Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) is an international, non-profitable, non-governmental humanitarian relief organization with its head quarter in Birmingham, UK. It enjoys consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and is a signatory to the Code of Conduct for International Red Cross and red Crescent Moments and NGOs in Disaster Relief. Islamic Relief has been working in Afghanistan for more than 23 years, providing emergency relief and implementing life-changing development projects for some of the most vulnerable people in the country. Islamic Relief set up our first Afghanistan office in 1999. Since then, IRA continued providing assistances in emergency relief, food security, livelihood, education, health, nutrition, shelter, orphan sponsorship, Ramadan and Qurbani programmes.

PURPOSE OF DIVISION:

Through capacity building and through technical and programme support, the International Programme Division keeps the organisation focused on the socio-economic and humanitarian needs of vulnerable people. The division reinforces IR’s implementing structure to enable these people and their communities to develop themselves sustainably, and ensures that the organisation is prepared to respond promptly and effectively to humanitarian crises. 

The division increases the organisation’s ability to tackle poverty by developing and fostering partnerships and institutional relationships effectively and proactively, and by ensuring transparent and timely reporting to the organisation’s donors.

PURPOSE OF DEPARTMENT:

The purpose of the department is to develop/provide technical support to all programmes on Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) to ensure course correction, bring innovation, explore impact, build evidence, gather lessons learnt and propose dimensions of scaling up.

PURPOSE OF DIVISION:

Through capacity building and through technical and programme support, the International Programme Division keeps the organisation focused on the socio-economic and humanitarian needs of vulnerable people. The division reinforces IR’s implementing structure to enable these people and their communities to develop themselves sustainably, and ensures that the organisation is prepared to respond promptly and effectively to humanitarian crises. 

The division increases the organisation’s ability to tackle poverty by developing and fostering partnerships and institutional relationships effectively and proactively, and by ensuring transparent and timely reporting to the organisation’s donors.

PURPOSE OF DEPARTMENT:

The purpose of the department is to develop/provide technical support to all programmes on Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) to ensure course correction, bring innovation, explore impact, build evidence, gather lessons learnt and propose dimensions of scaling up.

JOB PURPOSE: 

The HEAD of MEAL will have a key role in establishing and promoting use of MEAL systems. S/he will implement and revisit programme MEAL framework, focusing on building the capacity of relevant programme staff, as well as promoting and fostering a culture of shared learning and accountability and promoting innovation within the country programme. This includes supporting in the development and integration of accountability, learning and programme quality standards in programme assessments, design, monitoring, review and evaluation as well as consistent documentation of learning and progress in this area.

Key Working Relationship:

Maintain strong working relationship with Head of Programme/s, sector Leads, CLT members and each Provincial Manager as well as other internal & external stake holders.

Scope of the Role:

• Institutionalize and strengthen the Islamic Relief Afghanistan MEAL system through continuous context analysis, designing tools/mechanism/framework/systems for program quality 
• Ensure that all programmes and projects are continually monitored for their relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and appropriateness and that lessons are documented and communicated to inform on going implementation and future programming
• Develop viable mechanism embedded in MEAL framework to extract, update and disseminate learning of projects and programme in ready to refer and easy to understand manner. 
• Contribute to improvements in existing policies and procedures to enhance effective accountability mechanisms of the programme.
• Guide implementation team in achieving outcome and accountability to beneficiaries.
• Lead on building capacities of staff for monitoring, evaluation, accountability and Learning 
• Seek opportunities for information sharing and learning exchanges with local actors/INGOs to promote coordination at local, provincial and national level.      

Responsibilities for Resources:

Position holder will be responsible for budget of MEAL department and Program related MEAL Interventions

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

The Head of MEAL is accountable to fulfil his/ her roles and responsibilities in line with IRW’s code of conduct, values and principles, and to report to the line-manager regularly on the basis of defined key performance indicators (KPIs).

Programme Support:

