Job Title: MEAL Advisor

Department: Programming

Band: 9

Reports to: Project Manager

Location: Rwanda (Kigali)

This position is contingent upon Donor Funding

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

Job Summary

You will manage the design and implementation of MEAL programming for the Secondary Education Project to advance Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work in serving the poor and vulnerable. Your MEAL-related management skills and knowledge will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of its programming.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• Manage and implement all MEAL activities throughout relevant project cycles – project design, start-up, implementation and close-out – to ensure efficient and effective implementation in line with CRS program quality principles and standards and MEAL policies, procedures and practices, donor MEAL requirements, and industry good practices. Ensure project team and partner staff use the appropriate MEAL systems and tools.
• Champion learning with project staff and partner teams. Analyze and evaluate project performance data following MEAL policy and industry good practices, including use of differential and inferential statistics (quantitative data), and content and trends analysis (qualitative data). Proactively identify issues and concerns and use participatory processes to overcome implementation obstacles, encouraging reflection on key issues, assumptions, and themes to identify and address gaps in learning. Promote the application of learning to improve program quality and to strengthen agency influence among external stakeholders.

• Act as a key resource person for MEAL in project design and proposal development in respective programming area, gap-filling and taking on growth responsibilities, as needed. Support the design of project-level theories of change, results frameworks, Proframes (logical frameworks) and MEAL narratives, including the identification of key indicators of change and appropriate methods for data collection and use.
• Lead the development and roll-out of project-level MEAL systems, including Performance Monitoring Plans or Performance Indicator Reference Sheets, Indicator Performance Tracking Tables, data collection instruments, Feedback and Response Mechanisms, and Detailed Implementation Plans which are appropriate to the scope and context of the Youth Secondary Education project.
• Coordinate the implementation of monitoring and accountability activities and processes (including ICT4MEAL) according to the Detailed Implementation Plan and MEAL system for the Secondary Education Project. Ensure the quality of monitoring data through annual data quality assessments. Support active seeking and responding to feedback from all members of targeted communities and other stakeholders.
• Contribute to evaluation events in the Youth Secondary Education project through the development of terms of reference that include a balance of qualitative and quantitative methods, and the necessary level of technical rigor. Assure the quality of evaluation data through good data management. As required, support the identification, recruitment, and management of external evaluators to ensure high quality evaluation and learning.
• Represent the organization with donors, INGO working groups, UN, relevant local partners and relevant local government and community actors for the Youth Secondary Education project.
• Help identify, assess and strengthen partnerships relevant to MEAL in the Youth Secondary Education project appropriately applying partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
• Coordinate the identification of MEAL-related staff capacity and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and capacity strengthening and required interventions to support quality project implementation. Optimize partner participation and capacity development in the implementation of MEAL systems.
• Coordinate and monitor financial and material resources relevant to project MEAL needs. Through planning and oversight ensure efficient use of project resources for MEAL.

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s degree in project management, International Relations or in the field of Statistical Analysis.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant field-based experience in coordinating or managing light to moderately complex projects required, preferably with an international NGO.
• Additional experience may substitute for some education.

Required Languages

English and Kinyarwanda fluency required, French fluency appreciated.

Travel

Must be willing and able to travel up to 25%.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with culturally diverse groups.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to write reports
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented

Preferred Qualifications

• MEAL-related project management experience in the Youth Secondary Education Project is highly desirable.
• Experience engaging with partner organizations.
• Experience contributing to the development of technical proposals.
• MEAL skills and experience preferred.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship

Supervisory Responsibilities

None

Key Working Relationships

Internal: Youth Secondary Education Project Manager, Youth Education Specialist, Project Data Specialist, Regional and HQ MEAL TAs

External: Project Stakeholders

MEAL Competencies (for CRS MEAL Program Staff)

Each staff member in this position is expected to have solid knowledge and ability and can apply the following competencies with minimal or no guidance, in the full range of typical situations, while requiring guidance to handle novel or more complex situations:

• MEAL in Design
• Monitoring
• Evaluation
• Accountability
• Learning
• Analysis and Critical Thinking
• ICT4MEAL
• Management in MEAL

***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. 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 protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

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

CRS' talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer

How to apply

Interested and qualified candidates should complete the attached application form, Self -DeclarationClause and submit them together with one page Cover letter plus updated CV (maximum three pages) all in/as one PDF document - via email only to: RW_HR@crs.org not later than Thursday, June 12^th 2025, at 5:00pm.

Please, include the statement below in your cover letter:

“By applying to this job, I understand and acknowledge that CRS requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. Further, I understand that if I am a successful candidate, I will be subject to a comprehensive background check, and my personal/professional references will be asked to evaluate my behaviors related to the above safeguarding-related topics.”

Also include your full names and title “MEAL Advisor@ Band 9 ” in the subject line. Due to anticipated high interest in this post and the expected number of applicants, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Kigali May 29^th 2025.