MEAL Consultant

Terms of References

1. Background Information

Oxfam has been working in Lebanon since 1993 on the provision of rapid emergency humanitarian assistance to vulnerable communities, as well as long-term development support to Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and local authorities. Through partnerships with local organizations, Oxfam in Lebanon has responded to several conflicts in Lebanon, including the July War in 2006, and the clashes in Nahr el Bared camp (NBC) in 2007, the Syria Crisis since 2013, and most recently the Beirut Port blast.

Oxfam in Lebanon’s work is guided by a 5-year vision of “women, men and people with diverse SOGIESC in Lebanon able to exercise and fulfil their rights, social and economic agency in an equitable society.” Such a vision heavily relies on rights-based, locals-based, intersectional, and partnership approaches in the development of the programs and projects. To implement this vision, Oxfam’s work focuses on two key programmatic work streams, namely Humanitarian and Governance and Economic Justice with influencing and gender justice as cross cutting themes.

1. Humanitarian: Within the humanitarian pillar, Oxfam in Lebanon provides emergency assistance and support to communities affected by crisis and disasters. Oxfam in Lebanon implements various cash assistance programmes in Lebanon, such as (Temporary Cash Assistance, Cash for food, and Emergency Cash Assistance). Oxfam’s community-based protection initiatives aim to support and empower vulnerable individuals and communities, particularly women, children, and refugees. These initiatives focus on preventing and responding to gender-based violence, promoting gender equality in addition to strengthening protection mechanisms and ensuring safety and well-being of affected populations. Oxfam in Lebanon also works to improve access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene practices in Lebanon. WASH projects aim to address the challenges faced by communities in accessing clean water, establishing sustainable sanitation facilities, and promoting good hygiene practices to prevent the spread of diseases.

1. Governance and Economic Justice: Oxfam in Lebanon focuses on promoting equitable economic systems, strengthening governance mechanisms, advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and advocating for policy changes. This pillar encompasses several key areas, including support to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and social enterprises (SEs) to contribute to sustainable livelihoods and inclusive economic growth while aiming to create positive social and environmental impacts.

1. Purpose of the Consultancy

The PMEAL Consultant will lead in providing technical support/expertise to Oxfam in Lebanon’s programmes, ensuring strong programme and project design and effective, coordinated MEAL systems to drive programme quality and implementation. The PMEAL Consultant will guide the development and implementation of a systematic approach to PMEAL, ensuring that Oxfam and partner teams are able to effectively track outputs and outcomes and manage data effectively for reporting and learning purposes, as well as ensure programmes are in line with Oxfam minimum standards and donor requirements. In addition, the PMEAL Consultant will build the capacity of Oxfam and partner teams, providing specialist support to institutionalize approaches and techniques that ensure high quality programme/ project design, planning, and MEAL. In line with Oxfam’s ‘one programme approach’, this role works across the spectrum of development, humanitarian and influencing interventions in close coordination with technical advisers and programme managers.

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1. Job Description

PROGRAMME DESIGN AND PLANNING:

• Provide high quality technical input into inclusive programme and project development processes, particularly on logic of intervention (Theory of Change, logical frameworks and MEAL plans), with an emphasis on ensuring sound understanding of how changes happen and sound programme logic and objective setting that is informed by contextual information

• Provide guidance to and support Programme Managers in ensuring that programme quality is embedded in new programmes and projects and that Oxfam quality standards are met.

• Support Oxfam and partner teams on quality information gathering, analysis and report production at community, local and national level to facilitate informed and evidence-based programme and project design.

PROGRAMME AND PROJECT MONITORING, EVALUATION, ACCOUNTABILITY AND LEARNING (MEAL):

• Ensure that robust monitoring systems are in place and teams are trained in order to provide regular data from our programmes to both programmes and country management teams.

• Provide technical leadership and oversight to ensure the overall quality of Oxfam and partner teams’ field data collection, data management, and analysis processes.

• Oversee information management to ensure the appropriate information is collected by project teams and managed centrally; including information on beneficiary data and site profiles, services received and progress on indicators. This includes the continued investment in database solutions.

• Support OiL in development of case studies, theme reports and analytical briefs

• Contribute to timely and quality reporting with MEAL findings on Oxfam’s programmes and projects in Lebanon, demonstrating accountability and learning.

• Support the programme teams and partners in extracting lessons learnt and good practises, and documenting case studies which demonstrate qualitative and quantitative changes.

• Lead / support on the design and management of evaluations in compliance with Oxfam’s evaluation policy.

• Support programme and project managers to design and monitor MEAL budgets and spending in line with donor requirements.

OXFAM AND PARTNER STAFF CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT:

• Facilitate identification of needs, planning, and implementation for country team capacity building in PMEAL areas, and build capacity of Oxfam and partner staff on high quality PMEAL process and systems, including through induction, training, coaching and day-to-day support. This includes mobilizing of internal and external resources as relevant in close coordination with OiL DCD .

• Provide technical support to the PMEAL team based in the field and ensure that they receive adequate training, mentoring and coaching.

• Act as focal point for Oxfam’s Programme, Accountability and Learning system (OPAL) for managing information and programs including providing technical support and training staff on OPAL.

1. Qualifications

This consultancy should be led by a person with: 

• At least 5 years’ experience of work in humanitarian and/or development context programmes
• Experience in managing, advising, training, and coaching others on PMEAL
• Proven ability to support the design and development of, programs and projects, including Theory of Change and proposal development
• Proven ability to advise and lead on the development and implementation of MEAL strategies, plans, and systems in humanitarian and development programmes
• Strong technical competence and experience in quantitative and qualitative research methods, data analysis, reporting and understanding of contemporary trends and innovations in MEAL
• Practical experience of mainstreaming gender in development, influencing, or humanitarian work
• High degree of computer literacy and word processing and Excel skills
• Excellent communication skills and fluency in English (verbal and written)

1. Process

Interested consultants should submit their: 

• CVs

Oxfam International in Lebanon reserves the right to reject any and all bids, including the Bidding processes, or not to award the contract at any time, without thereby incurring and liability to the affected Bidders. 

Please submit the full application documents (as mentioned above) to [email protected]