits in collaboration with project teams and implementing partners, ensuring on-ground effectiveness.
• Develop and implement robust feedback mechanisms prioritizing beneficiaries, ensuring their voices are central to program adjustments and refinements.
• Implement strict measures to protect the personal data of beneficiaries, ensuring that their privacy is respected and that data is only used for intended purposes.
• Partner with MEAL and IT teams to optimize the application of Information and Communication Technologies for MEAL (ICT4MEAL) initiatives, maximizing their utility and impact.
• Directly supervises MEAL Senior Project Officer.
• Oversee performance management and provide necessary capacity building opportunities to the MEAL team, ensuring that they are abreast with CRS (CRS MEAL Policies and Procedures) and USAID regulations relating to monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning.

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in International Development, International Relations or in the field of MEAL required. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in relevant field-based project management experience is required, with preferably at least 2-3 years of experience working in the area of MEAL.
• Experience in managing moderately complex projects, preferably with an international NGO.

Required Languages – English required, Arabic strongly preferred

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 50% of the time to remote project sites.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make sound judgments and decisions and offer innovative solutions
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels, internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Good presentation and facilitation skills
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented
• Competency in MEAL components and MEAL in design, Management in MEAL, and ICT for MEAL, including experience with Commcare, Kobo, ArcGIS, and PowerBI is a plus.
• Strong experience in MEAL in an emergency context and experience in use of remote monitoring techniques

Preferred Qualifications

• Good project grant management experience, including project design, preferably for grants from multiple public donors, including USAID.
• Demonstrated ability to write high-quality technical proposals.
• Experience engaging with partner organizations
• MEAL skills and experience required. Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, and information management systems.
• Strong technical skills with the ability to influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision and to work with individuals in diverse geographical and cultural settings
• Good technical writing skills
• Presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills
• Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented

Key Working Relationships: 

Supervisory: MEAL SPO

Internal: Deputy Chief of Party for Program Quality, Technical Advisors, Risk and Compliance Manager, MEAL-Program Quality unit, other programming and operations colleagues

External:  Peer agencies, Partners, private sector, project participants 

Agency REDI Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

Agency competencies clarify expected behaviors and attitudes for all staff. When demonstrated, they create an engaging workplace, help staff achieve their best, and help CRS achieve agency goals. These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity – Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission.  Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust – Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

This position is subject to donor funding

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 prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.