MEAL Adviser – Thomson Reuters Foundation

The Thomson Reuters Foundation (TRF) leverages the expertise, reach and reputation of Thomson Reuters, the world’s largest provider of news and information, to run world class programmes that inform, connect and empower citizens, civil society, governments and businesses to shape open, fair and free society.

The Foundation works in partnership with a wide range of donors and organisations to deliver international programmes (including in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America) that foster media freedom, human rights and a more inclusive global economy. Our initiatives include journalism training and mentoring, legal capacity strengthening, news coverage through a dedicated editorial team, and convening corporate partners around major social initiatives. 

This is a new and exciting opportunity to shape the Foundation’s monitoring evaluation accountability and learning (MEAL) initiatives and processes, helping to ensure our projects realise measurable impact and real change for our clients and beneficiaries. It is a chance to play a key role in the Foundation’s work to advance media freedom, foster inclusive economies and promote human rights worldwide.

The successful candidate will play a central role as part of a dynamic programmes team, designing, implementing and advising on monitoring and evaluation systems, spearheading accountability and learning processes, and supporting project managers in the delivery of a diverse range of media, legal, and convening interventions to deliver systemic impact.

Reporting to the Senior Programmes Manager, the MEAL Adviser will also support project managers to improve their M&E capacity more broadly, and advise on Foundation-wide MEAL systems and processes to ensure strong accountability, effective learning and the highest possible standards of quality and impact in our programmes. The successful candidate will also directly support MEAL activities and start up for specific projects as may be required at any given time, and work with local partners to develop and implement new M&E mechanisms and strengthen their M&E capacity, where appropriate.

Please note, this is a fixed term two-year contract.

About the Role

As MEAL Adviser at the Thomson Reuters Foundation, you will:

• Work closely with the Foundation’s team of project managers to ensure initiatives are firmly rooted in robust theories of change, with impact measurable and evidenced through clear results frameworks and MEAL processes

• Support and advise the Foundation’s Programmes and Business Development teams in the design and set up of MEAL frameworks for new and existing projects that reflect the needs of our clients and beneficiaries, industry best practice, and meet the requirements of TRF donors

• Manage the day-to-day delivery of in-house systems to ensure evidence and learning from TRF initiatives is systematically captured and fed back into the design and delivery of new projects, keeping the Foundation at the cutting edge of programme innovation and best practice by continuously strengthening the quality of our programming models

• Lead on building MEAL capacity within the Foundation by advising colleagues on MEAL best practice and introducing new standards and processes as may be required

• Using your networks and experience, support project managers to deliver on project accountability requirements, including the commissioning of project evaluations, assessments, feedback mechanisms, and other accountability and learning initiatives within our portfolio of programmes

• Manage Foundation-wide monitoring processes to demonstrate how TRF programmes contribute towards our organisational aims and objectives

• Work with the TRF Director of Strategy and Impact to commission, conduct and design (impact) evaluations for wider Foundation work

• Lead on MEAL for specific projects, or project start-up more broadly, as may reasonably be required

• Facilitate learning sharing across the organisation and promote the integration of recommendations and lessons learnt in new project planning and future programming.

The successful candidate should have the following skills and experience:

• Educated to degree level

• A minimum of five years’ experience in similar monitoring evaluation accountability and learning roles within the international development sector

• Excellent M&E skills, including designing, planning and managing project evaluations

• Experience designing results frameworks and theories of change as part of successful funding proposals for donors

• Proven ability to work in an advisory and a hands-on capacity with project implementers

• Strong workshop facilitation and presentation skills with experience training and coaching staff

• Excellent communication and writing skills, including fluency in English.

• Demonstrable ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines

• Willingness to travel internationally when required

• The right to live and work in the UK.

The following skills and experience are also desirable:

• A qualification in statistics, or other relevant field

• Experience delivering project start-up and inception phases

• Familiarity with media development and/or legal capacity strengthening programmes

• Familiarity with Salesforce or other similar customer relationship management platforms

How to apply?

• The deadline for applications is 23:59 EAT on 15th May 2022.  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Early applications encouraged.

• To apply for this position, submit your CV and cover letter in English describing how you meet the specifications for this role and provide your availability to start. 

What’s in it For You?

At the Thomson Reuters Foundation, our people are our greatest assets. Here are some of the benefits we offer for your personal and professional growth:

• Global Perspective and Impact: Interested in working for a dynamic global organisation with a focus on social impact? With hubs all over the world from Bangkok to Madrid to Rio de Janeiro, join a truly international team with a shared goal of helping to build societies around the world that are free, fair and informed.

• A Unique Approach: Our expertise in media and the law is world class; we combine the power of both to address the critical issues faced by humanity.

• Our Relevance: With a focus on advancing media freedom, fostering more inclusive economies and promoting human rights, our work has never been more needed.

• Benefits: We offer competitive salary packages and market-leading benefits.

• Learning & Development: We are dedicated to the continual professional development of our employees and offer access to both in-house and external training opportunities.

About Thomson Reuters Foundation

The Thomson Reuters Foundation is the corporate foundation of Thomson Reuters, the global news and information services company. As an independent charity, registered in the UK and the USA, we work to advance media freedom, foster more inclusive economies, and promote human rights. Through news, media development, free legal assistance and convening initiatives, we combine our unique media and legal services to drive systemic change.

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Do you want to be part of a team helping re-invent the way knowledge professionals work? How about a team that works every day to create a more transparent, just and inclusive future? At Thomson Reuters, we’ve been doing just that for almost 160 years. Our industry-leading products and services include highly specialized information-enabled software and tools for legal, tax, accounting and compliance professionals combined with the world’s most global news services – Reuters. We help these professionals do their jobs better, creating more time for them to focus on the things that matter most: advising, advocating, negotiating, governing and informing.

We are powered by the talents of 25,000 employees across more than 75 countries, where everyone has a chance to contribute and grow professionally in flexible work environments that celebrate diversity and inclusion. At a time when objectivity, accuracy, fairness and transparency are under attack, we consider it our duty to pursue them. Sound exciting? Join us and help shape the industries that move society forward.

Accessibility

As a global business, we rely on diversity of culture and thought to deliver on our goals. To ensure we can do that, we seek talented, qualified employees in all our operations around the world regardless of race, color, sex/gender, including pregnancy, gender identity and expression, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, citizen status, veteran status, or any other protected classification under applicable law. Thomson Reuters is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer providing a drug-free workplace.

We also make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and for sincerely held religious beliefs in accordance with applicable law.

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