PROGRAMME MANAGER- MEAL Senior level NEW

Job Title: Programme Manager – MEAL

Reports to: Country Director

Job Location: Nairobi

Contract Details: Fixed Term

Salary Range: Base Salary: Kes 260,809 per month

Housing Allowance: 15% of the base

About Concern: Established in 1968, Concern is a non-profit, non-governmental humanitarian organisation, dedicated to the reduction of suffering and the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

Concern’s vision, our mission and our work are all defined by one goal – ending extreme poverty, whatever it takes. Concern strives for a world free from poverty, fear and oppression.

Our culture is values driven and we believe that our people are central to all that we do and are key to delivering on our goal of Reaching the Furthest Behind First. We are committed to ensuring a workplace where everybody feels valued and are enabled to succeed in their work and contribute to delivering on our mission.

Job Purpose:

The job holder will provide strategic leadership and technical oversight for Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL), evidence generation and programme communications across Concern Kenya, ensuring robust systems, credible data and evidence are used to strengthen programme quality, accountability, learning and decision-making. The Manager will lead surveys, evaluations, operational research, grant-related MEAL, learning and knowledge management, while providing technical guidance and supervision to MEAL, Accountability and Communications functions and strengthening collaboration with programme teams, partners and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities:

1. Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Programme Quality

• Provide strategic leadership and technical oversight of MEAL systems across Concern Kenya programmes.
• Support the development and review of theories of change, log frames, indicators, monitoring plans and MEAL tools.
• Ensure quality data is collected, analysed and used to monitor programme performance, inform decisions and improve programme quality.
• Oversee monitoring visits, data quality assurance, accountability mechanisms and community feedback and response systems.
• Provide strategic oversight of Feedback, Complaints and Response Mechanisms (FCRM), ensuring feedback and complaints are systematically captured, analysed, responded to and used to inform programme adaptation, programme quality improvement and decision-making.
• Monitor and strengthen compliance with Concern’s accountability commitments and the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS), ensuring programme participants have accessible and effective mechanisms to provide feedback and raise concerns.
• Lead analysis of MEAL data and ensure findings are communicated to relevant teams to support programme performance monitoring and improvement.
• Ensure participant feedback and monitoring findings are routinely reviewed with programme teams and used to identify and implement programme quality improvements.
• Provide strategic advice to the Country Director and Senior Management Team on programme quality, performance, accountability, evidence and learning, using MEAL findings to inform strategic decision-making and organisational priorities.

2. Programme Support, Surveys, Assessments and Research

• Lead the planning and implementation of surveys, surveillance, assessments, evaluations and operational research.
• Provide technical guidance on methodologies, sampling, tools, data collection, analysis and reporting.
• Lead training and supervision of assessment teams and ensure quality throughout data collection and analysis.
• Lead analysis, reporting and dissemination of findings, ensuring evaluation recommendations are documented, shared and followed through to inform programme design, improvement and organisational learning.

3. Grant Management

• Provide MEAL technical support in proposal development, including theories of change, results frameworks, indicators and MEAL plans.
• Support the tracking of MEL, accountability and reporting commitments throughout the grant cycle.
• Provide timely, accurate and quality-assured data and analysis to support donor reporting, grant reviews and programme performance updates.
• Ensure grant-level MEAL, accountability, learning and evidence commitments are monitored, and support programme teams to use performance data, findings and participant feedback to inform grant management and programme adaptation.

4. Capacity Building, Localization and Learning

• Identify MEAL capacity needs and provide training, coaching and mentoring to staff, partners and stakeholders.
• Strengthen the capacity of local partners, government and communities to participate in and lead MEAL, accountability and learning processes.
• Promote localization, local ownership and the use of locally generated evidence in programme design and decision-making.
• Lead documentation and sharing of lessons, good practices, innovations and learning across programmes.
• Lead the development and implementation of programme learning agendas and structured reflection processes to identify strategic learning priorities and inform programme improvement.
• Promote an organisational culture of continuous learning, reflection and adaptive management, ensuring programmes respond to emerging evidence, changing contexts and the priorities and feedback of programme participants.