• Design, monitor and revisit an organizational MEAL framework and ensure its integration in all projects. 
• Assist HOP in developing/ updating programme/project focused MEAL frameworks and tools and work with the country office and Provincial teams in all locations to implement MEAL framework and tools.
• Support Country Director and HOP by conducting a robust overall country context analysis which guides the sector experts on key trends and changing directions, if any.
• Working with HOP, support sector staff (on FSL, WASH, Emergency, Seasonal Programs, OSP. Advocacy and Communication, Protection &Inclusion etc) in development of sector focused or integrated log frames, concept notes/ proposals, plans, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks and research/assessment tools.  
• Design, develop and lead researches (TORs, study design and tools) such as baselines, pre/post KAP, evaluation/impact studies, sector/theme focused mid-term and end-term evaluation. 
• Extend consistent support in designing TORs, study design and tools to thematic specialists in conducting sector/theme focused research studies, position papers, policy briefs.
• Extract, consolidate and collate information from secondary sources related to strategically focused themes that can be used as ready reference while designing and developing concept notes and project proposals. 
• Lead in commissioning studies in terms of developing ToRs, study design, mechanism for hiring consultants, follow up mechanism and ensure quality final reports for range of researches/studies such as assessment, evaluation, impact or theme focused policy reviews and position papers. 
• Set up simple systems to manage information generated by MEAL activities, such as complaints databases.  
• Conduct simple data analysis and present and disseminate information to inform HOP and Country Director on regular basis. 
• Seek solutions for more complex data management requirements. 
• Implement accountability mechanisms at field level, e.g. complaints and feedback response mechanisms –assessment, design, implementation, and review. Implement activities to raise awareness and closely work with Complaint Team on capacity building on handling serious complaints.
• Support technical sector specialists to ensure that projects are carried out with participation from the vulnerable communities as defined in the proposal (including women, children, disables and elderly people), that information is shared with vulnerable communities (through traditional and high-tech solutions) and that they solicit and respond to community feedback.
• Put in place ready to use mechanism to gather learning and explore innovative aspects of ongoing projects and programmes.
• Engage with ‘community of practice’ within and outside of organization to add value to MEAL work. 
• Engage programme teams, thematic leads and communities in dialogue that visibly help in programme innovations and scaling up.
• Closely engage with Advocacy & Communication Team and Theme leads to capture innovate and impactful stories that can be highlighted within country and abroad. 
• Capture periodic progress of entire programme in creative forms like brochures, booklets, newsletters and specific reports in close collaboration with Media and Theme Specialists teams.  
• Support and supervise Knowledge and information management initiatives to regularly update programme and projects related information on the project management information system (PMIS) at country and global level. 
• Support to team in implementation of global Archiving Policy.  
• Support and innovate where required to ensure grants and reporting mechanism is aptly capturing the information for partners and donors. 
• Support the team to prepare infographics regarding programme and projects for management and wider dissemination.  
• Coordinate with provincial offices and finance teams that donor and partner compliance is ensured in porgramme delivery, transactions and reporting. 
• To ensure that the minimum standards of humanitarian relief are maintained in accordance with the CHS, Sphere Charter and Red Cross Code of Conduct.
• Facilitating the gathering of evidence-based knowledge on the positive and negative impact that the emergency response is having over the communities we work with.

Capacity Building:

• Work as a mentor and build the capacity of Islamic Relief team in institutionalizing MEAL system.
• Conduct training and awareness raising activities for operations and implementation staff at country office and field level regarding MEAL priorities and quality standards.

Representation & Organizational Learning:

• Ensure that Islamic Relief's work has coordinated with efforts of other agencies and Government, and support interagency coordination forums, advocating for the specific needs of communities, we are working in. This may involve supporting coordination working groups.  Participate in Interagency coordinated joint MEAL activities (for instance, interagency RTEs).
• Support senior technical specialist with learning activities.  
• Take lead in designing and conducting the Lesson learning workshops. 
• After review and reflection workshops, prepare lessons learnt reports and conducting accountability mechanism pilots.

            Any task assigned by supervisor/line manager or CD

Qualifications:

Master / Bachelor Degree in Social / Development Sciences or related field

Experience & Skills: 

• Substantial at least 4 years relevant experience on similar role in Afghanistan or developing countries and/or countries in transition / conflict particularly.
• Demonstrated experience in program design monitoring and evaluation or management, having served at such a position before.
• Experience and understanding of both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods and analysis.
• Previous experience with major donor proposal M&E requirements 
• Capacity building experience in project monitoring, reporting, and evaluation.
• Work experience in culturally diverse contexts
• Strong emotional intelligence and resilience, and able to maintain self-control in difficult situations.
• Able to work under extreme conditions in field areas.
• Good communication skills in local as well as English language which delivers information with clarity in a wide range of situations. 
• Has a positive nature and able to overcome issues that create hindrance in achievement of entrusted goals / objectives. 
• Has a learning attitude and a continuous improvement philosophy.

Project Specific Competencies and Technical Skills:

• Capacity building
• Monitoring & Evaluation and quality reporting 
• Project Design and Development 
• Risk analysis and management - Stakeholders analysis and management 

Other Skills:

• Independence and self-initiative skills
• Strong and well-developed analytical skills coupled with experience of writing reports that are usable by different stakeholders (in the English language) -       Strategic planning and leadership orientation skills.

Desirable:

• Relevant experience of working with humanitarian/development sector/INGOs

Others:

It is essential that the post holder shows a good understanding and empathy with the Islamic values and principles as well as commitment to IRW’s vision and mission.

Submission Guideline

https://jobs.af/jobs/head-of-meal

The closing date for accepting applications is 30 July 2025

Please note that applications received after the closing date will not be considered, and only short-listed candidates will be called for written test.

Note: The written test/interview will be on rolling basis due to the urgent need of the position the written test/ interview may take place before the closing date of the post/s.

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