MEAL Manager

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC), one of the world’s leading humanitarian non-governmental organizations, is seeking a highly qualified and motivated professional to join its team as MEAL Manager. This role offers an opportunity to contribute to impactful, life-saving humanitarian operations in complex and challenging environments.

We are looking for a results-oriented individual with a strong commitment to humanitarian principles, operational excellence, and partnership development, who is ready to play a key role in strengthening MEAL systems that support effective programme delivery.

About the Job

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Programme (HoP), the MEAL Manager is responsible for leading and overseeing the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Learning (MEAL) and Information Management (IM) functions in line with DRC procedures, global standards, and donor requirements.

The MEAL Manager provides strategic leadership, technical guidance, and quality oversight to ensure effective implementation of MEAL, accountability, and information management systems across all programme areas. The role supports the integration of MEAL throughout the Project Cycle Management (PCM), strengthens evidence-based programming, and promotes accountability, learning, and data-driven decision-making.

The MEAL Manager directly supervises and provides technical support to the MEAL, IM, and Accountability teams, ensuring harmonized approaches, quality data management, effective reporting systems, and continuous capacity strengthening across country operations.

Key Responsibilities

1. Country Office MEAL Capacities and Commitments

• Lead the overall management and strategic direction of the MEAL, Information Management (IM), and Accountability functions in line with DRC standards, donor requirements, and country programme priorities.
• Participate in country-level strategic planning, programme design, and annual reviews, ensuring the use of evidence, data, and learning to support decision-making and programme quality.
• Lead the development and implementation of MEAL systems, frameworks, tools, and approaches across all operational areas to ensure harmonized monitoring, accountability, reporting, and information management practices.
• Directly supervise and provide technical guidance to the MEAL, IM, and Accountability functions, ensuring effective coordination, quality assurance, and staff development across these functions.
• Ensure effective collaboration and clear division of responsibilities between MEAL, IM, Programme, and support departments to strengthen programme quality, reporting, and accountability.
• Lead capacity strengthening initiatives for DRC staff and partners to improve MEAL systems, accountability practices, information management, data quality, and evidence-based programming.
• Ensure compliance with DRC and donor requirements related to ethical data collection, data protection, information management, and data sharing practices.

2. Results Monitoring and Programme Quality Support

• Lead and support the integration of MEAL throughout the PCM process, ensuring compliance with DRC MEAL guidelines and donor requirements.
• Provide technical input into project proposals, logframes, indicators, MEAL plans, and MEAL budgeting processes, ensuring programme targets and figures are evidence-based and validated in coordination with Programme and IM teams.
• Ensure DRC minimum monitoring requirements, indicator tracking systems, and reporting tools are updated and implemented in close coordination with Technical Coordinators and programme teams.
• Oversee the development, review, standardization, and approval of programme and MEAL tools, methodologies, and assessments in coordination with Programme teams.
• Oversee IM systems and reporting structures, including digitalization of MEAL and programme tools, data visualization products, dashboards, and reporting systems to support operational decision-making and donor reporting.
• Ensure effective planning, implementation, and quality assurance of monitoring activities, assessments, verification exercises, data collection processes, and reporting systems.
• Ensure post-registration verification exercises are conducted by the MEAL team following beneficiary registration and deduplication processes.
• Ensure ethical standards, safeguarding principles, DRC Code of Conduct, and protection referral protocols are applied during all MEAL activities.
• Ensure effective systems are in place for data quality assurance, data protection, storage, sharing, analysis, and information security.
• Oversee the analysis, interpretation, and reporting of qualitative and quantitative MEAL data to support evidence-based programming, learning, and external reporting requirements.
• Lead and oversee external MEAL-related consultancies, evaluations, and assessments.