5. Information Management, Data Systems and Evidence

• Provide strategic oversight of MEAL information management and data systems across Concern Kenya programmes.
• Ensure effective management of digital data collection and MEAL platforms, databases, dashboards and other information management systems.
• Establish and maintain appropriate data governance, data quality, data protection, data storage, access and management processes in line with Concern standards and relevant legislation.
• Ensure timely analysis, visualisation and presentation of programme data through dashboards, reports and other appropriate information products to support programme monitoring and evidence-based decision-making.
• Work with relevant teams to strengthen the integration, accessibility and use of programme data and information across programmes and grants.

6. Communications, Evidence and Visibility, Kenya

• Provide strategic oversight and line management to the Communications Officer.
• Work with programme teams to identify results, evidence, learning and stories for communication and advocacy.
• Ensure evidence and learning are translated into clear products such as briefs, infographics, case studies, success stories and presentations.
• Ensure communications are accurate, ethical, appropriately consented and aligned with Concern standards.
• Ensure that programme evidence, learning, participant perspectives and feedback are appropriately incorporated into communications and advocacy products, while maintaining ethical standards, informed consent, confidentiality and responsible data use.

7. Stakeholder Engagement and Representation

• Maintain effective relationships with government, donors, partners, research institutions and other stakeholders.
• Represent Concern Kenya in relevant national MEAL, survey, research, nutrition and technical forums.
• Provide strategic representation and technical leadership in relevant national and international MEAL, accountability, research and programme quality forums.

8. People Management and Team Leadership

• Provide line management, coaching and professional development to the MEL Officer, Accountability Officer and Communications Officer.
• Set objectives, monitor performance and coordinate workloads across the team.
• Promote effective coordination, collaboration and evidence-based decision-making across MEAL, accountability, learning, information management and communications functions.

9. Compliance, Safeguarding and Emergency Response

• Responsible for upholding and promoting Concern’s values, demonstrating leadership on workplace equality, diversity and inclusion, and role modelling a positive safeguarding ethos.
• Required to actively participate in any emergency response as and when required.
• Ensure that ethical principles, confidentiality, informed consent, data protection and responsible data management are applied in all assessments, research, monitoring and communication activities.
• Promote and support compliance with the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and other relevant humanitarian and programme quality standards.
• Ensure that MEAL, accountability, learning and communication functions are appropriately integrated into emergency preparedness and response activities.
• Ensure MEAL, accountability, FCRM and information management systems are adapted and operational during emergency response to support timely decision-making and accountability to affected people.

10. Strategic Advisory and Programme Quality Leadership

• Contribute to organisational strategy, programme design and decision-making by ensuring evidence, learning, accountability and locally generated knowledge are systematically considered.
• Provide strategic leadership on emerging programme quality, performance, evidence and accountability issues and identify opportunities for organisational improvement.
• Undertake any other duties relevant to the position as assigned by the Line Manager.

Role Holder Requirements:

• Master’s degree in Statistics, Epidemiology, Monitoring and Evaluation, Project Management, Social Sciences, Economics or a related field.
• At least five (5) years’ progressive experience in MEAL, including MEAL systems, surveys, assessments, evaluations and research.
• Strong experience in MEAL design, information management, data quality, analysis and reporting, using digital data systems.
• Experience in survey and assessment methodologies, including SMART, SQUEAC, LQAS and quantitative and qualitative approaches.
• Experience in developing theories of change, logical frameworks, indicators and monitoring plans, and contributing to proposals and donor reporting.
• Experience in accountability, localization and capacity strengthening of staff, local partners, government and communities.
• Experience supporting grant management and use of evidence for programme adaptation and decision making.
• Strong analytical, communication, report writing, presentation and stakeholder engagement skills, with proficiency in relevant data analysis and Microsoft Office tools and fluency in English and Kiswahili.

Important information:

Concern has an organisational Code of Conduct supported by three Associated Policies: The Programme Participant Protection Policy, the Child Safeguarding Policy, and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy accessible here. These have been designed to ensure the highest level of protection for everyone the organization engages through its work.

The policies set out the behaviours and responsibilities that Concern staff, and all its representatives (including consultants, contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers, partners, visitors, ambassadors and Board members) are expected to uphold. They also articulate Concern’s commitment to safeguarding and protecting adults and children from harm in all aspects of our work. We will therefore do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work or volunteer with adults and children are recruited by us for such roles. Consequently, working or volunteering with Concern may be subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking.

In this context, all staff and representatives of Concern have a responsibility to uphold the highest standards in their work, in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies.

Tagged as: Concern Worldwide, Kenya