Job Openings at Save the Children

ROLE PURPOSE: 

The Head of MEAL is responsible for leading the Country MEAL team and drives MEAL systems from conceptualization to implementation. S/he will ensure robust, innovative and high-quality program monitoring, research, evaluation and studies. The position holder will also ensure accessible and closed-loop accountability mechanisms and systems as well as deliberate learning and knowledge management.  The person will be responsible for ensuring quality implementation of MEAL strategies, processes and standards, ensuring that they are institutionalized within the existing project cycle management framework.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY: 

Technical Leadership

• Provide technical leadership for MEAL for the Country Office as well as review and update CO MEAL systems and processes in with line SCI MEAL standards.
• Build capacity of country office staff and partners in key technical approaches related to MEAL
• Build strong relationships with other units and provide support as required to ensure MEAL standards are understood and supported at country & field office levels

Evidence & Learning 

• Strengthen efforts to create greater efficiency in MEAL systems by continued harmonization with SCI (and other relevant) standards and use of digital technologies 
• Ensure implementing projects meet required criteria for MEAL related Key Performance Indicators and Management Indicators
• Ensure that the organisation delivers on all internal and external MEAL requirements, including reporting in a timely manner and with high quality.
• Work with Technical Advisors to develop, monitor and utilize quality benchmarks for key project activities 
• Ensure that all projects are updated on SCI Project Reporting, Information management & Evidence System (PRIME) and reflect on the Project-on-track dashboard and that projects are using the relevant MEAL Project Management Methodology (PMM) tools
• Ensure that data collection methodologies used at field level are standardised, enabling the specific vulnerabilities of different target groups to be captured and analysed. 
• Guide field-based MEAL staff to address any gaps in data quality assurance and in MEAL frameworks implementation.
• Maintain regular and proactive dialogue with technical/thematic leads and field teams to identify critical programmatic knowledge gaps, as well as to initiate, adapt or test new practices, approaches or methodologies, that will inform Country Office and/or project Learning agenda with a view of improving the impact of our work 
• Foster a culture of learning in the Country Office, including the systematic collection, storage and dissemination of evidence and learning that is used throughout the project cycle by all staff 
• Ensure the design and implementation of high-quality research, studies and assessments in coordination and cooperation with technical leads and programme staff.
• Support in Proposal development and that MEAL related staffing and activities are well budgeted.

Accountability & Participation

• Ensure that project meet the minimum standards and are maintained in accordance with the Sphere Charter as well as Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability
• Ensure that staff & partners fully understand and promote accountability in general and to children in particular, through training and coaching. 
• Contribute to improvements in existing processes and procedures to enhance effective accountability systems and mechanisms.
• Ensure that learning from Accountability data especially from the Feedback & Response Mechanism (FRM) & participation activities are used in project adaptation and proposal development. 
• Ensure that communities and children participate in decision making in the various stages of the project cycle
• Promote information sharing with key stakeholders, including affected persons, ensuring that Save the Children promotes transparency throughout all stages of implementation. 
• Ensure that project activities are designed to promote FRM and include systems to effectively manage feedback and complaints. 

People Management & Development 

• Provide leadership to the MEAL team, including strategic vision and direction, team cohesion and team building and an enabling environment where staff can be supported to develop to their full potential
• Lead, in coordination with HR, the recruitment and professional development of MEAL staff as appropriate, including the identification of development opportunities, such as coaching/training/stretch assignments to build and maintain technical skills and competencies 
• Provide technical supportive supervision of the field-based MEAL staff through regular contact, field visits and meetings.

Safeguarding

• Lead on ensuring linkages between MEAL, Child safeguarding systems, and safe programming. 
• Ensure risk assessments are done before any data collection activity that involves children 
• Ensure MEAL related Core Operational Safeguarding Activities (COSA) are implemented, and requisite standards met.
• Ensure that Information sharing activities are carried out to raise awareness of prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse and handling of serious complaints in line with child safeguarding policy.

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ROLE PURPOSE: 

• Provide support to Community health Volunteer in different Projects’ Communities in implementing health interventions through Social and Behavior Change approach.
• The Community Health Mobilization Assistant will also work with the Community structures – community and religious leaders, women and men groups, youth group and WDC in ensuring quality delivery of health interventions in the Project locations.
• The role will oversee the day-to-day activity of community health volunteers ensuring compliance with SCI processes and standards while working toward reaching project targets.

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The post holder will receive a context specific ToR for each deployment, which will draw upon the responsibilities outlined below:

• With technical support from senior project team members, conduct community entering activities and participate in the sensitization of the community and religious leaders on the project objectives and expectations.
• Work closely with the community leader and WGC to identify community health volunteer adhering strictly to set criteria.
• Support the establishment/strengthening of Mother-to-Mother Support Group (MtM - SG), Father to Father support group (FtF – SG) and deliver required technical support based on CHIPS manual.
• Coordinate the selection of lead mother and father and oversee the day-to-day activities of the support groups.
• Support community efforts to find solution to priority health issues.
• Support community level assessments and surveys.
• Keep track of other assessments conducted by different agencies, government in communities.
• Provide technical support to strengthen Ward development committee and carry out biannual meeting together with project technical team.
• Organize and facilitate trainings for community health volunteer on PLAC and disease surveillance.
• Provide regular technical supervision visit and on job coaching support to CHV in conducting SG sessions, reporting of SG group activities etc.
• Develop SG implementation work plan per LGA.
• Develop LGA budget planning reviewed work plan on a monthly and quarterly basis.
• Support the CHV to develop monthly action plan for responsible CHV agents in reference to agreed work plan.
• Engage community members and structures including IDP Committee, women's association, youth and children to design participatory strategies and actions to prevent &respond priority health condition.
• Identify special needs of the women and liaise with the Protection Officer to meet these needs.
• Identify gaps / challenges in service delivery and coordinate with relevant actors to ensure that safe and confidential services are made available and accessible to vulnerable women.
• Maintain records of activities and produce regular t including weekly updates or Situational Reports.
• Conduct an incidence trends analysis each quarter for purposes of learning, future programing, and advocacy.
• Work closely with CHV to ensure early identification and referral to health facility.
• In collaboration with CHV increase surveillance of infectious disease and reporting.
• Support quality data collection of activities conducted in the Communities.
• Promote increasing awareness of appropriate health behavior in project communities by ensuring behavior change materials are visible in supported communities and health facilities.
• Support the development of case studies and success stories from programme implementation.
• Provide maternal and childcare/feeding key messages to beneficiaries. 

Additional Job Responsibilities:

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Capacity Building:

• Provide on-the-job guidance to CHV working on the field.
• Ensure all Community Health Volunteers are familiar with their posts.

Behaviours (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values.
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same.
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others.
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters.
• Values diversity sees it as a source of competitive strength. 
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity.

Qualifications

• Degree in Nursing, Nutrition, Public Health or any related fields.

Experience and Skills

Essential:

• Fluency in speaking Hausa and/ other local language.
• Work experience in community mobilization especially on health interventions.
• Work experience with NGO and in humanitarian setting.
• Understanding of local culture and values.
• Good communication skills (verbal and written).
• Acceptable IT Skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills.