Fast Facts

Save the Children International is seeking a Senior MEAL Advisor, Accountability to enhance decision-making and quality accountability measures across country offices, offering strategic guidance and technical expertise.

Responsibilities: Provide technical guidance for MEAL implementation, ensure compliance with donor requirements, oversee capacity building, manage global projects, and promote diversity in programs.

Skills: Deep understanding of MEAL principles, capacity building, proposal development, compliance review, and strong communication and analytical abilities.

Qualifications: Post-graduate degree in a relevant field; experience in MEAL practices; desirable qualifications include professional training in Monitoring and Evaluation.

Location: The position can be done from any approved Save the Children International office location worldwide, with potential travel (up to 40%) required.

Compensation: Not provided by employer. Typical compensation ranges for this position are between $85,000 - $120,000.

Save the Children International has an exciting opportunity for a Senior MEAL Advisor, Accountability to join our global team.

Team and Job Purpose

Team purpose

To enhance the culture of quality and impact across Country Offices by ensuring that the right technical expertise is available at the right place and time. Our purpose is to drive an evidence and accountability agenda and embedding learning throughout our programming and operations. We aim to support the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) function through capacity strengthening, PRIME, and global indicator roll-out, while leading programme incident management, risk escalation, and reporting to uphold our commitment to excellence and accountability.

Role purpose

Senior Advisor, Accountability provides technical expertise and leadership to enhance accountability and evidence-based decision-making, guiding country offices in implementing high-quality accountability measures. The role contributes directly to the organisational purpose by ensuring compliance with donor requirements and operational policies, thereby fostering a robust culture of quality and impact. In alignment with the values of Save the Children International, the position fosters a collaborative and inclusive environment that champions diversity, equity, and integrity, empowering teams to engage effectively with communities and partners.

Job Title: Senior MEAL Advisor, Accountability

Team: Quality & Impact

Reports To: Head, MEAL

Contract Length: Permanent

Grade: P4

Location: Any approved Save the Children International office location.

Time Zone (that the role holder must be available to work in): Any

Right to Work: The successful candidate must possess the unrestricted right to work in their current or preferred location for the duration of employment.

Language Requirements: English (additional language of French, Spanish or Arabic preferred)

International Travel Requirements: Yes, up to 40%

Budget Responsibility: None

People Management Responsibility: None

Principal Accountabilities

• Provide specialized technical guidance and advice to Country Office teams, ensuring high standards in MEAL implementation, with a focus on specialized support in Accountability.
• Conduct regular reviews and analyses of Accountability components of awards to ensure compliance with donor requirements and organisational policies, identifying areas for improvement.
• Apply specialised donor and accountability technical knowledge to support the development and implementation of high-quality proposals and strategic plans in collaboration with country teams, ensuring alignment with Save the Children's mission and values.
• Oversee the design and quality assurance of capacity building and training initiatives for national and local partners to ensure sustainable and effective Accountability interventions
• Lead on the strategic development and coordination of partnership strategies with local actors, local authorities and peer agencies to advance Accountability work
• Play a leadership role in external and internal working groups to continually learn and adapt best practices in Accountability and institutionalize key learning.
• Ensuring internal systems are in place to support and learn from country office colleagues implementing Accountability programs
• Manage global and multi-country projects and initiatives to strengthen Accountability specific guidance, tools, evidence, etc.
• Deploy to priority countries as needed for emergency response and provide in-person technical support and guidance (up to 40%).
• Promote a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion within all programmes, ensuring all interventions are accessible and effective for all community members, regardless of background or identity.

Experience and Skills

Essential

1. Deep understanding of sector specific principles and practices. This should include experience in designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programs and interventions.
2. Demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional development and staying updated with the latest trends and best practices in relevant sectors.
3. Strong ability to analyse complex data, review programme performance metrics and translate findings into actionable improvements.
4. Considerable experience in building capacity, delivering training, and mentoring staff and local partners on sector specific practices and broader technical approaches.
5. Proven experience in developing high-quality proposals and strategic plans. A track record of writing successful proposals for donor-funded projects is essential.
6. Proficient experience in reviewing and assuring compliance of awards with donor requirements and organisational policies. Demonstrated ability to identify and implement areas of improvement.
7. High proficiency in communication, including experience in negotiation, influencing, and coaching. Must demonstrate the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with diverse teams and stakeholders.
8. Ability to travel and work independently, occasionally in challenging environments and with short notice (up to 40%).

Desirable

• n/a

Key Relationships

Internal (excluding direct team and manager)

• Country/National Office staff (CDs, SMT, PDQ/ACCM/Ops Directors, TEs), other Quality & Impact Leads, Members, Global Leadership teams, TLG & related TWGs

External

• Strategic partners across humanitarian and development sector

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• A post-graduate degree in degree or equivalent in International Development, Social Sciences, Public Health, Economics or a related field is essential.
• Consideration for a combination of relevant academic qualifications and substantial work experience is also possible.

Desirable

• Professional training or certification of Monitoring and Evaluation, or related MEAL areas would be beneficial.

Working at Save the Children International

Save the Children is the world's leading organisation for children, employing ~25,000 staff. We save children's lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Through our work in 116 countries, we put the most deprived and marginalised children first.

We know that great people make a great organisation, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

The work here is challenging but is also immensely rewarding. At Save the Children, you will be in good company, working with talented, like-minded individuals who are determined to ensure that all children survive, learn, and are protected. Your contribution will help ensure children's voices are heard at the highest levels, and that we achieve our global strategy, Ambition for Children 2030, and reach every last child.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

DEI is core to our vision, values and global strategy. Save the Children is committed to creating a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation, and one which will support us in our vision to ensure every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation.

We are committed to equal employment opportunities, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, disability, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, caring or parental responsibilities, age, or beliefs and religion. We are committed to diversifying our staff to better represent the communities we serve and actively welcome underrepresented groups to apply.

Reasonable adjustments will be made should any candidate invited to interview require this.

Application Information

Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application. A full copy of the role profile can be found via the job listing. It is recommended that you save a copy of the role profile as it will no longer be available after the advert closes.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the job advert may be closed earlier than advertised subject to the volume of suitable applicants. Please submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Candidates who are successfully shortlisted should expect to hear from us within 2 weeks of the advert deadline.

Our recruitment process:

1. Application review by our recruiting team based on your CV and cover letter
2. Two-stage competency-based interviews with the hiring team
3. Some recruitment may include an additional assessment or case study stage, or a third stage interview
4. If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment, followed by your contract subject to passing background checks

We need to keep children and adults safe so our selection process includes rigorous background checks and reflects our commitment to the protection of children and adults from abuse. All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our Code of Conduct and all policies and procedures relating to Anti-harassment, Health and Safety, Safeguarding, and DEI and Equal Opportunities.

Save the Children does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.