Program Manager I - MEAL (Kenyan Nationals Only)

Catholic Relief Services · KE

Job Summary:

Act as the technical advisor and process lead for quality Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) for the project. Provide leadership, management, and technical oversight for the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of the project's MEAL system. Ensure the timely availability and use of high-quality performance, participant feedback and learning information to monitor implementation, measure results, meet donor and CRS requirements, strengthen accountability and support adaptive management. Supervise project MEAL staff and work closely with project leadership, technical teams, implementing partners and other stakeholders to strengthen MEAL capacity, promote evidence-based decision-making, and improve program quality.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

1. MEAL System Leadership and Performance Management

Provide technical leadership and management of MEAL activities through the project cycle - start-up, implementation and close-out - in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and industry best practices.
Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the project MEAL system in alignment with approved results frameworks.
Coordinate tracking and analysis of project performance information to support implementation monitoring, adaptive management, and continuous improvement.
Contribute to needs assessments and support the development of results frameworks, theories of change, Proframes, SMILER (Simple Measurement of Indicators for Learning and Evidence-based Reporting), MEAL plans, indicators, tools and reporting systems appropriate to the project's scope, context and technical requirements.
Ensure compliance with donor and CRS MEAL requirements through the consistent application of established standards, procedures and quality assurance mechanisms across activities.

2. Data Management, Digital Systems and Data Quality

Provide technical oversight for qualitative and quantitative MEAL data collection, management, analysis and reporting systems, including participant registration and commodity and food distribution tracking systems, across community, service-delivery and partner levels.
Establish and oversee routine data-quality assurance processes, including validation, verification, documentation of findings, and follow-up of corrective actions.
Oversee the effective use and interoperability, where applicable, of participant registration, monitoring, accountability and performance-reporting systems.
Ensure confidential, secure and responsible management of participant and project information in accordance with CRS and donor requirements.

3. Field Monitoring and Implementation Quality

Coordinate field monitoring and other project-quality review activities and ensure findings, recommendations and agreed corrective actions are documented, communicated and followed up.
Apply risk-based monitoring approaches to identify implementation challenges, verify performance, and prioritize areas requiring management attention.
Integrate monitoring evidence into project reflection, planning and decision-making processes to strengthen implementation quality and adaptive management.

4. Accountability and Participant Feedback

Provide technical oversight for accessible and responsive project accountability mechanisms, ensuring participant feedback and complaints are systematically recorded, analyzed, responded to, and used to improve project quality.
Ensure sensitive complaints and allegations are promptly referred through established CRS safeguarding and reporting mechanisms.
Analyze and communicate significant feedback trends, risks and recurring concerns to project leadership and relevant teams to inform decisions and corrective action.

5. Partner Coordination and Capacity Strengthening

Maintain effective working relationships with implementing partners, communities, government counterparts, and other stakeholders on project MEAL priorities.
Promote harmonized MEAL approaches across implementing partners through consistent use of approved indicators, methodologies, tools, data-quality standards and reporting requirements.
Assess staff and partner MEAL capacity needs and coordinate targeted training, coaching, technical assistance and follow-up support.
Monitor the application and effectiveness of capacity-strengthening interventions and adjust support based on identified needs.

6. Learning, Assessments and Evaluation

Lead implementation of the project learning activities and coordinate periodic review, reflection, and learning processes that draw on performance data, monitoring findings, evaluations, and participant feedback.
Identify and document lessons, promising practices and innovations and facilitate their dissemination and application within the project, CRS, and relevant stakeholder forums.
Provide technical leadership and quality assurance for project assessments, baselines, endlines, evaluations, and other learning studies.
Ensure assessment and evaluation designs, methodologies, tools, analyses and reports meet applicable technical, ethical and donor standards.

