INTERNAL ONLY: Cluster MHPSS Senior Specialist (Stronger Together + Be There) Country Cluster: Syria, Jordan, oPt, Colombia, Global

YOUR MISSION The MEAL Lead provides strategic leadership and technical oversight for War Child’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) systems, including the Quality of Care (QoC) Framework and MEAL for humanitarian and emergency responses, across the War Child Alliance and with strategic partners. The role is responsible for the effective operationalisation of MEAL strategies, frameworks, and tools, ensuring that evidence, learning, and accountability are consistently embedded in programmes and organisational initiatives. Through line management of MEAL Coordinators and engagement in strategic planning and reporting processes, the role drives programme quality, organisational learning, and evidence‑based decision‑making at scale.      POSITION IN WAR CHILD ALLIANCE     Reports to (Solid/Management):   Head of MEAL  Reports to (Dotted/Functional):   n/a  Department:  Quality & Impact  Unit:  MEAL  Supervises (list direct reports / roles):  MEAL Coordinator(s)  (Operational) Scope:   Alliance Shared Services   What you will do: * Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of organizational MEAL strategies, frameworks, standards, and tools, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, accountability commitments, and evidence needs.  * Support results‑based planning and strategic program design processes, including the development, validation, and use of theories of change to guide planning, implementation, monitoring, and learning  * Lead the integration and operationalization of Quality‑of‑Care indicators within the War Child Alliance, implementing partners and strategic partners, ensuring consistent application and use for performance monitoring and improvement.  * Lead the onboarding of partners and implementing teams on Quality of Care and MEAL systems for EBMs and EIMs, providing ongoing technical support to ensure effective application and use.  * Oversee technical quality assurance of MEAL systems, processes, and data, including standardization of indicators, interpretation of results, and evidence generation to ensure credibility, comparability, and use.  * Strengthen organizational learning and adaptive management through consolidation and use of evidence and insights.  * Build and strengthen MEAL capacity across teams and partners through guidance, tools, training, mentoring, and on‑the‑job technical support.   * Lead the operationalization of the MEAL localization agenda, including application of the localization matrix and support to partner‑led MEAL systems, capacities, and leadership, in line with organizational commitments.  * Contribute to the development of the organizational MEAL strategy and MEAL positioning within the Alliance.   * Line manages MEAL Coordinators and oversees the performance, coherence, and effectiveness of the MEAL function across contexts, where applicable    ROLE-SPECIFIC OR CONTEXT RESPONSIBILITIES  * Provide leadership on Humanitarian MEAL, ensuring context‑appropriate, timely, and adaptive MEAL approaches that support rapid decision‑making, accountability to affected populations, and learning (through coordinating After Action Reviews) in emergency and fragile contexts.  * Lead development and governance of Quality of Care and Reach indicator guidance, systems, and tools.  * Support the design, oversight, and strengthening of accountability and feedback mechanisms to ensure meaningful participation of affected populations and response to community feedback.  * Establish and maintain EBM and reach dashboards consolidating program delivery and learning insights.  * Ensure ethical, safe, and responsible data collection, management, and use, in line with data protection, safeguarding, and organizational policies.  * Promote systematic use of MEAL evidence and learning to inform program adaptation, strategic decision‑making, and organizational priorities.  * Provide technical MEAL inputs to donor engagement, proposal development, and compliance with evidence and reporting requirements.  * Promote alignment and coherence of MEAL, Quality of Care, and evidence systems across the War Child Alliance.  * Support multi‑sectoral, technical, and rapid needs and strengths assessments.  * Ensure internal and external communication of MEAL and learning results, including contributions to communications products.  * Represent War Child in relevant global and inter‑agency MEAL, quality, and evidence networks.  * Undertake regular travel to support implementation, oversight, and learning. YOUR PROFILE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE     Education  * Bachelor’s degree in Monitoring & Evaluation, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Public Policy, or a related field.  * Master’s degree in a relevant discipline is an asset.  Experience  * Progressively responsible experience in MEAL or Monitoring and Evaluation roles.  * At least 3 years’ experience working in humanitarian, development, or conflict‑affected contexts.  * Demonstrated experience designing, leading, and institutionalising MEAL systems and frameworks.  * Proven experience providing strategic and technical advisory support to country teams and partners.  * Experience contributing to organisational strategy, programme design, proposals, implementation, and reporting.  * Proven experience developing tools, methodologies, guidance, and delivering training and learning activities.  * Strong experience coordinating and leading cross‑functional teams, working groups, or communities of practice.  Languages  * Fluency in English is required for this role.   * Additional languages may be useful depending on stakeholder groups and organisational context, for example Arabic, Dari, French, Spanish, or Ukrainian  (Technical) Knowledge  * Advanced knowledge of MEAL methodologies, tools, and systems.  * Strong expertise in Quality of Care frameworks, indicators, and best practices.  * Solid understanding of accountability to affected populations approaches.  * Experience with assessment methodologies, results frameworks, learning and adaptation processes.  * Ability to design and assess indicators and measurement systems for programme and organisational initiatives.  * Strong proficiency in Microsoft 365 tools (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint).  * Sound understanding of ethical evidence use, safeguarding, and child‑centred programming principles.  WHAT WE OFFER * Location : We work with global teams with team members being based in different locations. War Child is currently operates in: Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Colombia, DR Congo, Germany, Jordan, Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territory, South Sudan, Sweden, Syria, Uganda, Ukraine (soon to be registered), and Yemen. We also have offices in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Preference is given to applicants who reside and have valid working permits. War Child does not offer relocation. * Type of Contract : Local contract with salary and secondary labour conditions based on the in-country salary scale, local T&C's will apply. * Internals only may apply. Why You Should Apply * Meaningful Impact : Contribute directly to improving the lives of children and families affected by conflict through quality education and long-term, sustainable change. * Professional Growth: Join a dynamic organisation that values learning, innovation, and professional development, with opportunities for capacity building and growth through the role and War Child’s global network. * Global Reach : Play a key role in scaling a ground-breaking programme across multiple conflict-affected contexts worldwide. * Collaborative & Inclusive Culture : Work alongside passionate, mission-driven colleagues in a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace that prioritises safety, fairness and equal opportunity for all. HOW TO APPLY Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit their applications (CV and motivation letter in English) by July 10, 2026. We are reviewing submissions on a rolling basis, so early applications are strongly recommended. ________________________________________________________________________________ By submitting your application you certify that all of the statements made in your application are true, complete, and correct and are made in good faith. You understand that falsifying, misrepresenting or intentionally withholding information will be grounds for rejection of your application or withdrawal of any offer of appointment or, if an appointment offer has been accepted, this will be ground for employment sanctions, such as, but not limited to, instant dismissal. In addition, you understand that you need to submit a Criminal Record Certificate and that, if you fail to submit it, no employment relationship can be established. Disclaimer * Only applications received via our website are processed. * If we appoint a suitable candidate before the given closing date, we reserve the right to remove the vacancy from our website before that date. In such a case, any responses received after that time are not processed. * It could be that during our selection process the closing date for the vacancy is extended. If so, and you have not yet heard from us, your application will remain active.

YOUR MISSION The Head of MEAL provides strategic leadership for War Child’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) function, ensuring high-quality evidence, learning and data systems that strengthen programme quality, organisational accountability and evidence‑based decision‑making.  The role leads the development and operationalisation of War Child’s global MEAL framework, data strategy and quality assurance systems, with a strong focus on Evidence‑Based Methods (EBMs), Quality of Care (QoC) indicators, and continuous learning. The Head of MEAL manages a global team of MEAL, knowledge and data specialists, supports country offices and partners through mutual capacity strengthening, and positions MEAL as a core enabler of programme excellence, scaling and localisation.  Position in War Child Alliance   Reports to (Solid/Management):   Director of Quality & Impact  Reports to (Dotted/Functional):   n/a  Department:  Quality & Impact  Unit:  MEAL  Supervises (list direct reports / roles):  * MEAL Team Lead(s) * Data Analsyst * Information & Knowledge Management Specialist (Operational) Scope:   Alliance Shared Services  What you will do: * Set and steward War Child’s global MEAL, knowledge and data strategy, ensuring it drives programme quality, organisational learning and evidence‑based decision‑making.  * Ensure effective implementation and continuous improvement of the Global MEAL Framework, aligned with organisational strategy, Theory of Change, thematic priorities and Evidence‑Based Methods (EBMs).  * Guarantee that MEAL systems enable accountability, learning and adaptive management at global and country levels, strengthening programme relevance and impact.  * Lead the integration of MEAL across the EBM portfolio, ensuring consistent application of Quality of Care (QoC) indicators, evidence standards and learning processes.  * Provide organisational oversight of evidence and QoC data, ensuring consolidated analysis informs leadership review, strategic direction and scaling decisions.  * Enable continuous adaptation, localisation and scale‑up of EBMs, using MEAL evidence to guide improvement and contextual relevance.  * Uphold alignment with international MEAL and quality standards, strengthening organisational credibility, consistency and best practice.  * Provide authoritative technical leadership in MEAL, knowledge and data, guiding global, country and partner teams to strengthen quality and coherence of practice.  * Ensure robust MEAL data governance and digital enablement, safeguarding ethical, secure and effective use of programme data while strengthening digital tools, dashboards and insight generation.  * Build and lead a high‑performing global MEAL function, ensuring strong team leadership, capacity strengthening across countries and partners, and positioning War Child as a credible sector leader in evidence, accountability and learning.  ROLE-SPECIFIC OR CONTEXT RESPONSIBILITIES  * Ensure MEAL systems serve organisational priorities across programming, fundraising, advocacy and accountability.  * Act as a strategic partner to senior leadership by translating complex MEAL data into actionable organisational insights.  * Support localisation by promoting proportional, partner‑appropriate MEAL approaches and mutual capacity strengthening.  * Embed accountability to children and communities through feedback mechanisms and learning loops.  * Align MEAL processes with donor requirements without compromising organisational learning priorities.  * Strengthen internal collaboration between MEAL, Programme Quality, R&D, Advocacy, Communications and Funding teams.  * Support organisational change processes by ensuring learning and evidence guide adaptation and decision‑making.  * Represent War Child in global MEAL, learning and accountability networks and initiatives.  * Promote a learning culture that values reflection, curiosity, and continuous improvement. YOUR PROFILE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE     Education  * Relevant academic background in MEAL, social sciences, development, public policy, data or related fields.  * Master’s degree desirable.  Experience  * Relevant experience in MEAL, knowledge management and/or data analysis.  * Significant experience working in humanitarian or post‑conflict contexts.  * Demonstrated leadership of global or multi‑country MEAL systems and teams.  * Experience designing and operationalising MEAL frameworks, tools and learning systems.  * Strong experience with EBMs, quality frameworks and international standards.  * Experience in capacity strengthening, training design and facilitation.  * Proven ability to work through organisational change processes  Languages  * Fluency in English is required for this role.   * Additional languages may be useful depending on stakeholder groups and organisational context, for example Arabic, Dari, French, Spanish, or Ukrainian  (Technical) Knowledge  * Sound knowledge and understanding of children’s rights  * Knowledge of localisation and anti-racism issues and practices in humanitarian aid and development sectors.  * Knowledge of geopolitical trends and conflicts in the world.  * Knowledge of digital tools and software such as Mural, Miro, Sharepoint, MS Teams, etc.  WHAT WE OFFER * Location : We work with global teams with team members being based in different locations. War Child is currently operates in: Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Colombia, DR Congo, Germany, Jordan, Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territory, South Sudan, Sweden, Syria, Uganda, Ukraine (soon to be registered), and Yemen. We also have offices in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Preference is given to applicants who reside and have valid working permits. War Child does not offer relocation. * Type of Contract : Local contract with salary and secondary labour conditions based on the in-country salary scale, local T&C's will apply. * Internals only may apply. Why You Should Apply * Meaningful Impact : Contribute directly to improving the lives of children and families affected by conflict through quality education and long-term, sustainable change. * Professional Growth: Join a dynamic organisation that values learning, innovation, and professional development, with opportunities for capacity building and growth through the role and War Child’s global network. * Global Reach : Play a key role in scaling a ground-breaking programme across multiple conflict-affected contexts worldwide. * Collaborative & Inclusive Culture : Work alongside passionate, mission-driven colleagues in a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace that prioritises safety, fairness and equal opportunity for all. HOW TO APPLY Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit their applications (CV and motivation letter in English) by July 10 2026. We are reviewing submissions on a rolling basis, so early applications are strongly recommended. ________________________________________________________________________________ By submitting your application you certify that all of the statements made in your application are true, complete, and correct and are made in good faith. You understand that falsifying, misrepresenting or intentionally withholding information will be grounds for rejection of your application or withdrawal of any offer of appointment or, if an appointment offer has been accepted, this will be ground for employment sanctions, such as, but not limited to, instant dismissal. In addition, you understand that you need to submit a Criminal Record Certificate and that, if you fail to submit it, no employment relationship can be established. Disclaimer * Only applications received via our website are processed. * If we appoint a suitable candidate before the given closing date, we reserve the right to remove the vacancy from our website before that date. In such a case, any responses received after that time are not processed. * It could be that during our selection process the closing date for the vacancy is extended. If so, and you have not yet heard from us, your application will remain active.