Job Description

Area Research, Evaluation, Accountability Learning and Monitoring (REALM) Manager

TEAM/PROGRAMME: Program Development & Quality (PDQ)

LOCATION:  Garowe Somalia

GRADE:  2

POST TYPE: National

Child Safeguarding:

Level 3:  the role holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work in country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Area REALM Manager takes overall responsibility for operationalizing a system for REALM in their respective area offices. The post-holder will be expected to lead and provide oversight on REALM activity implementation, including monitoring of program performance and quality, rolling out accountability initiatives, supporting program Research and Evaluations, coordinating the use of data for program/projects learning, leading on area-level REALM budgeting, and area-level REALM staff recruitment. S/he will be expected to supervise the area REALM team and lead capacity building of programme staff and partners.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Head of REALM

Dimensions:  Save the Children has been working in Somalia for more than 60 years. The Country Office has seen massive growth in 2017 as a result of the drought response, and now has over 600 staff across 14 field offices (Boroma, Burao and Hargeisa in Somaliland; Bossaso, Garowe, Galkayo and Gardo in Puntland; Beletweyne, Adaado, Abudwak, Baidoa, Kismayo, Dhobley and Mogadishu in Central South Somalia). Our Country Office coordination and administration base is in Nairobi, Kenya. In 2016, the Program Development team raised a total of US$75 million and the Country Office reached 1.2 million people benefitted from our humanitarian and longer term development work in Health, Nutrition, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), Education, Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL), Child Protection and Child Rights Governance. In 2017, as a result of significant scale up for the countrywide drought response, the Program Development team (as of September 2017) have mobilised more than US$140 million. The Country Office manages 61 active awards totalling US$165 million from a range of governmental/institutional donors, including DFID, ECHO, EU, FFP, OFDA, and DANIDA being some of our largest.

Staff directly reporting to this post: MEAL Officers, Area Research & Evaluation Coordinator, education MEAL coordinator and accountability assistant  

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Together with the REALM Team and in collaboration with the Programme Managers and partners, the Area REALM Manager will be responsible for establishing and promoting the use of Research, Monitoring, Evaluation and Accountability system to ensure that the respective Area Office:

• Delivers on all internal and external MEAL requirements in a timely manner and with high quality information.
• Is informed on the extent to which both the emergency response and development interventions are affecting the lives of the targeted populations.
• There is evidence-based knowledge on the positive and negative impact that both the emergency response and development interventions are having over the communities where SCI works.
• Receives regular, timely and context-specific, meaningful feedback from our staff, partners, programme participants (who are or are not targeted by our interventions), and that feedback effectively informs and signals areas where strategic attention is required.

Program Monitoring, Assessments and Reporting

• Develop a comprehensive MEAL plan and overall MEAL system (including indicator and performance tracking table-IPTT,  PRIME, OT, project On track, data collection tools, accountability plan, project quality bench marks) in collaboration with program teams at the inception phase.
• Strengthen the MEAL systems and processes to assure tracking of achievements and progress towards project outcomes and outputs indicators.

• Support the area office in measuring achievement and progress toward program goals and results through by not limited to participation in Area office IPTT/BvA monthly meeting, review meetings,  evaluation learning workshops etc.

• Ensure implementation and integration of regular monitoring systems in the area programme and at various levels of programme implementation (monitoring of inputs, outputs, outcomes, etc.);
• Contribute to child-focused and child-led programme implementation, by ensuring children’s participation, reporting back to children, and child-led M&E in the area.
• Lead monitoring of program quality using quality benchmarks and ensure that findings are shared with relevant stakeholders and explicitly fed back into programme decision making, incorporating accountability and learning. 
• Maintain a tracker of all program improvement actions bringing to the attention of the area SMT key program improvement issues that need action.

• Lead compilation of data and reporting on, project indicators (IPTT), any global indicators and total reach reports in line with SCI global Results Framework
• Lead the management of information systems and roll out of digitalized quality benchmarks using CommCare mobile app

Research and Evaluation

• Lead field implementation of Research and Evaluation activities in line with the country office Evidence and Learning agenda and according to the Research and Evaluation Management procedures
• Work with field level technical and operations teams to generate evidence and learning needs and use them to contribute developing context relevant research and evaluation research questions.
• Lead field level dissemination of research and evaluation outcomes and work with PM to incorporate emerging learning into advocacy work, on-going and future programs and in writing evidence backed donor reports
• Identify Research capacity needs and work with the Research and Evaluation Specialist and Head of REALM to provide appropriate capacity building opportunities.
• Participate in designing and implementation of studies, assessments and learning in coordination and cooperation with Research and Evaluation advisor and Head of REALM and sectors’ technical coordinators and programme staff.

Accountability and Organisational Learning

• Lead operationalization of a robust community accountability system which strong mechanism for information sharing, community participation and for handling feedback and complaints
• Ensure participation of beneficiaries and children in monitoring and evaluating Save the Children development/emergency projects and programmes.
• Ensure that the functionality and relevance of accountability mechanisms is regularly assessed and necessary improvements are made
• Facilitate an active program learning platform including but not limited to facilitating management review and discussion of the action tracker, program review meetings, learning sessions and evidence days  

Partner Management

• Contribute to identify the capacity of present and potential partners in quality programming and ensure that REALM support is provided.
• Ensure that REALM aspects of programmes implemented by existing partners are enforced.

Representation and Advocacy

• Ensure that Save the Children's work is coordinated with efforts of other agencies and government, and support Interagency Coordination forums, advocating for the specific needs of children.  Participate in Interagency coordinated joint REALM activities (for instance, inter-agency RTEs).
• Participate in consortium MEAL meeting ensure SCI interest on project information requirements are met.
• Contribute to communications and media work as required, including verifying and ensuring the relevancy of case studies and programme success stories.

Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development

• Lead an independent REALM team in the respective area office and ensure appropriate staffing;
• Ensure that all staff understand and are able to perform their role in both emergency and development contexts.
• Manage the REALM Team, define expectations, provide leadership and technical support as needed, and evaluate direct reports regularly;
• Building capacity and knowledge of staff and partners on REALM systems, strengthening organizational knowledge and understanding of effective programming through networking, experience sharing and searching for innovative ideas;
• Identify training needs of staff in respect to applying monitoring plans/tools; collect, analysis and report on findings periodically and conduct trainings to address the capacity gaps;
• Ensure the recruitment and training of REALM staff as appropriate and ensure availability of appropriate professional development opportunities for REALM staff;

o   Manage the performance of all staff with the REALM Team through effective use of the Performance Management System including the establishment of clear, measureable objectives, ongoing feedback, periodic reviews and fair and unbiased evaluations; Coaching, mentoring and other developmental opportunities; Recognition and rewards for outstanding performance; Documentation of performance that is less than satisfactory, with appropriate performance improvements/ workplans

• Documentation of performance that is less than satisfactory, with appropriate performance improvements/ workplans
• Support the development of an organisational culture that reflects our dual mandate values, promotes accountability and high performance, encourages a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation, and frees up our people to deliver outstanding results for children and excellent customer service for our members and donors.  

Experiences and Qualifications

Applying Technical and Professional Expertise:

• Makes decisions based on professional expertise and experience without deferring unnecessarily to others
• Shares knowledge and best practice on technical solutions so that others can make best use of that expertise.
• Actively seeks new ways to develop the application of technical and professional standards within the team.

Developing self and others:

• Gives regular positive and constructive feedback to others
• Identifies clear development needs and development
• plans through regular constructive reviews of their own performance (and their team’s where appropriate)
• Creates space for others to learn and provides challenging and stretching tasks and assignments when people are ready for them
• Coaches others to learn from their experiences on the job and to use the resources available to them

Problem Solving and Decision Making:

• Gathers the right information and uses critical thinking to make effective and timely decisions
• Knows when to involve others in a decision
• Demonstrates awareness of the wider external influences that impact on decision making
• Analyses and exercises judgment in challenging situations in the absence of specific guidance or knowledge of the full facts
• Evaluates the opportunities and risks of each idea and solution to make informed strategic decisions

Working effectively with others

• Actively listens to new and different perspectives and experiences of those they work with
• Proactively supports team members and trusts their capabilities
• Demonstrates understanding of their skills and how they complement those of others within diverse teams and groups

• Clarifies their role and responsibilities within the team to maximise impact

Delivering Results

• Delivers timely and appropriate results using available resources
• Takes responsibility for their work and its impact on others
• Plans, prioritises and performs tasks well without needing direct supervision
• Understands the link between their work and the organisation’s objectives

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.

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Adult Safeguarding.

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy, all employees are also expected to carry out their duties in accordance with SCI protection from sexual exploitation abuse.

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Skills Required

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