7. Reporting and Management Information

Ensure timely consolidation, validation, analysis and reporting of project performance information for internal management, partner and donor requirements.
Provide project leadership and technical teams with dashboards, performance summaries, and analysis that highlight progress, emerging issues, risks, and areas requiring corrective action.
Coordinate MEAL inputs to donor reports and facilitate data-informed partner and project reflection meetings.
Maintain complete, accurate, and accessible supporting documentation for reported results and indicator achievements.
Coordinate CRS Annual Global Results reporting for the project and ensure required MEAL reports, data and supporting documentation are maintained in designated CRS systems.

8. Risk, Compliance and Safeguarding

Synthesize MEAL evidence to identify and communicate material implementation, accountability, safeguarding and data-quality risks and track follow-up of agreed corrective actions.
Ensure project MEAL activities comply with CRS safeguarding, ethical conduct, accountability, data protection and research requirements.
Maintain the objectivity and integrity of MEAL findings while providing project teams with evidence to support operational and management decisions.

9. Staff Management and Resource Stewardship

Supervise assigned MEAL staff, setting clear objectives and managing performance, workload, professional development and staff well-being.
Provide coaching and technical guidance and foster a culture of learning, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Develop and monitor project MEAL work plans and budgets and ensure responsible stewardship of MEAL resources.
Coordinate MEAL staffing, equipment, technology and operational support requirements with project leadership and relevant operations teams.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Strong analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret qualitative and quantitative evidence and translate findings into practical recommendations.
Strong data management, database and data quality assurance skills.
Strong interpersonal and relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively across program, technical, operations, compliance and partner teams.
Strong data management, database and data quality assurance skills.
Excellent facilitation, presentation and written and verbal communication skills in English, including the ability to prepare clear technical and management reports.
Strong planning and prioritization skills, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams and deliver high-quality outputs within established timelines.
Proactive, resourceful, results-focused, and solution-oriented, with strong attention to accuracy, accountability and documentation.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master's degree in Monitoring and Evaluation, Statistics, International Development, Public Health, Food Security, Economics or another relevant field.
Experience with institutional donor-funded programming, preferably including food security, nutrition, resilience or humanitarian assistance.
Demonstrated experience with commodity and food distribution tracking systems.
Experience providing MEAL leadership for a large-scale, multi-sectoral, or multi-partner program.

Required Languages: Fluency in English and at least one local language.

Travel: Must be willing and able to travel up to 40%, with regular travel to project implementation locations in Marsabit and Turkana.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Senior Project Officer MEAL Marsabit; Senior Project Officer MEAL Turkana; Database Manager/Analyst Information Management

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Chief of Party; Deputy Chief of Party, Operations, Logistics and Compliance Monitoring; Project Manager, Nutrition and Food Security; Field Operations Manager; Supply Chain Manager; relevant project technical and operations staff; MIS Officer; Compliance Agents; CRS Kenya MEAL Manager; ESARO Regional Technical Advisor, MEAL; ESARO Regional Technical Advisor, Digital Programming; and relevant headquarters technical advisors.

External: Implementing partner Project Directors/Project Leads, MEAL Managers, MEAL Officers, Accountability Assistants and relevant technical and project staff; national and county government counterparts, including the National Drought Management Authority, Ministry of Health and relevant county departments; Kenya Food Security Steering Group; Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster; Kenya Nutrition Sector Coordination Forum; County Steering Groups in Marsabit and Turkana; and other relevant coordination and technical stakeholders.

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Catholic Relief Services works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. Catholic Relief Services’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants, community members, staff and volunteers from all forms of exploitation and abuse. The successful candidate is expected to sign and adhere to CRS´ Code of Conduct.

CRS talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people - especially children and vulnerable adults - to live free from abuse and harm.

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Department: Country Programming Salary Grade: 9 Reports to: Chief of Party (COP) Location: Nairobi About Catholic Relief Services: CRS opened operations in Kenya in 1965. For over 50 years, we have worked throughout the country to implement programs in agriculture, livelihoods, health and nutrition, water, sanitation, emergency relief and peace building. We have built deep relationships with the Government of Kenya and the Catholic Church through ongoing collaboration and support.

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