Consortium MEAL Manager- CASH Consortium of Afghanistan

General Position Summary

The MEAL Manager is a core member of the CCA Consortium Management Unit and provides strategic leadership for consortium-wide Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) systems across all consortium partners and implementing locations.

The MEAL Manager will lead the harmonization, implementation, and continuous improvement of consortium MEAL systems to ensure high-quality, accountable, evidence-driven, and adaptive humanitarian programming. The position will oversee monitoring frameworks, accountability mechanisms, learning agendas, data governance systems, rapid response monitoring, and information management processes for the consortium.

The role will directly support:

• quality implementation of Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA),
• accountability to affected populations (AAP),
• protection-sensitive programming,
• referral pathway monitoring,
• rapid emergency response monitoring,
• localization and Afghan NGO capacity strengthening,
• market and shock monitoring,
• evidence generation and adaptive management.

The MEAL Manager will coordinate closely with consortium partners, including program, protection, operations, accountability, and information management teams, as well as national and sub-national coordination structures including the Cash Working Group (CWG), clusters, and other humanitarian coordination mechanisms.

The position will provide strategic technical supervision to consortium MEAL staff and technical guidance to MEAL focal points across consortium partners and participating Afghan NGOs.

The MEAL Manager will ensure compliance with donor requirements, including DG ECHO standards, data protection obligations, and humanitarian accountability standards, while promoting a strong culture of learning, adaptation, and evidence-based decision-making across the consortium.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership for all consortium-wide MEAL systems and approaches.
• Lead implementation of the Consortium MEAL Framework, Learning Agenda, Accountability Framework, and Information Management Strategy.
• Ensure harmonized MEAL approaches and standardized tools are implemented consistently across consortium partners.
• Support consortium leadership and partners in evidence-based program adaptation and strategic decision-making.
• Lead consortium-level MEAL coordination meetings with partner focal points and technical teams.
• Support integration of accountability, protection mainstreaming, gender, disability inclusion, and safeguarding across all MEAL systems.
• Ensure consortium monitoring systems reflect the evolving humanitarian context and operational realities in Afghanistan.
• Support implementation of adaptive management approaches through regular analysis and learning reviews.
• Participate in consortium strategic planning, donor engagement, and program review meetings.
• Coordinate with consortium leadership to ensure MEAL priorities are integrated into operational planning and implementation.
• Support harmonization of consortium approaches with national humanitarian coordination structures and technical working groups.
• Contribute to strategic discussions related to localization, anticipatory action, emergency response, and cash coordination.

MEAL Data Systems

• Design, maintenance, and continuous improvement of consortium-wide MEAL systems and data architecture using CommCare, Azure, and PowerBI.
• Harmonize monitoring tools, indicator tracking systems, data collection methodologies, and reporting templates across partners.
• Ensure accurate and timely collection, analysis, storage, and reporting of program data.
• Oversee indicator performance tracking against donor and consortium targets.
• Lead the regular data verification exercises and periodic data quality assessments (DQAs) conducted at the consortium level.
• Ensure MEAL systems comply with DG ECHO requirements and consortium reporting obligations.
• Supervise management of consortium databases, dashboards, and reporting systems.
• Support implementation and use of MIS platforms including, CommCare, Power BI, Excel, and other approved systems.
• Coordinate data cleaning, deduplication, validation, and harmonization processes across consortium partners.
• Ensure data systems support sex-, age-, and disability-disaggregated analysis.
• Support remote monitoring systems where access constraints limit in-person monitoring.
• Ensure consortium data systems remain functional during rapid emergency responses and crisis modifier activations.
• Coordinate with REACH and consortium technical teams to support integration of market monitoring, shock monitoring, and analytical products into consortium learning systems.

Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP)

• Develop and implement the consortium Accountability Framework.
• Harmonize Community Accountability and Reporting Mechanisms (CARMs) across consortium partners.
• Ensure feedback and complaints mechanisms are accessible, confidential, inclusive, and context appropriate.
• Monitor effectiveness and accessibility of accountability channels for women, persons with disabilities, returnees, and marginalized populations.
• Establish systems for feedback trend analysis and escalation of sensitive complaints.
• Ensure community feedback informs program adaptation and operational decision-making.
• Coordinate feedback referral pathways and ensure timely response and resolution of complaints.
• Support partners to strengthen community engagement and communication approaches.
• Ensure communities receive clear and transparent information regarding targeting, entitlements, timelines, and complaints processes.
• Lead analysis of accountability data and produce periodic accountability reports and recommendations.
• Support closure of feedback loops with communities and affected populations.

Protection Mainstreaming and Safer Cash

• Ensure protection mainstreaming principles are integrated across all MEAL activities and tools.
• Support implementation of safer cash programming approaches in coordination with protection teams.
• Monitor protection risks associated with cash assistance including exclusion, diversion, exploitation, intra-household tension, and access barriers.
• Ensure monitoring systems assess safety, dignity, accessibility, and participation of affected populations.
• Support integration of protection-related indicators into monitoring tools and assessments.
• Ensure monitoring systems capture gender, age, disability, and vulnerability dimensions.
• Support safe and ethical data collection practices in line with safeguarding and humanitarian standards.
• Coordinate with protection actors and referral focal points to strengthen protection-sensitive referral systems.
• Monitor unintended consequences and protection concerns arising from consortium interventions.

Rapid Response Monitoring

• Develop and maintain and lead the implementation of harmonized rapid monitoring systems for emergency response interventions.
• Support consortium partners to conduct Rapid Needs Assessments (RNAs) during sudden-onset emergencies.
• Ensure rapid monitoring tools and systems are operational and standardized across consortium partners.
• Support activation monitoring and reporting for crisis modifier responses.
• Coordinate emergency response data flows and rapid analytical products.
• Monitor timeliness and quality of emergency response implementation against consortium standards.
• Support anticipatory action monitoring and shock analysis processes.
• Ensure emergency monitoring systems remain functional in high-risk and hard-to-access environments.