3. Accountability

• Identify, plan for, and implement different mechanisms for community engagement and participatory monitoring, and integrate feedback mechanisms in MEAL systems.
• Assess, design, and improve accountability mechanisms, including Community Feedback Mechanism (CFM) processes, tools, and SOPs, and adapt global CFM guidance to the local context for efficient feedback management.
• Provide technical guidance to the accountability team and CFM focal points to ensure communities receive timely, accurate, and safe information regarding DRC projects, feedback channels, safeguarding measures, and expected staff behaviour.
• Ensure staff and partners are trained on accountability principles, Community Feedback Mechanisms, safeguarding, PSEAH, and DRC Code of Conduct reporting mechanisms.
• Coordinate CHS self-assessments, audits, and follow-up improvement plans in collaboration with HQ, regional teams, and country office management.

4. Evaluation, Analysis, and Learning

• Lead and contribute to evaluations, research, and analysis initiatives to strengthen evidence-based programming, organizational learning, and programme quality.
• Ensure MEAL findings, lessons learned, and community feedback are used to support programme adaptation, strategic planning, and decision-making.
• Work with the MEAL team to ensure proper facilitation of learning events across programmes and operational areas.
• Regularly present MEAL findings, trends, and recommendations to senior management and programme teams to support continuous improvement.
• Oversee evaluations in line with DRC evaluation policies, including development of ToRs, management of evaluation processes, and dissemination of findings internally and externally.

5. Supervision and Team Management

• Provide direct supervision, technical guidance, and capacity strengthening support to MEAL, IM, and Accountability staff at country and field levels.
• Maintain regular coordination with Area Managers to ensure MEAL Officers receive adequate operational and technical support, including monthly and ad hoc follow-up discussions on MEAL priorities, challenges, and performance across operational areas.
• Oversee work planning, task allocation, and coordination across MEAL functions to ensure timely implementation of monitoring, accountability, data quality, and reporting activities.
• Conduct regular performance follow-up, coaching, and technical support to strengthen staff capacity and professional development.
• Foster a culture of learning, accountability, and evidence-based programming across programme teams.

Management Responsibilities

• Accountable for achieving DRC strategic goals and objectives within the MEAL, Information Management, and Accountability functions.
• Responsible for the overall leadership, management, and technical oversight of MEAL, IM, and Accountability systems and staff.
• Accountable for effective people management of direct reports, including recruitment, performance management, staff development, and disciplinary processes where required.
• Accountable for sound decision-making in line with DRC policies, SOPs, standards, and technical guidance.

Requirements

Education

• Master’s degree in a relevant field (international development, social sciences, statistics, public health, etc.) with at least 4 years of relevant experience.

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in MEAL within humanitarian and/or development programmes.
• Experience working with INGOs, UN agencies, government institutions, and/or local partners in emergency, refugee, or displacement settings.
• Proven experience working with institutional donors such as ECHO, EU, Danida, and UN agencies.
• Demonstrated experience supporting MEAL systems throughout the PCM process, including proposal development, monitoring, evaluations, and reporting.
• Experience managing or supervising MEAL, IM, and/or Accountability teams.
• Experience working with data collection, verification, analysis, and reporting systems.

Core Competencies

• Strong understanding of MEAL principles, accountability frameworks, and information management systems.
• Strong knowledge of quantitative and qualitative data collection methodologies, data analysis, and evidence-based programming approaches.
• Proven experience in developing MEAL tools, indicator tracking systems, databases, and reporting frameworks.
• Experience using data collection and analysis software such as Kobo Toolbox, Power BI, Excel, SPSS, or similar platforms.
• Good understanding of Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS), accountability principles, safeguarding, and ethical data collection practices.
• Strong analytical, coordination, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret and communicate data effectively to different audiences.
• Strong leadership, team management, and capacity strengthening skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, work under pressure, and meet deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Critical thinking skills and the ability to provide constructive feedback and strategic guidance.
• Commitment to continuous learning and professional development.

Desirable

• Previous experience working in South Sudan and emergency response contexts.
• Previous experience working with DRC systems and approaches.
• Knowledge of GIS, Power BI, or advanced data visualization tools is an asset.

Languages

• Fluency in English (written and spoken) is required.
• Knowledge of Arabic or other local languages is an added advantage.

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