Department: International Programs
Location: Washington, D.C.
Supervisor: Senior Vice President of Strategic Programming
Employment Type: Full-time, Exempt
Compensation: $110,000 – 145,000, commensurate with experience and title
The Opportunity
The mission of Jesuit Refugee Service/USA (JRS/USA) is to accompany, serve, and advocate for refugees and forcibly displaced persons. JRS works in more than 50 countries worldwide to meet the educational, health, psycho-social and emergency needs of over 1 million refugees and other forcibly displaced persons regardless of race, ethnic origin, or religious beliefs. Rooted in Catholic social thought, JRS/USA maintains a deep commitment to supporting refugees and asylum seekers as they heal, learn, and determine their future.
During a time when federal funding for our work is waning, our mission has never been more urgent or inspiring. We’re entering a pivotal chapter of growth, innovation, and advocacy. Joining our team now means stepping into a story of resilience—where a belief in the intrinsic dignity of each person meets transformative action.
If you’re ready for a professional journey where your work will empower individuals and families seeking refuge to rebuild their lives with a sense of opportunity and hope, consider joining us!
For more information about JRS/USA, please visit our website: www.jrsusa.org.
Position Summary
The Director/Manager of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) leads JRS/USA’s approach to understanding, improving, and communicating the impact of its international programs. The position level and title to be determined based on candidate experience.
The Director/Manager will develop and oversee a practical, mission-centered MEAL framework that builds on existing JRS systems, strengthens accountability to refugees and other forcibly displaced people, and gives country offices useful information for program improvement. Working across JRS/USA’s grant portfolio, the Director/Manager will emphasize meaningful outcomes over reporting volume, align expectations with the size and complexity of each grant, and turn program evidence into learning that informs funding decisions, program design, and donor engagement. The role is both strategic and hands-on: setting standards, piloting tools, coaching country teams, analyzing results, and helping JRS/USA demonstrate its collective impact.
Key Responsibilities
MEAL Strategy and Systems
· Develop and lead a streamlined MEAL framework for JRS/USA-funded international programs, aligned with JRS’s mission and existing global practices.
· Establish clear, proportional expectations for grants based on their size, complexity, context, and country-office capacity.
· Create a concise set of shared indicators, reporting tools, and guidance that supports consistency without imposing unnecessary administrative burden.
· Pilot new approaches with country offices, incorporate field feedback, and guide thoughtful expansion across the portfolio.
Program Quality and Country Support
· Partner with country and regional offices to develop appropriate outcomes, indicators, monitoring plans, and data-collection methods.
· Provide practical coaching and technical assistance that strengthens local MEAL capacity and supports high-quality program implementation.
· Review program data and reports to identify progress, challenges, emerging risks, and opportunities for adaptation or additional support.
· Conduct monitoring visits and facilitate program reviews as appropriate.
Accountability and Learning
· Strengthen meaningful participation and feedback from refugees and other forcibly displaced people, including simple and accessible ways to assess benefit, dignity, satisfaction, and opportunities for improvement.
· Facilitate structured reflection with country teams to identify what is working, what is not, and what should change.
· Capture and share lessons, promising practices, and effective program models across countries and program areas.
· Promote a culture in which evidence is used for learning and improvement, not solely for compliance or donor reporting.
Portfolio Analysis and Impact Communication
· Aggregate and analyze results across grants to identify portfolio-level trends, outcomes, and lessons.
· Translate quantitative and qualitative evidence into clear recommendations for leadership, future grantmaking, and program strategy.
· Collaborate with Development and Communications to provide credible data, participant perspectives, and impact evidence for proposals, reports, stewardship, and other donor materials.
· Coordinate with Finance, International Programs colleagues, JRS International, and thematic experts to align programmatic, financial, and organizational learning.
Qualifications
· Bachelor’s degree in international development, evaluation, social sciences, public policy, statistics, or a related field; master’s degree preferred.
· At least seven years of relevant experience in humanitarian assistance, international development, MEAL, program quality, or related work, including experience with international programs or grants.
· Demonstrated ability to design practical MEAL systems, indicators, feedback mechanisms, and mixed-method approaches that are appropriate to program context and scale.
· Strong quantitative and qualitative analysis skills, with the ability to synthesize findings across multiple programs and translate evidence into clear recommendations.
· Experience coaching or providing technical assistance to partners or field teams in diverse cultural and organizational settings.
· Excellent writing, facilitation, and relationship-building skills; ability to communicate technical information clearly to nontechnical audiences.
· Commitment to participatory, respectful approaches that center the dignity, perspectives, and agency of refugees and other forcibly displaced people.
· Excellent written and verbal English required; proficiency in French or Spanish preferred.
Core Competencies
Strategic and practical MEAL leadership; analytical thinking and synthesis; program quality and adaptive management; accountability to affected populations; facilitation and coaching; cross-cultural collaboration; clear communication; sound judgment; and commitment to JRS’s mission and values.
Travel
International travel is expected and may account for approximately 15–20% of the position’s time.
Compensation and Benefits
Salary Range: $110,000 – 145,000, commensurate with experience
· Health/Vision/Dental/Life/Disability insurance
· Paid parental leave
· Retirement plan with employer match
· Generous PTO and paid holidays
· Employee assistance program
· Flexible spending accounts
Equal Opportunity
JRS/USA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. JRS/USA does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law. We welcome applicants from a diverse spectrum of qualified candidates.
Pay: $110,000.00 - $145,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Commuter assistance
- Dental insurance
- Disability insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid parental leave
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
