MEAL Lead – RRISE Programme

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Location: Abuja, Nigeria, with regular travel to the NE and NW

Country: Nigeria

Category: Programs

Employee Category: Proposal

Job Type: Full Time

Work Arrangement: In-person, with field travel

Open To Expatriates: Yes , however Qualified Nationals are strongly encouraged to apply

IRC has operated in Nigeria since 2012, responding to the protracted humanitarian crisis in the Northeast and, more recently, growing needs in the Northwest. Programming addresses conflict, displacement, acute malnutrition, food insecurity and climate-related shocks, and spans food security, health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), protection and resilience. IRC Nigeria works closely with national and community-based organizations (CBOs) and has long-standing experience operating in the BAY states (Borno, Adamawa, Yobe) and has also expanded its footprint in the Northwest states (Sokoto, Zamfara and Katsina). Within the humanitarian space, IRC’s SAP 2026-2028 further envisions expanded presence in Kebbi State and Benue State in response to the growing humanitarian situation.

FCDO is designing a new Nigeria humanitarian program, Responding to and Reducing Humanitarian Need through Investment in Systems & Resilience (RRISE), to replace the current Humanitarian Assistance and Resilience Program (HARP). RRISE is expected to be delivered through a Locally Led Response Intermediary Model (LLRIM), in which a lead organization - an INGO or consortium - holds the FCDO grant and works through national and local NGOs and CSOs to deliver the response directly to communities. FCDO RRISE remains at design and consultation stage. IRC's internal planning assumption for bid purposes is a complex program valued GBP 30 to 40 million over approximately 4 to 5 years; FCDO has confirmed that final budget and duration will be set through the Business Case and Call for Proposals process.

SCOPE OF WORK

The IRC is seeking a Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Lead for the upcoming FCDO Nigeria RRISE program. This program is expected to be delivered through a LLRIM, under which the IRC, as lead organization, would hold the FCDO grant and work through national and local NGOs and CSOs to deliver food security, protection, nutrition, WASH, health and shelter assistance across the NE and NW of Nigeria, alongside a funded capacity strengthening component for national and local partners.

The MEAL Lead will provide technical leadership and direction across all aspects of monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning for the lead organization's RRISE program activities, including performance monitoring, data management, quality assurance, targeting and reporting across all sectors and both the Northeast and Northwest. S/he will develop and implement the program's MEAL strategy and performance monitoring plan in accordance with IRC, FCDO, and best international practices, ensuring it draws on and triangulates with the independent needs and sector data function that informs targeting. Given the LLRIM's emphasis on independent verification, the MEAL Lead will manage the lead organization's relationship with, and ensure appropriate separation from, the independent monitoring and learning function and the independent accountability partner (Accountability to Affected Populations, AAP), so that performance verification and community feedback remain demand-side and independent of delivery, while ensuring their findings are systematically consolidated into program learning, adaptive management and donor reporting. S/he will also lead the program's Value for Money (VfM) monitoring, reporting and adaptive management in line with FCDO's VfM framework (the 5Es: economy, efficiency, effectiveness, equity and cost-effectiveness), ensuring MEAL data captures cost and efficiency evidence alongside performance and accountability data. S/he will also support national and local NGO and CSO partners to strengthen their own MEAL systems and capacity as part of the program's funded capacity-strengthening component, consistent with RRISE's locally led approach.

The MEAL Lead will work closely with IRC Senior MEAL Coordinator, consortium partners MEAL focal persons, the Regional METAL Lead, technical staff, the independent monitoring and learning function, the independent accountability partner, FCDO's Third-Party Monitoring (TPM) entity, and government and donor counterparts to ensure that relevant data is collected, stored, analyzed, and used to inform management and design decisions and to provide program updates, evaluations, and reports, as required. The MEAL Lead will directly oversee the consortium-based research, data and knowledge management staff in delivering research and learning activities, including engagement with IRC's global research (Airbel) team to deliver program research, as necessary, and will have line management responsibilities for relevant MEAL staff. S/he will directly report to the consortium Team Lead.

Please note that recruitment is contingent upon the successful award of the project, and the selection of final applicants is subject to FCDO’s approval.

RESPONSIBILITIES

‐ Develop, manage, and implement a MEAL system (performance monitorin…