MEAL Specialist

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is currently looking for a highly qualified MEAL Specialist to be based in Warsaw, Poland.

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading protection agency with a mandate to promote and protect durable solutions to conflict and displacement affected populations on the basis of humanitarian principles and human rights. DRC is implementing a multi-sector response to support Ukraine refugees, IDPs and host populations both within Ukraine and in the neighbouring countries of Poland, Romania and Moldova and wider Europe. Since late February 2022, nearly 4 million Ukrainians and third-country nationals have crossed the border to Poland. As part of its neighboring country response, DRC is establishing an operational presence in Poland to support displaced populations through partnership with civil society organizations and national NGOs, duty bearers and other actors.

About the job

As MEAL Specialist you will be responsible for supporting the development of a MEAL framework and protocols for each technical sector in line with the country strategy, ensure harmonized and standardized systems and procedures across different areas of intervention and states. You will provide technical MEAL guidance and leadership at all levels of the Country Program such as leading efforts to document progress, effectiveness and impact for donors reporting requirements, and for use in new project design. Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Quality Management

• Responsible for the development of log frames, MEAL plans in pursuit of high impact and cost effective program strategies and activities.
• Participate in project Kick-off meetings, review meetings and close-out meetings in order to highlight cross-project components aimed at replicating good practices and strengthening synergies between projects or programs.
• Develop and maintain global log frame for all programmes.
• Manage joint cross-sectoral assessments, evaluations, baseline and end line studies etc.

Programme Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning

• Develop and continuously update accountability strategy and lead on implementation of programme wide feedback and complaint mechanisms.
• Ensure that DRC’s team members are supporting all efforts towards accountability, specifically to beneficiaries and in line with international standards, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of DRC projects.
• Ensure the development of appropriate monitoring, tracking and reporting systems, tools and templates that enhance monitoring of program outputs and quality, generate quality evidence on program outcome and promote and ensure use of data for decision-making processes.
• Develop and improve systems that strengthen DRC’ ability to analyze, improve, and represent impact internally and externally and most of all to communities themselves.
• Design and manage evaluations in compliance with DRC evaluation policy, from development of ToRs, to advising management on approval of final report, to dissemination of evaluation.
• Regularly present key findings to the Senior Management Team for further development.

Capacity building

• Provide timely and high-quality advice to programme managers and staff as required;
• Capacity build, train and support sectors and field staff to improve the field monitoring or any other MEAL needs.
• Manage the MEAL team.
• Proactively support and advice on recruitment and induction of MEAL and relevant programme and project staff.

Consortium and Partnerships

• Act as focal point for all MEAL related issues in consortia and partnerships.
• Organize and run MEAL workshop and review or the consortium and partnerships.
• Ensure coordination of data collection and compiling.
• Act as focal point for baseline study, midterm and final evaluation for consortia and partnerships.

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to have at least five years of professional experience in humanitarian emergency contexts with PDQA responsibilities, preferable to have at least two years of experience at senior management level. Moreover, we also expect the following:

• Master’s degree in political science, international development, economics or other relevant field
• At least 3 years’ experience in relevant field
• Full professional proficiency in English
• Proven experience in effectively working with a variety of donors’ requirements including ECHO, EU, OFDA and UN agencies
• Proven ability to create and utilize qualitative and quantitative M&E methods and analyses in organizational planning
• Professional proficiency in English
• Professional proficiency in Polish, or Ukrainian or Russian

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.

Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.

Demonstrating integrity: You uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer

Contract length: 6 months

Band: Non-management, G

Designation of Duty Station: Warsaw

Start date: 1 July

We offer competitive salary and benefits in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for National Staff.