MEAL Team Leader

The Team Leader will serve as the primary technical authority and overall manager of the MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning) delivery team. This individual will hold overall accountability for the quality, timeliness, and rigour of all MEAL products delivered under the assignment, from inception through to the final endline evaluation. The Team Leader will work closely with the designated MEAL focal person on the client team to align work planning, methodology, and reporting, and will represent the MEAL team in senior-level engagements with the donor and programme stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and finalisation of all evaluation and assessment methodologies, including the operationalisation of the programme Results Framework indicators for Baseline, Midline, and Endline evaluations.
• Oversee and quality-assure the full third-party monitoring cycle, including the development and approval of verification tools, key informant interview guides, focus group discussion protocols, and data quality assurance procedures.
• Direct primary data collection, secondary data review, and triangulation for all major assessment products, ensuring methodological rigour and contextual appropriateness.
• Lead the design and conduct of social network analysis (SNA) as part of the Midline and Endline assessment cycles.
• Develop and present Baseline, Midline, and Endline evaluation reports, including case studies per major assessment at geographic and thematic levels.
• Provide quality assurance and final sign-off on all quarterly third-party monitoring reports, ensuring findings are analytically sound, evidence-based, and free of significant factual error.
• Support the preparation and co-facilitation of bi-annual Outcome Harvesting sessions with programme implementing partners, including drafting agendas, developing digital facilitation tools, and consolidating outputs into learning briefs.
• Support the co-facilitation of annual in-person learning events with implementing partners and the donor, leading group sessions on thematic or geographic learning gaps as directed.
• Provide overall technical supervision of the technical teams such as Research Officer, Field Coordinators, and GIS Analyst, during data collection and analysis phases.
• Liaise with the Communications Officer to ensure that findings from MEAL activities are translated into accessible, context-appropriate communication products.
• Prepare and deliver formal presentations of findings to the programme management team and to the donor and advisory board as required.
• Manage and maintain a clear inception report documenting the team's approach to all MEAL components, timelines, communication protocols, GESI mainstreaming strategy, and risk register.

Qualifications and Experience

• A minimum of 10 years of progressive experience leading the design and implementation of MEAL activities in the Somali context.
• Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in social sciences, development studies, political science, international relations, economics, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated expertise in evaluation methodology, including both quantitative and qualitative approaches, mixed-methods designs, and participatory methods.
• Demonstrated experience conducting or overseeing social network analysis in complex social or political settings. Prior Social Network Analysis (SNA) experience in the Somali governance space is a strong advantage.
• Proven track record of delivering conflict-sensitive and GESI-responsive MEAL work, with evidence of adapting tools and approaches to fragile and politically sensitive operating environments.
• Demonstrated experience managing or supervising field teams of analysts and research officers, including in areas of restricted access.
• Extensive experience authoring evaluation reports, learning briefs, and monitoring outputs for bilateral donors, multilateral agencies, or international NGOs.
• Prior experience presenting evaluation findings to senior donor and government counterparts.
• Experience with Outcome Harvesting or other emergent/contribution-based evaluation methodologies in the context of governance programming.
• Familiarity with EU (Denmark, Norway or Sweden) development cooperation priorities and evaluation standards is a strong asset.