Program Learning

• Lead implementation of the consortium Learning Agenda.
• Facilitate consortium-wide pause-and-reflection sessions, after-action reviews, and learning workshops.
• Promote use of monitoring findings and accountability data for adaptive management and program improvement.
• Lead development of learning products, case studies, lessons learned documents, dashboards, and analytical briefs.
• Coordinate internal and external dissemination of key findings and learning products.
• Support operational research, evaluations, and thematic studies across consortium activities.
• Coordinate with REACH and consortium technical teams on joint analysis initiatives and evidence generation.
• Ensure learning from community feedback and monitoring findings informs future programming and response design.
• Support documentation of best practices and innovations in cash programming, accountability, coordination, and localization.

Localization and Capacity Strengthening

• Support implementation of consortium localization objectives through MEAL capacity strengthening initiatives.
• Lead MEAL mentoring and technical support for Afghan NGO partners and consortium focal points.
• Conduct MEAL capacity assessments and support development plans for local partners.
• Develop simplified and context-appropriate MEAL tools, guidance, and training materials for local partners.
• Facilitate consortium learning exchanges and peer-to-peer learning initiatives.
• Support partners to strengthen accountability, data quality, and evidence-based programming capacities.
• Promote locally led approaches to monitoring, accountability, and emergency response analysis.

Team Management

• Supervise consortium MEAL staff and support technical coordination with partner MEAL focal points.
• With the support of consortium management unit, establish the consortium MEAL Technical Working Group (MEAL TWG) and lead the TWG’s ad hoc and periodic meetings.
• Create a collaborative and inclusive work environment that promotes teamwork, learning, accountability, and professional development.
• Support onboarding, training, coaching, and performance management of MEAL staff.
• Clarify roles, responsibilities, workflows, and coordination structures across MEAL teams.
• Ensure staff understand consortium standards, donor requirements, and humanitarian principles.
• Promote staff well-being and safe working practices in challenging operational contexts.
• Support recruitment and technical evaluation of MEAL-related staff where required.

Internal and External Coordination

• Represent the consortium in relevant technical coordination forums including the Cash Working Group (CWG), clusters, and other relevant platforms.
• Coordinate closely with consortium program, operations, finance, accountability, and protection teams.
• Maintain strong working relationships with consortium partners, local NGOs, clusters, and humanitarian coordination actors.
• Coordinate with REACH on market monitoring, JMMI processes, and analytical outputs.
• Support harmonized reporting and information-sharing processes across consortium partners.
• Contribute to donor reporting, technical presentations, and consortium communication products.
• Promote collaboration, transparency, and information sharing across the consortium.

Organizational Learning 

As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Participants

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our participants and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of our projects.

Supervisory Responsibility

Consortium MEAL staff

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.  
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: the Consortium lead/director with a matrix reporting to Mercy Corps

Works Directly With: Mercy Corps’ HQ TEQ/MEL team, CCA Consortium lead/director, CCA partner MEAL and consortium partners’ national/local teams (including Mercy Corps Afghanistan MEL team), and CCA operations areas to coordinate logistics or contracting services for MEAL activities and product.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of our projects.

Knowledge and Experience 

• Education: BA/S or equivalent, degree or equivalent in development studies, computer science, business administration, statistics, economics, social sciences, monitoring and evaluation, project management or other relevant field required.
• Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of work experience, at least three (3) years of specific experience in the areas of program development and monitoring and evaluation in emergency, transition, and development programs with international cooperation, including relevant experience building and managing complex MEAL systems and teams. Relevant experience supervising data collection and data validation exercises and building staff capacity.
• Knowledge of key donors: A minimum of three (3) years of experience in monitoring and evaluation management for international development programs; ECHO, USAID/BHA, SDC, FCDO or other donors, preferred.
• Knowledge of thematic areas: Experience in conducting MEAL activities for CVA programs and diverse sectors including food security, water security, and economic empowerment is required. Please consult our website for more details and review our P2P strategy for definitions of those outcome areas.
• Knowledge of mobile technologies: A high degree of computer literacy is required. Knowledge and prior significant experience of using MEAL technologies: CommCare for data collection, Azure for data engineering, PowerBI for data visualization and reporting. Strong qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills and knowledge. Demonstrated understanding of intermediate statistics and ability to summarize and make predictions from multiple data sets: power user with Excel; experience with statistical packages including STATA, R, or SPSS; prior experience of using a qualitative analysis package, and MAXQDA is preferred.
• Knowledge of data analysis: The candidate needs to demonstrate knowledge of statistical analysis methods, as well as qualitative methods in order to succeed in this role.
• Knowledge of evaluation: Demonstrated academic and practical knowledge of various evaluation and study methodologies, including quantitative, mixed methods and qualitative methods. Prior experience with leading, commissioning and conducting complex studies will be a strong benefit to the applicant of this position.
• Emergencies: Experience in conducting MEAL for emergency response, early recovery, and development programs is highly appreciated. Knowledge of cash transfer programming is essential
• Writing and presentation skills: Ability to prepare clear and concise reports. Ability to communicate clearly in a multicultural environment.
• Planning and organization skills: Ability to manage and meet deadlines. Ability to work independently on multi-task load.
• Language skills: Fluency in written and oral English, Dari and Pashto is required. Must be able to read and interpret documents and communicate with others as necessary to perform job duties effectively.