MEAL Manager (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning)

Lumos is an international children’s charity founded in 2005 by the author J.K. Rowling to end the harmful practice of institutionalisation of children. Lumos’s mission is to fight for every child’s right to a family by transforming care systems around the world. Our vision is for all children to grow up in safe and loving families.

Despite clear evidence of the harms of institutionalisation, an estimated 5.4 million children worldwide continue to live in institutions. Separated from their families and communities, these children are deprived of the love, attention and opportunities they need to thrive. Our three-pronged approach is to prevent family separation, to protect children and to promote care reform. We’ve made important progress in closing harmful institutions and reuniting children with their families. And where children are unable to live with their birth families, we promote alternative family-based care, such as kinship care and quality foster care. Thanks to our tireless efforts alongside many other champions of care reform, the harms of institutionalisation are now more widely understood. A global movement is underway and the UN, the EU and some large development agencies have joined individual countries in pledging to change how they care for vulnerable children. We are committed to ensuring that global policy commitments are translated into local action, leading to sustainable change for vulnerable children.

The MEAL Manager will provide strategic direction, quality assurance, and innovation for Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning across the organisation’s care reform portfolio. Building on the existing MEAL framework, the role will provide advanced technical leadership, collaborate to enhance organisational learning, and ensure evidence based decision-making at all levels.

The MEAL Manager will drive the development and socialisation of the Results Frameworks, indicators, and data collection tools; oversee data quality, analysis, and reporting; and guide the integration of MEAL into programme design, donor proposals, Theories of Change, and logframes. Working closely with the Head of MEAL, Senior Learning & Research Manager, Country Directors, and advocacy leads, the post holder will influence programme design, donor engagement, and the MEAL strategy.

• Oversee the development, refinement, and implementation of the Programmes and Advocacy Results Framework, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and global best practice.

• Lead high-level analysis, synthesis, and communication of programme results for executive leadership, Board of Trustees, and key donors.

• Drive the digital transformation of MEAL systems, including the appropriate Artificial Intelligence tools ensuring interoperability, efficiency, and accessibility of data across programmes.

• Establish and implement MEAL quality standards, protocols, and SOPs across all country programmes, joint programmes with partner organisations, and advocacy initiatives.

• Collaborate on the design and implementation of internal and external evaluations, ensuring they meet rigorous methodological standards.

• Act as primary technical advisor to senior programme leadership on adaptive management, data-driven decision-making, and strategic learning priorities.

• Represent the organisation in high-level MEAL-related forums, donor meetings, and sector learning networks.

• Strengthen partner and country programme MEAL capacity through targeted technical assistance, advanced training, and mentoring.

• Lead the development of MEAL strategies and frameworks for major funding proposals and multi-country initiatives.

• Identify and integrate innovative tools and methodologies (including data visualisation) to enhance analysis.

• Other duties as assigned.

Alongside the opportunity to contribute to a truly life-changing mission, you’ll enjoy excellent benefits, a supportive and inclusive culture, and a genuine commitment to your personal and professional development. Some of the benefits we offer include:

• Direct impact on operational systems supporting our global mission, with exposure to senior decision-making during a transformative period

• Hybrid and flexible working with occasional international travel opportunities

• 30 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays

• Enhanced family-friendly leave (maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental) and enhanced sick pay

• Competitive employer pension scheme

• Learning and development opportunities

• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme for confidential wellbeing support and advice

SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT

Lumos recognises that the rights of safety and security are aligned with its core mission for children, families and communities. Effective and robust safeguarding sit at the heart of our mission and values, and accordingly, Lumos is committed to ensuring the safety and protection of children and adults at risk in all of its work. We expect all staff, associates and volunteers to share this commitment. Lumos has a zero-tolerance approach towards all forms of abuse, bullying, harassment and sexual exploitation. Lumos is a member of The Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and will carefully screen all applicants. Offers of employment are subject to checks and suitable references.

All staff and associates must:

·Carry out all duties with an awareness and understanding of Lumos safeguarding and PSEA requirements

·Ensure work complies with all safeguarding and PSEA policies and procedures

·Ensure that their behaviours and actions support the safeguarding of children, young people and adults at risk as appropriate.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STATEMENT

Lumos is wholly committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and against all forms of discrimination.

We are committed to creating and sustaining a positive working environment that encourages, supports and gives a voice to all, so that we can best support the children we serve.

We must ensure that all staff are equally valued, included, empowered and respected across the organisation and in everything we do. Lumos is fundamentally built on diverse, multi-national and multi-cultural teams.

This is something we cherish as a key strength and an integral part of our identity. Our organisation values and celebrates the diversity, culture and experience of each member of staff, provides equality of care, and support to everyone. 

We pledge to listen carefully, to educate ourselves continually, to promote open dialogue, and to seek out and deal with discrimination and prejudice wherever it occurs in Lumos.

OUR VALUES

Children are at the heart of everything we do. Every child needs love and carein order to flourish – and we’re proud thatthis is reflected in the values we holdwithin our organisation. We want to see all children grow up in safe and loving families. Our core valuesdrive us forward in our vision, underpin

every aspect of our work and strategy and are critical to helping us maintain athriving and effective organisation.By making sure every individual feels valuedand empowered, we can bring about thevery best outcomes for the children we serve.

·We embrace COLLABORATION

·We strive for EXCELLENCE

·We show RESPECT

·We always CARE

·We are PASSIONATE

WE ARE LUMOS